The Billionaire’s Desires

Hillary’s POV

Paris…

The city of love.

That is where Miguel took us. He actually took a broken-hearted woman to the city of love, isn’t that ironic?

Well, it is not his fault, per se, he had not intended to bring us to Paris. When we left New York City, he had made plans to bring us to Canada. He got us out of New York safely, his contacts were legit and they didn’t betray us, we were snuck out on time and we did not encounter any setbacks along the way. For almost two weeks, we did not get attacked by Ariel’s boys, it seemed like they had given up on me and we got excited about it because we thought that we have finally escaped them. All the same, we still kept a low profile and stayed in hiding for almost one month. We hid in a secure warehouse that Miguel claimed that it belongs to his family. After one month of peace and quiet, Miguel decided to move us into a more comfortable house. His family also happens to own a house in Canada and he said we would be safe if we stay there, and it would be easier for us to be found. I have no idea what that other part means, but I understand the part where he said we would be safe there.

He finally told me why he is so bent on keeping me safe. He said he belongs to a great family of warriors that have sworn to protect the Trents. I have no idea where the great family of warriors had been hiding all this while, they weren’t able to save Nathan and keep him safe, so I’m kinda wondering how they are going to protect me and keep me safe. All the same, I appreciate his presence here and I know that I would have been dead if it wasn’t for him. He has kept us safe since we left New York City, and all three of us are forever indebted to him. Becky had been so helpful, she is just too good to be true, so damn perfect in everything. I know she is still pissed off at Miguel, I mean, he had practically hijacked her from her pharmacy and he forced her to come along with us on this trip, I can see them glaring at each other every often, although I know that there is more to this than meets the eye. They try so hard to hide it, but I can see the warmth in their eyes when they steal a few glances at each other, especially when the other person is not looking. She only acts nastily to Miguel, but to Avril and I, she is just a perfect friend. Avril and I had been friends for a very long time we never knew that there is something missing in our friendship until we met Becky. The three of us clicked almost immediately, we became so close and inseparable, like sisters from different mothers, and as we spend more time with each other, our bonds keep getting stronger every day.

While we were still hiding in the warehouse, we talked about our lives, sharing our lives experiences with each other. I told her about Avril and I, telling her how we both grew up as orphans and how we both met in school and became close friends, sticking together like sisters. I also told her about Nathan, telling her the horrible things that everyone in school says about him and how I still loved him despite the rumors that are being spread about him. I could not stop the tears from flowing down my cheeks as I told her about the last days I spent as Mrs. Trent, telling her how Ariel tried to kill me after confessing to being an accomplice in his death. She listened so patiently, she did not interrupt me, not even once. She pulled me into her arms, rubbing circles around my back as I sobbed in her arms while thinking of all the beautiful times I spent with Nathan. When I finally stopped crying, she let me sit back comfortably on the recliner chair that Miguel had got for me because I am still recuperating. She sat gazing at me for a few minutes, then she just got up and left my presence, leaving me to myself. I know she is still getting to know us better and that is why she hasn’t said anything about herself to anyone of us. I totally understand that and I’m willing to give her as much time as she needs until she feels ready to trust us and open up to us.

Well, it turns out that she has already started trusting us because she walked back in a few hours later, her eyes red from all the tears she had been shedding. I was seated with Ariel, laughing and talking about some random stuff, but we stopped our discussion when we saw how sad she was feeling. We let her calm down for a bit before asking her what the problem was. When she finally started talking, we were shocked to see bones when we realized that her issues are ten times more than whatever we are going through. She told us about the death of her parents when she was just fifteen, and how her father was a drug baron who was murdered by a team of well-trained assassins called the Schwartz brothers. Her entire family was murdered in front of her while she got abducted by the leader of the group called Robert Schwartz. For eleven years, she was forced to be his sex slave, he did not only force her to be his sex slave, he always has her beaten up by his boys, if she ever tries to resist him. She was so broken down there, that she almost lost her sanity. Whenever she fought back, she was beaten, starved, and locked up for days, one time, she was locked in the cellar while his men went on a trip for weeks, she would be left to die of hunger and thirst, but somehow, she always manages to survive everything, that’s because she never gave up, she always thinks about the future, planning her escape day after day.

“I wasn’t born a slave, I know I wasn’t meant to be one, that is why I worked hard day and night, planning my escape. The thought of leaving this place, the thought of being a free woman someday, that is what keeps me going, that is why I am still alive today.” She muttered softly. She told us how she planned every detail of her escape. She had lived with him for eleven years so she knows all about his schedule. She knew he was about to leave for one of his long trips, so she made sure she pissed him off before he left, making him to lock her up in his Cellars before leaving with his boys. She had it all figured out, she had tricked one of the guards into telling her the security code that opens the callers, she even stole one of the security cards that the guards use to unlock every door in the building. The guards could not report to him about the missing card because they knew it would cost them their lives. When nobody came to bring her food for two days, she knew they were gone, so she put her plans into action and took off from that hellhole. She did not only have herself that day, she saved six other girls that were also locked away in his callers. She made away with his money, then she burned down the building to hide every evidence of her escape. She told us how they were so lucky to escape that building, she had heard the stories of some girls that had tried to escape him, and she had seen how cruel he is to those that try to run away. She knows the risk, but she took it anyway and she had escaped with her life saving some other prisoners along the line.

