The Dividing Line: VENGEANCE (Book 2)

| 13 | (BWWM)

FLASHBACK TO ANGEL'S LIFE BEFORE SHE MET COLE (CONTINUED)

There was no way she could leave him in the hospital like that.

When Angel heard her grandmother was in the hospital, she had already been cleared by the hospital and discharged but KB was still an inpatient. The doctors were worried about his heart. As a result of the accident, KB's already weakened heart was stressed to the point that one of his previous incisions tore and was starting to leak.

She called her grandmother and offered her apologies. Angel informed her grandma of the car accident. It took a lot to convince the older woman that she was just fine. She also explained KB's condition to her grandma. After a long discussion with the woman who was much like her mom, she was told to hand the phone to her fiancé. Even though the woman was sick, and in the hospital, she spoke to KB and prayed for him.

||-||-||

Angel left her small town to make her way in life.

Periodically, she would go home to visit her family members then turn around and head right back to the city. Dallas, Texas was a mecca. People from all over the world moved there because the job market was always booming. She knew the same opportunities would not present themselves to her in Southwest Arkansas, so she made her home in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

The old saying goes, "You can take the girl out of the country, but you can't take the country out of the girl." When people assumed Angel was a timid and defenseless target, they quickly found out she wasn't someone to play with. Only her close family members knew how rough she could be and how tough she was.

The love her grandmother lavished on her as well as her time spent in church quieted the wicked compulsions she had. She wasn't an assassin or a murder, but she was brilliant, and she knew how to fight.

Angel was a tomboy for a long time when she was young. She knew how to fistfight and her uncle taught her how to survive in the real world.

"Just remember. It's good to have book sense, but you have to balance that with common sense and street sense." Uncle Ray would often tell her. She was taught to change the breaks, oil, and tires on a car. As did many young people in country life, she learned how to fish, hunt, and live off the land. Angel was a tough young woman when she moved to the city, but the loss of the two people she loved the most changed her.

When Angel LeeAnn Brooks left Dallas, Texas, she had no idea what life had in store for her. Once she was finally able to sit for the viewing of KB's will, she and his family learned that he left her one car, his house, one restaurant, and $15,000,000. He also stipulated with his lawyer that if what he gave to Angel was not honored or if it were contested, his entire estate would be donated to several charities.

He did exactly what he said he would do. He promised to protect her and that's exactly what he did. The only problem with everything he left to Angel was that he was unable to protect her heart. KB was such a wonderful soul that he even asked her forgiveness for not being able to fulfill that one promise.

"Angel, I will always love you." Again, those were his final words to her. He professed his undying love even in death. After the final reading of the will. His mother and father kissed her and patted her on the cheek. His siblings scuffed at her as if she were a plague. Her life in Dallas was over and she planned to leave as soon as possible.

||-||-||

She could care less where she lived as long as no one else was around.

"Ms. Brooks. I think we located the perfect house for you." The real estate agent sounded really proud of himself. Angel tried to find the most remote place she could find to hide away from the world. A management company was hired to run the restaurant in her absence.

The house was closed up with the exception of a few staff members to maintain it. KB arranged for them to be paid from a separate trust for ten years as long as they chose to stay on with Angel. They were paid twice their normal salary. The five women were grateful for the opportunity. Angel entrusted her former boss to keep an eye on her business and her home.

"Angel are you okay?" Slaine asked with sincere concern.

"No. I'm not." She answered honestly with tears forming in her eyes.

"Where are you going?" He made a serious attempt to engage her in conversation. From her appearance, she was haggard and seemed to have lost too much weight. The bright aura she always embodied was nearly non-existent.

"I need to be alone for a little while. I'm going back to Arkansas." The words came out in a mumbled whisper.

"Angel please don't go. You can come and stay with me for a little while till you get to feeling better." The concern in his voice was sincere. Slaine was afraid of what she might do if she were alone.

"No. I'll be fine. I just need some time." Angel offered the lame excuse that neither she nor he believed. As she stood there with her eyes stuck to the floor. She felt strong muscular arms wrap around her. A heavy hand rubbed the back of her head.

"I'll be here for you if you need me ok?" He placed his business card in her hand and leaned down to stare her in the eyes.

"You know he wouldn't want you to be like this. He really loved you. It would break his heart to see you like this." The strong arms held her once more. Angel leaned into his embrace and cried until no more tears would form. She didn't realize she was holding onto Slaine until the tears dried up once more. He kissed Angel on the forehead. It broke his heart to see her so broken. He was deeply moved as she turned and walked away. Knowing he could do nothing tore at his heart.

||-||-||

One way or another, she was prepared to end her suffering.

Driving from North East Texas to North West Arkansas was no joke. The five-hour drive seemed like it took forever. Angel decided to view the house as soon as she reached the town even though she already knew she would purchase it. When she made it to the house in the Arkansas hill country, she walked around the premises with the agent and discussed purchasing the house as-is.

They drove to the office. Angel agreed to purchase the house under one condition. She wanted to buy all of the furniture and appliances that were already in the house. The family was so glad to sell their home so quickly, that they gave her a fair deal on the brand-new appliances and furniture.

She hired a professional cleaning service to come out from the nearest large town and deep clean the house and everything in it. Once the house was ready for her to move into it, Angel bought a 12-gauge shotgun and a 30 alt 6 hunting rifle, a case of gin, and a case of scotch.

She brought everything she needed to stop the pain.

||-||-||

"The best way for Wattpad to know how you feel about stories like mine is when you Comment & Vote. Your interactions are totally up to you, but hearing from you really helps and encourages me to write the stories you enjoy reading.

Thanks so much for your support."