Love For Hire

Chapter 5: 5

Octavius rushed Kinsley down to the foyer. “I do not understand what did I do wrong?” She asked as he talked to someone on his earpiece.

“I will have one of my men drive you home,” Octavius said, not answering her question.

“His scars,” she pried, “he has scars. Are they suicide scars?” She asked. As they reached the door and a tall brunette in a suit was waiting beside the door.

“Take her home,” Octavius ordered the man.

“He is royalty,” Kinsley said, refusing to be ignored. “Why would a Prince want to kill himself?” Octavius ignored her question and walked away. She then looked at the man she had been left with. “Do you know?”

His indifferent stern expression never changed. “Follow me,” he said, opening the door and leading her out to the car. She had a feeling she was not going to get an answer.

Great, her first night on the job, and she got thrown out. It was probably safe to say she was as good as fired… and be homeless.

***

Octavius knocked on the door, and when he did not hear Nicholas bid him enter, he got worried. Though Nicholas was his boss, he was also Octavius’ best friend. He had been concerned for his friend for a long time. For years now, Nicholas had been depressed, and each year he became more and more withdrawn and self-destructive. In the last three years, he had tried to end his life five times, the last attempt just mere months ago.

Octavius tried the doorknob but found it locked. That was a bad sign. He reached into his pocket and took out the ring of keys he carried. He found the key to the door and let himself in. He rushed in and

did not see Nicholas, he rushed over to the washroom door and looked inside to see Nicholas standing in front of the mirror, his hands on the counter, and his shoulders slumped. Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

“If you are not happy with the girl, I can have another here in two hours.”

Nicholas scoffed at the idea. “No. I just want to be alone.”

“You should not be alone right now.”

“You think I am going to kill myself?”

“The thought has crossed my mind,” Nicholas would not look at him, which concerned Octavius. “Why do not I get a bottle of bourbon, and we finish it off together.”

“No. Just leave me alone.”

“Your Majesty, your father charged me with the responsibility of keeping you alive.”

“Why? I have nothing to live for. Why not let me end it on my terms?”

“The King…”

“The King…” He snarled. “Screw my father.”

“I do not just do it for the King!” Octavius snapped back. “Nicholas, you are my best friend, and I am not going to let you give up.”

Nicholas turned and glared at him. “Why the hell not? You know as well as I do what awaits me in the future.”

“There is always hope.”

“There is no hope. I have accepted my fate. I think it is about time that everyone else did.”

“Nicholas…”

Nicholas closed his eyes, exasperated by his night. “Look, I promise not off myself tonight. So please, just leave me alone.”

“Nicholas…”

“Get out!” Nicholas screamed and picked up the cologne bottle on the counter and hurled it at Octavius, who dodged the projectile. He sighed and left Nicholas as requested. He only hoped when he checked on him in the morning that he was still breathing.

***

“Give me another week,” Kinsley pleaded with her landlord, but he did not hear it.

“You are a deadbeat,” he snarled at her. “I am sick of your bullshit. You have until noon tomorrow to get your stuff out. If you are not out, whatever is left becomes mine, and I will have the police physically escort you off the property. Do not think I am kidding,” her landlord was a nasty little man who never wore anything besides sweatpants and filthy wife beaters.

“Please, I have nowhere else to go.”

“That is not my problem.”

Kinsley was going to keep arguing when a man coming up the stairs caught her attention. She knew this man. This was the man from the mansion last night. What was his name again…? Octavius? What was he doing here?

He walked right over to them, and completely disregarding the little man next to him, he looked Kinsley dead in the eyes. “Miss. Wells,” he greeted her with a polite bow of his head. How did he know her name? She did not recall giving any of them her last name.

“Yes,” she acknowledged him.

“I trust you remember me.”

“Octavius, right?”

“Yes, Octavius Hudson. I was wondering if you had a moment to speak with me.”

“Why getting me fired was not good enough for you.”

“I do apologize for that. His Majesty can be… unpredictable.”

“His Majesty?” Her landlord repeated.

“May I have a few moments of your time?” Octavius asked her, completely ignoring her landlord like the man was not standing right next to him.

“I am busy at the moment trying not to get thrown out into the street. Thanks to your moody boss, I am going to be homeless,” she snapped with great irritation.

Octavius finally looked at the man beside him. “You are the landlord?”

“That is right, Mr. Prissy,” the little man snarled.

“And what is Miss. Wells’ rent?”

“$850.”

Octavius reached into his back pocket and took out his wallet. He then took a wad of bills from the wallet and handed it to her landlord. “I trust this will suffice.”

Her landlord counted the cash in his hand with a smile. “That will do,” he said as he walked away.

“Did you just pay my rent?” She asked, surprised.

“Consider it compensation for last night,” he said. “Now, if I could have a few moments of your time.”

She stepped aside to invite him in. “I guess,” Octavius went into the apartment, and she closed the door. He stood in the middle of the suite looked around like the place was a slum. She supposed, compared to what he was used to, it was. “How do you even know where I live?”

“I asked the driver that took you home last night,” that made sense.

“So, what can I do for you, Mr. Hudson?”

“Is not it customary to offer a beverage?”

“Do you want a beverage?”

“No.”

“Then what does it matter?”

“It is common courtesy.”

“I am going to assume you actually want something and that you did not come all this way just to critique my manners.”

“You are right, my apologies. It is my understanding that you no longer work for LA’s Angels.”

“That is right. Your boss threw me out, and since I did not keep their biggest client happy, they canned me. You know your life sucks when you cannot even make it as a prostitute. Just get to it; what do you want?”

Octavius reached into the inner pocket of his suit jacket and removed an envelope, and offered it to her. She accepted the envelope. It was addressed to her on the front and on the back. It was sealed with a wax seal. A royal crest pressed into the wax. She tore open the envelope and took out the invitation inside. The Prince was requesting her company for the evening. “He wants me to come back?”

“He wants you to join him for dinner.”

“Tell him no,” she offered the invitation back.

Octavius looked surprised. “I think you might want to reconsider.”

“Why? He was rude and threw me out.”

“He wishes to apologize. I suggest you give him an opportunity.”

“No.”

“It is my understanding that you might have some financial problems.”

“How do you know that?”

“It is my job to know everything about everyone that walks through the palace doors.”

“You investigated me?” She asked, annoyed.

“As soon as his majesty said, he wished to see you again… yes.”

Her pride told her to throw him out, but she had already sacrificed so much of her pride this past week. What could it hurt to hear him out? “I am listening.”

“I suggest you come to the palace tonight and allow the Prince to explain.”

“I have no way to get out there,” she said, giving in.

“I will send a car for you. Be ready by six,” he said as he walked out the door. Fine, she’d go, but if he thought she was going to put out, he was sorely mistaken she was not on the clock anymore.