BOUGHT: A Standalone Romance (7 page)

I blink. Mary, Connor, and Kyle all stare at me expectantly. Words try to form on the tip of my tongue, but I find myself choking on them as I stutter nervously. I’ve never really been good at dealing with my problems, so I do the first thing that comes to mind. I run.

Connor and Mary’s voices drift after me. I don’t stop. My finger jams against the elevator button again and again, but when it doesn’t ding I jog down the stairs instead. Part of me knows that I’ll have to face it all eventually, but the other half makes me keep running.

I slip behind the wheel of my car. Memories began to flood my mind, memories that I thought had died a long time ago. Fumbling around, I realize my keys are not in my purse. My head thuds against the steering wheel.

You’re going to have to go back up there. You know you have to.

Sighing, I pick my head up. Connor peers through the window, his eyebrow raised. He opens my door as I turn to look at him. Words won’t form as he looks at me, so I turn away from him.

“What’s going on?”

Sighing, I shake my head. “A lot more than I have time to explain,” I mumble as I look forward.

Mary and Kyle are slowly walking over to us. Her arm sits around him firmly, but I can tell he’s angry. They stop beside the driver’s door, and Connor moves out of their way.

“Katie, please. I could really use your help,” Mary says, her mouth in a straight line.

I sigh. Slowly, I push my way out of the car. All of their eyes on me make me feel nervous. I grasp at my fingers awkwardly, fully aware that they’re waiting on an answer from me.

“I-I can’t help you.”

Mary bends down so that she’s level with Kyle. Reaching into her pocket, she pulls up some wadded up bills. “Go across the street and grab yourself some lunch. I know you’re hungry.”

Kyle glances between me and Mary before he finally nods. I watch him shove his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans before he shuffles off across the street. I turn back around to find Mary glaring at me. Her hand is wrapped around the black strap of the purse that’s slung over her shoulder.

“You’re going to have to tell him the truth.”

“I said I can’t—”

“If you don’t take him, he’ll go to an orphanage. Those places are horrible, especially for someone his age. Is that what you want for him? …I didn’t think so.” Mary sighs before she takes my hand. “If you didn’t care about him, you would have shipped him off when he was a baby, but you didn’t. You found him a loving home. I’m sorry I couldn’t keep up my end of the bargain, that I can’t keep raising him, but it’s your turn now. Please, Katie.”

“I’m not Katie anymore,” I mumble. “I’m Angela.”

Mary grins. “Yes, so I heard. Still, I need you to take care of Kyle.”

I sigh heavily. Glancing around, I try to avoid Mary’s eyes. She seems to have the ability to look through me, and I don’t like it. Looking over at her, I feel my defenses sinking away.

“Fine,” I mumble. “I’ll tell him.”

“Good,” she says with a satisfied smile. The weariness she’s been holding back covers her face. Suddenly, she looks a lot older. “Thank you, Katie.”

“Angela,” I mumble, my hand running up and down my arm. “I-I have no idea how to take care of a child.”

Mary chuckles. “Trust me, he’s practically old enough to take care of himself. You’ll be fine.”

I turn to Connor. “I’ll meet up with you later. There’s somethings I need to take care of first.”

“I can see that,” he says, his eyes running over Mary as if appraising her. “Call me.”

“I will.”

I watch him pull off in his car, his mouth set, before I turn back to Mary. She’s glancing across the street, worry crinkling her brow as she looks for Kyle. When he pushes his way out of the bakery across the street, a white bag clutched in his hand, she breathes a heavy sigh.

“We’ve been going through a lot lately, Kyle and me. He’s done his very best to be strong, but he’s still so young. I have to go live with my mother, and Kyle’s not welcome there. At one point, I told her to go screw herself when the offer wasn’t extended for Kyle to live there as well, but now I have no choice. I’m not going to watch him starve because I can’t keep a job. You have to take care of him. Hey, honey!” Mary’s face lights up when Kyle is beside her once more. “Let’s go somewhere and talk this over.”

All three of us pile into my car before I peel off. My mind is racing. I had thought that I would never see my son again, aside from photographs. Now, here he is. I glance up at him in the rearview mirror, and he’s staring back at me. My eyes dart back to the road.

There’s a park not far away. I pull in, and almost before I’ve parked, Kyle is out of his seat and outside, the door slamming behind him. Mary calls after him, but he’s already marching away angrily. Mary sighs.

“He’s been like this since he found out about you. He’s pissed off because we never told him about you.”

“I didn’t want you to.”

“I know, but now I’m questioning whether that was really the right thing to do. We should have just told him.”

