Chapter 2
Axel Hughes
Where did he go? An overwhelming urge to find him took over as I left the bar. He didn’t deserve what had happened, and I needed to make it right.
Pushing through the back door, I looked around, then spotted him walking down the alleyway. His dark, silky hair had come loose, but his posture was sure and determined.
“Luca!” I called, jogging his way. He was about to get into an older model car that had seen better days when he turned, confusion written all over his face.
As he narrowed his eyes at me, the breeze blew several wisps of hair across his face.
I thought I saw a hint of despair, but it quickly changed into a smile.
There was something about him that I couldn’t look away from.
As he leaned his left arm over the top of the car door, he tucked the hair behind his ears, then licked his lips. His warm brown eyes were those of an unmistakably kind person. “Hey. What are you doing out here? Did you need something?”
He tipped his head to the side in confusion. “I wanted to check on you.”
“I’m fine.” His smile tried to hide what had to be a difficult time. No one enjoyed being fired in front of a room full of people. “I appreciate you trying to help, but you didn’t have to do that. You should be with your friends.”
He was so wrong. “Yes, I did,” I replied. “That guy’s an asshole.”
He chuckled, then closed the door to lean against it. “Yeah, he is. But there’s no changing him.” His tone softened. “This city is huge. I’ll find another job.”
My brows drew together. “I overheard what you said. What is it that you do?”
His face brightened when he spoke. “I have the privilege of looking after senior citizens who need someone. I’m a social worker, specializing in elderly clients.”
My heart grasped onto the realization. “What exactly do you do for them?”
His eyes softened. “I help them find appropriate housing and make sure they have food and medical care. I arrange transportation to their doctor appointments and go visit to check on them. Most don’t have a family to care for them, so that becomes me.
They deserve the best I can give them.” He stopped and waved me off. “You don’t want to hear all of that.”
He had no idea how important that was for me. “I do, actually.” I swallowed. “That is really admirable, which makes him an even bigger asshole.”
Luca’s face lit up with the smile I’d seen earlier.
“He’s got his own issues, but that’s the general feeling around here.
” He exhaled heavily. “I’ve survived worse things, and I’ll figure it out.
I’ll be fine, Mr. Hughes.” The sincerity in his face drew me in like a moth to a flame.
I was afraid that if I took my eyes off him, he would disappear.
“You should go back inside. Decker has been talking about your arrival for weeks.”
I rubbed my fingers across my mouth. I wanted to keep him talking. “So, you did recognize me. And call me Axel.”
“Oh, I did. But sometimes professional athletes want to be invisible like everyone else. It’s your choice to let New Yorkers know you’re here.”
Nodding, my eyes caught on more wisps of that silky hair that had come loose from the elastic. The one around his wrist must have meant it happened often. “I was not aware the Nighthawks had released it yet. I thought they might be waiting.”
“Why? Americans can’t keep secrets. Snagging the European makes you a prized hockey commodity. They need to brag. And that means the internet is all abuzz about your arrival.”
I folded my arms across my chest to keep from reaching out to him. “I guess that makes me something. Sounds like you are a hockey fan.”
“It’s in the blood. But I don’t have much time to watch anymore. I stay pretty busy with work and school.”
“Thanks to me, I suppose you have a little more time to watch now.”
“Oooh,” he groaned. “No, just the opposite. It means I start all over, finding one that works with my day job and grad school schedule.”
Mesmerized by every beautiful word that came out of his mouth, I was convinced he was worth knowing. “I’m really sorry.”
Luca shrugged. “It’s okay. I believe what’s meant to be will happen. It was just a matter of time before he flexed his proverbial managerial muscles. I just wish it hadn’t been in front of the whole world.”
“That was a dick move.”
“Literally.” I missed the joke, but he went on. “How are you enjoying New York?”
I looked down at my Rolex. “I’ve been here…” I did the math. “… four hours. So, I’ll have to let you know.”
“It’s the best city in the world. You can find anything and everything here. You’re going to love it.”
I already was. “You sound like an advertisement. How long have you been here?”
“My whole life. Never been anywhere else.”
“Are all New Yorkers as friendly as you?”
He wrinkled his nose. “Probably not. But they’re going to love your accent.” He pushed off the car. “I don’t want to keep you from your friends.” He held out his hand to shake. “It was nice to meet you, Axel. Good luck this season. I know you’re gonna kill it.”
As I took his outstretched hand, Luca stared up at me with kind eyes. He seemed eager to go, and maybe that was for the best. “Thank you, and it was nice to meet you, too.”
I stepped back as he got into the car and cranked down the window. After a precarious start, relief colored his face when the engine started. Our eyes met again. “Maybe we’ll run into each other again.”
Before he could pull away, I put my hand on the window. I don’t know what it was about him that intrigued me, but he was someone I wanted to know. “It was my fault you were late. Do you need anything? Let me help you.” I reached for my wallet, but he shook his head vehemently.
“No, absolutely not. I’m pretty good at making it on my own. Been doing it my whole life.”
I didn’t doubt his words, but I had the power to make it so much easier for him. “Can I give you my number?”
I could see the hesitation in his eyes. “Why would I need it?”
