Chapter 18 When an old friend calls

"Ciao," Achille speaks into his phone after the second ring. "Are you sure?" His worried eyes fall on me as he questions the unknown person on the other end of the call. "Keep your presence low, we need you in there now more than ever. Keep me updated if anything transitions. I will call you back later." He ends the call.

"Brother, I need you to stay calm and listen to me first. If you as much as look in the direction of the door I swear to God, I will shoot your shanks full of wholes. "One of my men found Mia."

"Okay, where is she?" I frown. The fact that she is found is music to my ears, why would Achille be so worried? I mean the fact that she didn't even bother to visit or make contact to hear if I was fine hurt and what hurts the most is that she was so scared of me that she didn't even visit her mother in fear that I would find her but, I was not planning on tracking her down now. Maybe this is for the best. Nothing I did or tried to do for her will ever be enough for her to look past what and who I was. She would never really be with me without some condition hanging over her head and I needed her to be happy. To live a life she chose, with no regrets or ultimatums.

"She is being sold to the highest bidder at an auction tonight." My blood ran frigid as he utters the words that no one ever thought they would hear. She is what? How the fuck did this happen? "Ben, calm down." He warns as my whole demeanor shift and my breathing accelerates. How the fuck did he expect me to stay serene when he tells me that the only woman who ever made me feel like this we're being sold like a fucking whore! My heart was beating uncontrollably fast in my chest and my body was shaking. I needed fresh air. "What are you thinking?"

"I am going to kill everyone who had their hands ons her, who looked at her or even only heard about her. Starting with the head of their table." I growl placing my hand over the wound site on my chest to subdue the stabbing pain.

"They believe that you are dead. Think about it, that gives us an edge. The advantage of surprise. Just hear me out." He steps in front of me, blocking the way.

"Hear you out?" I sat for a little over an hour listening to you and Angela filling me in on everything, all the irrelevant fortes, making me believe that Mia is okay and that she just didn't want to see me." My hands form fists at my sides.

"That is not fair." Angela breaks in, but I choose to ignore her as I strap my weapon closely to my body before covering it with a matching black suit jacket. Fighting with her was ludicrous and a waste of precious time to find my Mia.

"There was no trace of Mia in the car, Ben and we never stopped looking for her. Do you really think I wouldn't make sure she is fine?" He continues keeping the way to the exit blocked. "I will get her back."

"No, I will get her back. You had your chance, you failed." I push past him taking the car keys from the table on my way out.

Finding the car was easy, I assumed it would be the black Porche Cayenne that stood not far from the hospital entrance, and of course, the keys were a big indication, but only when I pressed the unlock button on the key did the car's lights confirm that it was my ride. I quickly connect my phone to the car's audio system before I exit the parking lot on my way to Mia's childhood home where I can sit and think in peace without Achille and Angela hovering over me.

"Hello, old friend." Theo's voice vibrates through the speakers. "It has been a while." He informs me that we needed to catch up and I could almost taste the bile emerging from my stomach at the thought. He was a sleaze...

"It has." I agree, not long enough though, but what was I supposed to do? I needed someone in his trade and even though he was a trafficker to him business was important and I needed a business transaction at this moment and he was at least honorable in his work, but I still needed him to think we are friends. "I heard you are finally expecting the heir that you have always wanted, congratulations." This was only something I heard through the grapevine hoping it to be true. I don't usually listen to gossip, but I am glad I did.

"Third time lucky." He gloats. "Finally found myself a woman worth the amount to bore me a son. The other bitches only birthed girls, but it is my fault I should have expected it from those greedy little sluts." His words should have shocked me, but nothing came out of his mouth to surprise me anymore, he had little to no selfrespect. Those poor little girls he spawned, luckily they live with their mothers.

"I need a favor." I cut off the small talk.

"I knew there was something wrong when your name flashed across my phone, but a favor for the big boss...." He cracks up. "That is new to me. Tell me what I can do to please an old friend."

"I need an incite into the New York Gallery, they are having an event tonight that I need to attend." I do not want to lead around the bush, but I also don't want him to know my business. I didn't see the need for him to know.

"I am hurt. If it is girls you want you could have talked to me, not flown halfway across the globe to purchase some pretty whore. Those girls are auctioned off for prices that will never be their worth in weight, but if you insist..."

"I do."

"Then you better get yourself a date, because you will be attending in my place and everyone knows that I don't go without a date. My stupid assistant RSVP for me two months ago and I was wondering how I was going to get myself out of this situation, but luckily for me you just did."