I shake my head, hair falling over my face as I do. “No. I don’t even want him to know now. This was never supposed to happen. “

Sighing, Mary pushes open the door as she gets out slowly. I can’t help but notice that she’s struggling. When I first met her, she was a strong, athletic, genius woman. I was in awe of how beautiful she was. Now, though still beautiful, she seems to be wasting away. Finally, she pulls herself up and gently shuts the door.

Once I’m out of the car, I glance around. There’s a slight chill in the air, but the sun is beating down, keeping it from being unpleasant. We walk together, our voices hushed, as though we aren’t outside. When we reach a bench, I try to help Mary sit down, but she shoos me away.

“I’m not dead yet. Just sick,” she mumbles angrily. She grabs my arm when I sit beside her, the grip surprisingly firm. “You have to take him.”

“The lifestyle that I live,” I mumble as I slip a cigarette out of my purse, “doesn’t allow for children.”

Normally, I don’t smoke. There are rare occasions on which I do, however, when I get really stressed out, and I keep a pack of cigarettes for those occasions. In the last two days, I’ve almost torn through it. A ring of smoke slips between my lips as I glance at Mary.

“There isn’t another option at this point. Do you want him to go to foster care? Kyle’s twelve now. It will be hard for him to find another family. And why should he do that? He has you.”

I shake my head. Tears prick the corner of my eyes. “He deserves better than me.”

“You’re his mother, Katie. You might not be perfect, but no parent is.”

We sit in silence. I can hear Mary’s breathing, heavy and slow, as we watch Kyle. He’s sitting on a swing, black hair falling in his face as he plays his game. I can feel my heart hurting for him, but what else can I do? I can’t take him, especially not with Nathan back in the picture.

“I don’t have much longer,” Mary says, her voice cutting through the silence. “I stopped getting treated. I don’t have much money left, and I don’t want to waste it on something that isn’t working.”

“So you’re just going to leave? He doesn’t even know me.”

“I’ve told him as much about you as I could. Now it’s your turn. I’ll stick around for a few weeks, grab a hotel somewhere. After that, I’ll be moving on.” Mary lays her hand on mine, gives it a tight squeeze. “Please. He needs you.”

Sighing, I flick the cigarette to the ground before twisting my toe on it. As much as I want to, it seems like I can’t keep running away. Slowly, I nod.

“I’ll take him.”

“Good. I have these papers.” She digs into her purse. “All they need is your signature.”

“Let’s get something to eat, and I’ll sign them there. I’ll need some time to find another place.”

“No problem. I just ask that you spend a lot of time with Kyle. He needs to get used to you. Kyle, let’s go get something to eat,” she calls out.

Kyle gets up slowly, shuffling his feet as he walks over to us. As he does, I can see so much of myself in his features. He’s tall for his age, with hair as dark as mine. His eyes are wide, but blue, like Nathan’s. The closer he gets, the more I realize that I’ve made the right choice. No matter what the outcome is.

I drop Mary and Kyle off at their hotel before climbing back into my car. Lunch hadn’t gone as well as I thought it would go. Kyle didn’t say a word, merely glaring at us whenever we tried to get him to talk. I signed the papers before we decided to leave the conversation for another day.

My phone begins to ring in my purse, jolting me out of my daydream. I dig around for it before I’m finally able to pull it out. Connor. A text message pops up on my screen.

“What’s going on? You’re still going to my sister’s wedding, right?”

I grit my teeth before I toss the phone onto the passenger seat. Of course he hasn’t changed. He’s still the same selfish, spoiled bastard he’s always been. My fingers grip the wheel a little tighter. My phone starts buzzing again, and I throw it a cursory glance before sighing. Connor again.

If I want to stop being hounded, I know I’ll have to show up. After I ask him where he is, I turn the corner sharply and head to our usual coffee shop. Before I step out, I fix my hair in the mirror, frowning at my reflection.

“I have to do this,” I mumble to myself.

No matter how big of a jerk Connor is, the money is right. Playing this through would mean that Kyle and I won’t have to struggle, which is a very real possibility. Stepping into the coffee shop, I’m hit with the almost overwhelming aroma of roasting coffee beans and sugar-laden sweets. Right away, I spot Connor in the corner of the room. He’s talking on his phone, nodding and frowning.

I pull out my chair and sit down. When the waitress asks me what I want, I decide on a double espresso. My day has just started, but already I feel like I could pass out at any moment. I’m blowing on the top of the espresso when Connor finally gets off of the phone.

“You got my messages.”

“How could I not?” I mumble as I pour in a few packts of sugar and stir my drink. “I don’t think I can get any peace, with your constant harassment.”

Connor rolls his eyes. “I didn’t think I was harassing you by asking you to meet me.”

