Page 90 of Give Me Redemption

It’s been a fucking blast not worrying about impressing someone.

I stand up and walk to the two-way mirror. Bryce and Harrison are down at the bar, and Harrison’s friends, Austin and Claire, are with them. I’m up here, obviously surrounded but feeling completely alone.

And I hate it.

I take a drag and lean my forehead against the mirror, blowing smoke. It rolls off the glass in gray thickness, and I shut my eyes as I press my hand against the chilled wall looking out at Red.

“Adams!” I yell, running over to him. His eyes are wide open, staring back at me. My hands shake, and my head does, too. Wild-eyed, I look around.

“Get down!” Banister yells. I duck just as a makeshift bomb is tossed in through the window. Smoke fills the room and I look at Banister, who jumps up and runs over to grab it.

“Banister, no!” I yell, but it goes off. I’m lifted and thrown against the wall, the air yanked from my lungs.

My ears ring, my eyes burn, and I cough, trying to catch my breath. Gunshots sound in the distance…

“You coming down?” Someone shakes my shoulder.

I turn to look, blinking my eyes slowly at my brother.

“Shit, man, are you okay?” Bryce says. When did they get up here? How long was I in my own head?

I turn sluggishly and look to Harrison. She gives me a sad smile. “Why don’t you go lie down?” she suggests.

I ignore them both and push away from the mirror. I pat Bryce’s shoulder, half holding on, as I make my way to the door that leads down the stairs. “Jace,” I hear but walk on.

I slide my hand down the rail as I descend the stairs. Ben stands at the bottom and turns to me when I near. “You all right?” he asks.

I nod. “Never better, Ben.”

“Jace,” a girl says, grabbing my attention. She clings on to me, not even giving me a moment to think straight. Her hair reminds me of someone.

Someone smart and sweet and… I shake my head, trying to rid thoughts of her.

This girl wraps her arms around my neck, and before I know it, she’s kissing me.

And I’m lost and sad and I missher.

So, I kiss the girl back, and I pray that it’s the woman I love and not some random chick again. But the smell isn’t right, her hair’s short, and she’s different.

They all are.

I move away from her. “Where are you going?” she asks, but I ignore her, too, heading to the bathroom. I quickly walk in, reach into my pocket, and pull out a small baggy. I dip my key in and bring it to my nose, snorting the white powder and happy when the rush puts me in a better mood. I check my nose and rinse my mouth before walking back out.

I turn to look back at the dance floor, making sure that girl isn’t watching. She’s already dancing with someone else. I go right and head to the back of Red. Two bodyguards stand at the back wall and they eye me as I approach.

“Jace.” One nods. “Going down for a while?” he asks.

“Yeah. I think I’ll go lose some money,” I reply jokingly. He laughs and I walk on through the wall. It’s a trick of the eye. It looks like a solid wall, but it’s not. There’s another behind it, and it leads to a kitchen.

“Hello, Mr. Jace,” the chef greets me.

I smile. “How are you, Antonio?”

“Very well, sir. Would you like something to eat?”

“I think I’m going to pass, my friend. But next time.”

He nods. “Have a great night.”

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