“In case you need something. That’s what friends do. Or so I’ve heard.” Because something tells me letting you walk away would be the biggest mistake of my life.
Luca’s shoulders tensed. “I appreciate the offer, but I’m good. Go have fun with your friends before the time difference catches up with you. They’ve been waiting for you to arrive.”
“I’m good, as you say.”
“Of course you are.”
In the end, I stepped back again and watched him drive away. When he was out of sight, I walked through the back door of the bar like I owned the place, and out to where Jonas and the boys were waiting.
“Did you catch him?” Decker asked with a smirk in his voice. “Luca is one of a kind.”
I rubbed at my jaw. “Yes. And you’re right. He’s remarkable.” I shut down further assessment of Luca and moved on to discuss whether one should buy or lease a property.
“Depends on your contract and where you want to retire,” Decker added. “You can do whatever you want with that big contract.”
I smirked, but my attention faded from their conversation. My mind refused to stop thinking about Luca. When we were ready to go, I raised my hand for the tab. “This one is on me.”
The server approached with a smile. “Your beer is on the house.” She put her hand on my shoulder and leaned in. “Thank you for defending Luca. He really needed this job. I hope he can find another soon. Everyone works two jobs in this city. It’s the only way to survive.”
Decker glanced at me, then took out his wallet. “Pony up for the gratuity, boys.”
We each took out enough money to cover any loss of business the servers may have incurred. It wasn’t their fault the boss was a shit.
“Let’s get dinner at the little Italian place down the street,” Karlsson suggested.
By the time I got back to my hotel, the jet lag and time change had settled in. But as I dropped into bed, I couldn’t stop thinking about him. Luca was a good man, and I wanted to make up for what happened. The only problem was that I had to find him.
The following afternoon, I went back to the Midnight Market. Stepping inside, I found the same bartender. “I’m surprised to see you here.”
I shrugged and took a seat. “Unfinished business.”
“Unfortunately, Richard is out sick today.” Popping the cap off a beer, he placed it in front of me.
I looked down at the Paulsner. “I didn’t order anything.”
He pushed it closer. “It’s on Richard. He has little man syndrome or some shit, with a super-inflated ego since daddy owns the place. The fucker still lives at home with his parents.”
Twirling the bottle between my fingers, I got right to the point. “I need to find Luca.”
“I wish I could help, but we’re only work friends, not close.”
I looked around at the other servers. “What about them?”
“I can ask. Hold on.” When he returned, he shook his head. “No luck. Sorry, man.”
This was frustrating. “Okay. What about his last name?”
“That I know. It’s Vaughn. Luca Vaughn.”
When my internet search proved inconclusive, I was forced to return to the Midnight Market the next day to confront Richard. Mitch tipped his chin when he saw me coming and pointed toward the kitchen. “He’s in the office.”
Striding to the back, I didn’t have to put in much effort to find the weasel in the tiny space. He looked up as I stepped in and closed the door behind me. He raised his hands. “I don’t want any trouble.”
I leaned forward on his desk, looming over him. “Give me his number.”
The asshole leaned back in his squeaky office chair that threatened to collapse under his weight. “That’s private information here in the States. Employment information is protected. I don’t think I can do that.”
I came prepared, knowing it was going to go this way. “You will,” I said, standing to my full height. His eyes widened in fear when I reached into my back pocket for the envelope. Placing it on his desk, he reached for it and looked inside. Greedy fucker.
“Why do you want to find him so badly?”
“It’s none of your concern.” I reached over and snatched the envelope back.
“Okay, okay. I’ll give it to you.”
I knew I could buy him off. Walking around the little office, I pulled open drawers, not really caring about what was inside.
“One call to the right person, and I could buy this place. Maybe the whole block.” I closed the drawer more forcefully than necessary as I turned to stare at him.
“Should you give me the wrong number, that’s what I’ll do.
I’m sure your daddy wouldn’t like that.”
“My family won’t sell.”
I stared him down. “Everyone has a price. All it will take is one bad post on the internet and a video clip about how you fired Luca to ruin your business. Especially the part about “the old people” as you called them.”
“Why would you do that?”
I looked at my watch. “Because I can.”
Surprisingly, he made the right decision and opened the computer.
He really shouldn’t underestimate me or my desire for revenge.
My wealth had grown exponentially in the last two years due to my shrewd investment strategies.
But luckily for him, I wasn’t in the mood to ruin him. Yet. “Write it down.”
He rolled his eyes but did as I asked. Handing it over, I glared again. “No address?”
He shrugged. “Only a P.O. Box. Most are.”
I tossed the envelope back onto the desk. “Don’t forget what I said.”
He held up his hands. “That’s the only number I have on file. Call it if you don’t believe me.”
“You had better hope I find him.”
Turning, I reached for the doorknob and yanked it open, allowing it to bounce off the wall behind me. Waving to Mitch, I strode through the bar and onto the sidewalk. Typing the number into my phone, I made the call. It went to voicemail, with no way to know it was him.
Ending the call, I texted my New York financial advisor to find out who owned the building that housed the Midnight Market, in case I wanted to add it to my portfolio.
Gripping my phone, I walked back to the apartment, determined to find Luca Vaughn. If he wouldn’t allow me to help him, I’d come up with something else. No wasn’t an option.