I know I shouldn’t, but I scoff loudly. “Ask? You never ask me anything. You just demand and take. It’s selfish, rude, and unnecessary.”

“I didn’t mean—”

“Look, let’s just get this over with, okay? Do you want to quiz me some more, or is it something new?”

Connor pushes up the sleeves of his shirt. “I just wanted to see if you were okay. I didn’t get a response, so I got a little worried.”

“So that’s why you asked about your sister’s wedding?” I ask with a raised brow.

“Just trying to figure out where we stand.”

I take a sip of my drink, shrugging. “The same place we always have. You’ve paid me for something, and I’ll deliver it.”

“Good,” Connor says, but his voice is tight. I can tell that something’s wrong, but I don’t want to pry. It’s none of my business.

“Your things are at my place,” he says before he lays a key on the table and pushes it my way. “I’ll send you the address. Come tonight.”

I watch as he stands up, tosses a few bills on the table, and walks out. Glancing after him, I shake my head. Demanding as always. I finish my drink before I wander out of the coffee shop as well. There’s so much that needs to be done, and it’s weighing on my mind, pushing me down.

There’s nothing more I want to do at that moment then go home, slip beneath my blankets, and sleep. Then I remember: there’s no home. I can’t walk into the one place that comforts me and find some kind of relief, because it’s been taken away. After years of my life changing rapidly, I realize that I had gotten used to a routine, a safe place.

Still, I’m not prepared to head to Connor’s just yet. Instead, I drive over to Zoey’s place. Knocking on the door, I realize that I haven’t talked to Zoey since the morning. I have no idea if she’s even home, or if she is, if she’s alone. Just as I’m about to turn to leave, I hear the door opening.

“What are you doing here?” Zoey asks with a grin.

Standing there in the doorway, she looks impeccable as always. Her hair is up in a bun, but a few wisps have escaped, and they frame her face delicately. Her dress is a soft coral color that complements her skin. The most beautiful thing about her, though, is that she’s a familiar sight.

I can’t take it anymore. My eyes blur before I can feel hot tears running down my cheeks. I’m gasping for air at the same time that Zoey’s pulling me in. She wraps her arms around me tightly, shushing me gently. She doesn’t say a word; she doesn’t need to. Her hand runs over my hair as she holds me tightly. When my crying finally slows down, she leads me into the house.

I’ve always loved Zoey’s home. It’s a neat little one-story, two-bedroom place with cozy decorations and furniture. Everything is real wood, warm and inviting. I know she prides herself on having a beautiful place, even if she tries to downplay it. Every little detail is planned, not a coincidence.

I let myself curl up on the couch, tucking my legs beneath me. Zoey disappears for a few moments while I wipe my eyes and nose. When she returns, she’s carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. She sits next to me before she fills up my glass and hands it to me. Before either of us says another word, we follow our tradition. Both of us drink down our glasses to prepare ourselves. It’s the way we’ve always worked when there’s bad news involved.

“Okay,” Zoey says as she refills both of us again. “What’s going on?”

I can’t help but break down again as I tell her everything. Overwhelmed, frustrated, I let it all out until there’s nothing left but my silent hiccups. Zoey shakes her head as she fills my glass once more. Already, the room is fuzzy around the edges, but I give myself permission to keep drinking.

Zoey pulls me in for another hug when I’ve finished telling her everything. I finish wiping my eyes as she clears up the mess we’ve made. When she’s sitting beside me again, she pats my hand.

“It’s okay. I know it’s a lot to go through all at once, but you can handle it.”

“How?”

“Take it one step at a time. For now, get some sleep.” Zoey pulls a blanket off of a nearby chair and covers me with it. “Besides, you know I’ll always help you. No matter what.”

I nod as I feel my eyelids growing heavy. Normally, I would resist. There’s so much that needs to be done, and who knows how long I have to get everything in order? Instead, I stop myself from thinking about any of it. There will be more than enough time to deal with everything once I have gotten some rest.

I’m not sure how long I’m out. When I wake up, my head is pounding. Stumbling off of the couch, I wander into the kitchen. Above the stove, there is always a bottle of pain pills. I finally find them and shake two out into my hand before grabbing a bottle of water out of the fridge. As I walk out of the kitchen, I can hear Zoey in her bedroom. Normally, I wouldn’t listen in, but I hear my name.

“Angela’s still here. Yes, I know you did, but she isn’t feeling well. Look, Connor, I know all about your little problems, but you’re not going to bother her right now. When she wakes up, I’m sure she’ll come over. You need to stop pushing her so hard. Go sober up.”

I make my way to the couch quickly, reminded suddenly of being a child and sneaking around. By the time Zoey walks out of the room, I’m slipping into my shoes. Checking my phone, I see it’s past midnight, and I have missed calls and text messages. I slip the phone into my purse.