She had learned to defend herself while planning her escape, she is such a strong woman. I have to admit that when I first saw the scars and tattoos on her body, I thought she is one hell of a person, I pictured her as a thug or a hired assassin. Who would have thought that she is just a survivor like us, you would never know that she had been through hell and back, the scars and tattoos are a reminder of her pains and misery. Now I understand why she had refused to come with us when Miguel had told her about his plans. She had used the money she stole from her captor to purchase that building and start up her business, she had been hiding in New York City, lying low to avoid him. I hope she lives a more peaceful life now. I was telling her how much we appreciate her honesty and trust, telling her how I love her like a sister, but Miguel had come in right at that moment and he asked her to follow him claiming that he wants her to help him get some supplies into the house before we can move in. From the look on his face and the grumpy sound of his voice, I can tell that he was pissed off at something or someone, I really can’t say. I don’t even know how long he has been standing there, I hope he didn’t eavesdrop on our conversation, I’m not so sure that Becky wants him to know about her past yet, I don’t know what is going on with them, but I’m sure she will tell him if she wants to or maybe he already knows the truth about her, he has a way of knowing everything he wants to know, I just don’t know how he does it. They both walked out of the warehouse, leaving Avril and I alone.

“What do you think Hills, do you think they will end up together?” Avril asked me while we were packing our stuff together. We are getting ready to leave this warehouse and move to a better house, we have been here for one month and nothing has gone wrong, no attacks and no stalkers on our trail. Becky and Miguel have left to buy some supplies for our new house, while Ariel and I are putting all our stuff together so we can be ready to leave by evening today. I don’t know why she is asking me this, I mean, we both know that Miguel and Becky do not see eye to eye, they have never sat together for even a second. I guess she must have seen the way they look at each other, the warmth in their eyes when they stare at each other, they share the same look that Nathan and I used to have before I summoned the courage to kiss him publicly. That kiss had been the beginning of such a beautiful relationship, despite the fact that we ended up this way, I still have no regrets. If we were to go back in time, I would still kiss him again, I would still love him and marry him secretly if he asks me to, but I’ll never let him go on that stupid trip, I would stop him from leaving me all alone. But Miguel and Becky are just too stubborn, I wonder who among them would be courageous enough to open up and share their feelings.

“Your guess is as good as mine, Avi. I hope they open up soon because I’m tired of watching their childish display, it is so fucking annoying.” I responded to her, causing her to chuckle softly. We finished packing up everything, then we had our baths and sat down in front of the TV, killing time while we waited for them to arrive. We waited and waited for almost eight hours, but they didn’t show up. We tried calling them but they weren’t picking up either. It was getting late and we were beginning to panic, Miguel would never stay out this late without calling to inform us of his reason for being late, and he always takes my call after the first ring. This is so unusual and it’s scaring the shit out of me. Avril and I couldn’t sit still anymore, we were watching our favorite shows on TV, but right now, it’s no longer interesting to either of us. Even with the pains I’m having from my injuries, I still couldn’t sit still anymore. We were both so agitated that we could only pace the warehouse in our nervous state, praying that they both come back safe and sound.

There is a bridge that leads to the warehouse, Miguel had installed some cameras on the bridge so we can see if anyone is trying to cross the bridge and come into the warehouse. That is why Avril stood in front of the monitor, watching to see when they arrive. She had been there for hours now, yet nothing. I couldn’t even stare at the screen with her, I’m too shaken to sit or stand in a particular place right now. All I can do now is to pace the warehouse before I go crazy with nervousness. We saw a red Range Rover passing the bridge that leads to the warehouse. That is not the car they had left with, it’s not even our car. A few minutes later, we heard the screeching sound of the car as it halted in front of the entrance. I was about to run down to the door to check out what was wrong with them, but Avril stopped me before I even took two steps. She dragged me back with a stern look on her face, reminding me of Miguel’s earlier warnings. He has always been security conscious and be had warned us never to rush to the door in this kind of situation. He left some unloaded weapons at strategic points in the warehouse, he taught Avril and I how to load the guns and how to aim and shoot our targets. Becky didn’t join us in our lessons because she already knows how to use her weapons. Avril pulled me to a hiding spot, then we loaded our weapons and waited for the door to be pushed open.

A few minutes later, the door pushed open and they both came running into the warehouse, with Becky panting so hard in fear. I heaved a sigh of relief when we saw that it was them afterall. We both ran out of our hiding place, running towards them, asking so many questions at once, but they had no time to answer any of our questions. Becky was still trying to catch her breath and all Miguel could say was,

“Move everything into the SUV, we have to leave right now, we can’t stay here tonight, they found us and they are coming.”Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.