Chapter 1: Chapter 1: The Lonely Life

CADEN

What kind of life do you have when you’re a millionaire and you can’t find a decent fucking girl? A very lonely one, I think. Sure, at six foot, six inches and at two-fifty, I’m built like an ox.

Anytime I go out, I get girls that throw themselves at me. They are okay, but they aren’t even decent girls. They are trashy as hell, and the clothes they wear match.

They only do it because of who I am. Tan skin, jet-black hair, baby-blue eyes, sharp jawline, and no girlfriend.

Well, I had one, or at least I thought I did. So, let me break this shit down for you. I took my girl, Natalia, who I’d been dating for about five months, on a nice date. Decent girl and never caused me any drama.

Took her out to dinner and decided to head back to my place. Now, we’ve done this plenty of times, no issues…well, until last night.

Last night, it started getting heavy quick, and before I knew it, I was pounding into her like an animal. She was moaning loudly and obviously enjoying it. I was growling like a fucking wolf until…she yelled some other dude’s name.

Yep, that’s right. She yelled out ~Rick~. Man, I shut that shit down real quick. The look on her face was like a deer in headlights. I threw my clothes back on and quickly threw her clothes at her.

While she was preoccupied by getting dressed, I grabbed her phone and looked in her contacts. Sure enough, there’s a fucking ~Rick~ in there. So you bet your ass I called the fucker.

He picked up asking if she missed his dick. She’s screaming at me to hang up, while he wants to know what’s going on. I said the nicest thing I could…

“Your slutty bitch is on her way to you walking down Fifth Avenue. You can keep her nasty ass!”

I quickly hung up the phone and threw it at her. I told her to get the fuck out and don’t ever talk to me again. She was trying to give some sob story, about how she wants to be with me and not him, blah blah blah.

“How long have you been fucking Rick?”

She looked at me and gave me no answer.

“How fucking long have you been fucking him?”

“A year.”

“What the fuck, you were already in a fucking relationship? Why did you even go out with me then?”

“Well, he doesn’t have money, but you do, so I will cut him off, I swear!”

“Shit, you think that would solve the problem? Think again, sweetheart… You need to leave… NOW!”

So, I kicked her ass out, and she got picked up by—you guessed it—Rick. So, now I’m sitting in my office which is under my apartment since I own and live in the Maxwell Industries building on Fifth Avenue.

We aren’t a tall building, only thirty floors, but my residence is on the top two floors. It has six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a game room, an entertainment room, and a gym.

I have a lot of guards that stay here at all times. Most stay at the mansion outside of the city. I usually only go there on the weekends when I need to decompress from work.

Sitting here just staring out the window thinking about how I’m now twenty-eight years old and single yet again. I’m thinking about my next move when I’m interrupted by my secretary, Connie.

“Mr. Maxwell, there’s a Mr. Canton on the phone.”

“All right, thanks, Connie.”

“Jack, buddy, what’s going on, man? I haven’t talked to you in months! How are you?”

“Good, man. You?”

“Oh, you know. Same shit, different day.”

“Still dating that Natalia chick?”

“Hell no, man, that’s a fucking wrap!”

“Man, I’m sorry! Why don’t you come by later today, and we can chill with some beers on my porch? Just like old times!”

“You got it, man! You know I’m down!”

“Sweet! See you later!”

I hung up the phone, and I can’t wait to see Jack! We always sit and bullshit for hours. We always end up going inside and watching the football game. I try to get my mind on track when I go out to Connie’s desk.

“Is everything okay, sir? Are the phones not working again?”

“No, no, it’s fine. Do we have any blank business cards by chance? Like with nothing on it?”

She searches around for a minute. “Sure, here are some, but you want them blank?”

“Yep, just blank.”

As she hands me the cards, I hear Natalie’s voice come from behind me. I slowly turn toward her and can instantly feel my stomach turn.

“Baby, I’m so sorry. Can we please talk about this? I didn’t mean it!”

“There’s nothing to discuss. I told you to not contact me again. Now, you can either leave with what pride you have left, or you will be escorted out of this building by security.”

“You know what, it was…”

“Security it is then! Connie, please call security to take the trash out.”

“Gladly, sir!”

Within minutes, security arrives and marches over to her.

“You can’t fucking do this, Caden!”

“I just did!”

I walk back into my office, slamming my door shut. That bitch has some fucking nerve showing up here. What the hell? Does she seriously think I’m going to take her back? Man, do I need that beer.

I slowly manage to get through the rest of the day without any more drama. Right before I’m about to head out, I head into my bathroom and change into some jeans and a T-shirt.

I place my guns in the holsters on my hips and head out. My shirt covers them perfectly so I don’t draw attention to myself.

I grab my cell, keys, and the blank business cards. Can’t remember why I even asked for them, but maybe I’ll remember after a few beers.

I head out of my office and toward the elevator to make my way down to the car. My boys, Tank and Frankie, have been my best friends since we were kids. They are my right-hand men and go everywhere with me.

They are trained assassins and are always packing. I always have one or two weapons at all times as I have plenty of people who want to take me down. Hence the security.

We head out to my SUV, and I jump in the back while Tank drives. He lives up to his name. I’m a big fucker but Tank—he is a beast.

Frankie isn’t too far behind and is intimidating in his own right with his scar going down his face. He’s in the passenger seat.

We back out and leave my building to head out of the city to Jack’s house. It takes about thirty minutes to get there, and when we pull up, Tank and Frankie get out to scope out the area. They take their job very seriously and get paid good fucking money for it.

I take care of them and their families who live at the mansion. I even moved their parents onto the estate and had in-law units built just for them. They get round-the-clock care by my staff and just love their houses.

Tank comes over and opens the door, meaning it’s clear to come out. As I exit the SUV, I see Jack standing on his porch with the beers. I stride up and give him a big hug. I grab a beer from him and take a seat on the porch. He hands beers to Frankie and Tank, and they stand on the steps watching the street.

“Damn, man, it’s been a long time!”

“I know, man, too long! How’s everything going?”

“Good, good, just going along with life.”

“Man, what happened with Natalia? I gotta ask, man.”

“Fuck, man, she yelled out some other fucker’s name while we were having sex.”

Tank and Frankie both spit out beer simultaneously and just stare at me in disbelief.

“Yep, that’s her boyfriend that she’s been with for over a year.”

“Damn, dude, that sucks. So now what are you going to do?”

“Dunno? I just gotta find the right girl, you know. Hey, what happened to Mrs. Roberts, your neighbor? Is she still over there? I don’t see her car anywhere. She makes the best cookies!”

“Naw, man, she passed away some time ago. Her kids have rented out the house. A couple is in there now. She’s got a little boy that’s five, but it isn’t his. Honestly, though, something isn’t right over there.”

“What do you mean?”

“At first, they were cool, always saying hi…seemed like everything was good. She has no family and neither does he. It’s just them and the kid. But for months, he’s been yelling at her. Not so much the kid, though.

“Lately, I swear he’s been hitting her. I keep calling the cops, but she keeps lying to make them leave. I don’t know, man, something isn’t right.”

I take a swig of beer and just look out toward the street, thinking man, that’s a shame. Who could do that to a woman is beyond me.

Minutes go by and, all of a sudden, Jack taps me on my arm.

“Man, there she is. I wish she had a way out to get away from that asshole.”

“I think I know what I can do... Tank, give me a pen!”

I grab the blank business cards and quickly write down my phone number.

“Man, what are you doing?”

“She’s going to meet her angel today.”