“Are you leaving?”

“Yeah, I’m supposed to meet up with Connor.”

Zoey raises a brow. “Are you okay to drive?”

I give her a reassuring smile and nod. “I’m sure. Besides a little hangover, I feel fine.”

“Okay. Well, let me know when you make it to Connor’s.”

I can see the worry still etched on Zoey’s face. Giving her a tight hug, I wave before heading out of the door. Connor sent his address, so I put it into the GPS before I pull out of Zoey’s driveway. The drive is kind of long, and I watch the closed quarters of the city give way to large estates and sprawling land. I don’t know what I was expecting, maybe a quaint bachelor pad, maybe a loft like mine or an elegant hotel, but I should have known better.

Connor’s driveway seems to go on forever, the dark trees on both sides making me feel claustrophobic. When the house comes into view, I slow the car down to a crawl. There are cars everywhere, loud music pouring outside. The sound of laughing comes drifting to me. I have no idea what’s going on.

I take a moment to fix my hair before I pull up to the door. A guy, clearly in his early twenties, with short blond hair, jogs to my car. He holds my door open as I step out, offering his hand to help me.

“You must be Angela. Connor’s out back when you’re ready. I’ll put your car in the garage.”

“Who are all of these people?” I ask, unable to keep the curiosity out of my voice.

He shrugs. “All I know is that they’re friends of Connor’s. I just work here.”

I watch my car disappear around the side of the house. As I look up, I swallow thickly. It’s actually quite impressive. The brick house is tall, imposing, with an ornate garden and warm lights glowing from inside. When I walk through the door, my shoes tap on the shiny wooden floor beneath them. The music seems to be all around me, and I can’t help but cringe. Rubbing my temples, I walk through the house to the backyard.

If it was impressive inside, the outside is even more impressive. There’s a huge pool that people are swimming in, and off to the side is a hot tub half the size of the pool. Looking through the crowd, my eyes finally land on Connor. He’s leaning back in his chair, his shirt halfway open. There’s a drink in his hand, and even from this distance I can tell that he’s drunk. I walk up to him.

“You called?”

The people sitting around him look up at me. They all look pretty out of it. Connor glances up at me, the smile that was on his face a moment ago disappearing.

“Where have you been?”

“I was busy.”

Connor pushes himself up out of his chair with some effort before he walks over to me. His eyes run over me, and I can see a familiar hunger there. I push my hand against his chest.

“What?”

“You’re late.”

“I know. I told you, it’s been a hard day.” I glance at the people around us. “Where am I sleeping?”

Connor lifts a brow. “Don’t want to sleep with me?”

I cross my arms over my chest. “Are you kidding me? No, I don’t want to sleep with you. Let’s get this straight right now: I’m here for the money. You pay me, I pretend to like you. Once it’s over, I never have to see your face again.”

Connor’s eyes narrow, and I find myself swallowing thickly. He brushes past me, walking towards his house without a word. After hesitating for a moment, I follow him. Connor moves quickly, forcing me to take quick steps to catch up with him. We wind our way up the stairs before he pushes open a door. All of my bags are stacked neatly, but when I touch one, I find it’s empty.

“Everything was put away already. Check the closet,” he slurs as he nods with his chin.

I push the closet open to discover my clothes hanging up neatly. The rest of my belongings are tucked neatly inside of drawers. Even though I’m irritated with Connor, I can’t help but to be a bit impressed with the room. The huge, four-poster bed draped in delicate purple and gold, the thick carpeting beneath my feet, and the attached bathroom that holds a large tub and glass door shower are all beautiful. I drop my purse onto the bed and kick off my shoes.

“It’s nice,” I say. “Thanks.”

Connor nods. “Sure you don’t want to sleep with me?” he asks, a half-grin on his lips.

“Absolutely sure. I could use some time to myself.”

“Whatever,” Connor mumbles before he loudly closes the door to the room.

I heave a sigh and shake my head. What’s his problem? He’s always been a bit of a jerk, but now he’s being an outright pushy, demanding, controlling jerk. Slipping out of my clothes, I toss them into a nearby laundry hamper before I lock the door and slip beneath the heavy blanket. I can only faintly hear the sounds of the party downstairs, and I’m grateful that the walls are so thick.

As I start to drift off, I wonder what’s going on with Connor. He doesn’t exactly seem like the partying type, and his friends give me a weird feeling. I can’t put my finger on it, but something isn’t right with Connor. I turn over and pull the blanket up under my chin. Whatever it is, I’ll just have to deal with it in the morning. My mind is full of too many other things. I wonder if Mary and Kyle are already asleep and what it will be like when I have to become a mother again.