Page 50 of Destroyed

“I got lost,” he replies in a bored tone.

Andre rolls his eyes. “We all know you didn’t get lost. Aside from my brother, you and Jonathan are the only other ones who could probably get around there blindfolded. Cut the shit.”

A flicker of something crosses Jamison’s face, but it’s gone before I can catch whatever slight emotion it might have been.

Andre continues when he doesn’t get a reaction. “We just need a distraction. Do whatever you want until then, okay?”

“I’ll be ready,” Jamison murmurs without looking up.

Sometimes I wonder what the hell that man has on his phone that he is always so immersed in it. I’m lost in thought when Andre tells me the driver is here to pick us up.

“Shit, has it been ten minutes already? Why isn’t Jamison driving with us?” I ask as we walk out towards the car.

“My brother and I discussed it and decided it would be better to all go separately. Less chance of being recognized.”

I nod in agreement as we get into the backseat of the car. Andre immediately pulls out two black cloaks from a duffel bag and hands one to me. The rest of the ride is silent. The anxiety of what we are about to do starts to sink in, and I secretly wish I had just one pill to take the edge off. I know this feeling of want will never go away, but eventually, it will subside. I just need to get there.

‘The distraction of my sexy as fuck girlfriend would be nice right about now,’ I think to myself while the lights pass by. Before I know it, we are pulling up to the same old building as last time. I exited the car, hearing Andre telling the driver we’d text him to stay close by for pickup. He comes up beside me right before opening the door.

“You ready?” he asks me.

I straighten my collar before turning to him and muttering, “As fucking ever.”

He smirked and opened the door, and we both walked in.

The lights are dim and swirling in red tonight. “Imposter” by Henri Werner plays in the background. I laugh internally. Of course, Sasha’s annoying ass ringtone that played on her phone every time someone called her would be playing as we walked in here. I doubt Andre recognizes it. He was never around enough actually to hear it or pay attention to Sasha anyway. The powers that be are definitely fucking with me today.

We make our way through the main floor, stopping every few minutes or so to mingle with the crowd. The goal tonight is to blend in slightly better than last time before we make our move. I see a flash of white in the crowd and catch myself staring into the identical face painting as mine. I turn to glance back, ensuring Andre is still next to me, but the face is gone once I look towards the crowd again. I nudge Andre, interrupting his current conversation.

“I swear I just saw someone with our exact face paint.”

“I’m sure we aren't the only skeletons here, Xavier.”

“Yes, but I swear this wasexactlythe same,” I cut back, my irritation showing.

Andre rolls his eyes and mutters, “Enough,” back at me before returning to the man. I catch bits and pieces of the conversation while scouring the room again in search of that familiar face. They speak of business and other shit before I hear the man ask, “Have you ever been to the Diamond room?”

“Of course,” Andre laughs. “I love when pussy glitters.”

They laugh out loud, and Andre slaps his hand on the guy’s back like they’re best friends. This guy is an idiot soaking up the attention my friend gives him as if he’s something special.

“Let's go now, then,” the man says.

“I thought you would never ask,” Andre says before motioning me to follow through a familiar set of doors after the man swipes his card. I spend the next few minutes following behind, listening to this annoying man boast about hisbusinesses and properties to Andre while attempting to tune out the screams coming through the doors we pass by.

At one point, the man laughs while pointing at one of the doors and tells Andre he must bring him there sometime. Andre turns towards me, his disgust visible. He quickly schools his features before turning back to face the man again. Before I knew it, we were walking through another set of doors, and all the shiny things temporarily blinded me. Andre drags me over to a table, where the man introduces us to other men he knows, and we all sit down. Drinks are handed out, and I take mine, knowing full well I won't drink it. Fifteen minutes go by while I listen silently to all the men around me.

Usually, I would be perfect in these situations, almost as good as Andre, but I’m strung too fucking tight tonight. I haven’t seen Sasha anywhere, and I’m starting to worry. What if she isn’t here? What if something already happened to her?

“Relax,” Andre whispers under his breath.

“Your friend new?” the guy asks curiously.

Andre turns to him with a full, dazzling smile before grabbing my hand and moving it to his thigh.

“He’s been here once before. A man of few words, but we have similar tastes.” He turns back to me, raising his brows.

I squeeze his thigh, attempting not to look awkward, “Oh, umm yeah, very similar.”

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