Page 37 of Exposed

“Who invited you?” Zoe asked.

“I’m a part of the media, Zoe. Maven magazine is still a repetitive media outlet, don’t be mad because we exposed your clients,” Jacinda spat.

Zoe glared at her, pressing her lips together in anger.

“Ladies, let's not do this tonight,” I said, grasping Jacinda's arm and pointing to security.

“Let me go. I have the right to be here like anyone else!” Jacinda spat.

“We sent private invitations to selected magazines and you were not one of them. I suggest you get out of here before things get ugly,” Zoe stated. Mark walked up to all of the back and forth conversation. I was getting annoyed and frustrated because Lauren wasn’t here.

“Shooter, do we have a problem?” he questioned.

“No, just your hired employees are trying to intimidate me,” Jacinda replied, crossing her arms.

“I need to look for Lauren, we have a presentation in five minutes,” Danielle called out and I nodded, following behind her.

“Too late,” Jacinda chuckled hauntingly, causing me to stop walking.

“What does that mean?” I questioned.

“I mean your little girlfriend is no longer a part of Raven Cosmetics or the living if my calculations are correct. She was disposed of, a few minutes ago,” Jacinda stated, checking her watch.

“What did you do?” I yelled, gripping her neck. She tried to push me off of her as Mark and Emmanuel tried to talk me down.

“Shooter, not here. We’ll find her, let her go. Come on, let her go,” Mark demanded.

I squeezed a little bit harder and dropped her on the floor. The music stopped, everyone glanced over at what was happening.

“We have to find her,” I muttered before running off toward the bathroom.

When I busted inside, Danielle looked under the stalls while I checked the men’s room.

“She couldn’t have gone far, maybe the suites upstairs!” Danielle stated.

She ran toward the elevator punching the button, but I wasn’t waiting for people to get on and off. I marched over to the stairs checking my phone to see what rooms we had secured for the night. Pushing the door of the emergency exit open, I ran out on to the second floor and tried my key for door one and it didn’t work. I tried the second door, still nothing, and then I heard a loud scream right as the elevator chimed.

“No!”

Kicking the door of room 203, I saw Lauren and Carol fighting over a gun when all of sudden a loud bang went off and they both fell down.

“OMG! Call the police,” Danielle screamed.

Mark helped me to pull them apart before he kicked the gun away and checked Carol’s pulse.

“It’s fading, we need an ambulance. Zoe, go downstairs and shut the party down. Give them any excuse, say Lauren got sick or something,” Mark commanded.

I turned Lauren over. Her dress was covered in blood and her eyes were closed. I tried to feel for a pulse, and it was weak.

“Baby, talk to me. I’m here, not going anywhere,” I said as the EMTs rushed inside. They tried to take Lauren out of my hands and I refused.

“Shooter, they need to work on her, man. I know this is tough but let them do their job. She’s safe now,” Mark said, with his hand on my shoulder.

“She’s not safe because of me,” I whispered as I fought back tears.

“What’s her name?” one of the EMTs asked.

“Lauren,” I heard Danielle say.

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