Page 63 of Dreaux: The Corporate Assassin

Dre—”

“He didn’t get away with the shit he was trying to do, and the others won’t either. Even those closest to me had to be punished for the sick shit they were doing. My only regret is not finding out sooner. Maybe then, I could have spared more girls from the pain and heartbreak that my sisters had to endure.”

I wanted to ask him what he meant, but I know Andre. He was tight-lipped about everything. Getting lost in the feel and smell of him, I started to relax. Taking a chance, I looked up at him as he looked down at me with hooded eyes. Placing my hand on his cheek, I reached up and planted a kiss on his lips.

“I’m sorry for everything, Andre. I know you hate me, and I know you don’t want anything to do with me, but I promise… I will make it up to you. I love you.”

Staring at me for a few minutes, I could have sworn I saw a flicker of something in his eyes before it was gone. Sighing, he kissed my forehead before shifting me off his lap.

“I’m about to head out. Don’t wait up.”

Dumbfounded, I watched him walk out of the room and listened as the elevator dinged. Once I realized I was alone, I screamed in frustration. Falling back on the bed, I kicked like a maniac. I’d brought a world of hurt upon myself, and it felt like there was no way to undo any of it. After tiring myself out, I couldn’t help but laugh at my antics.

“Get yourself together, Denim.”

Getting up from the bed, I walked back over to the desk and sat down. The more I looked through the files, the more I knew I wanted to be a part of this process. Looking around, I found an iPad and dialed Dre’s number.

“Yeah, Denim.” I ignored the aggravated tone in his voice. “I’m not trying to hear no bullshit right now, so get straight to it.”

“I want in, Dre. Kill whoever you want, but I want Rebecca alive.”

Disconnecting the call, I went back to study the files. So many men in high-profile positions were out here, moving like they weren’t the true predators. Lost in my thoughts, I jumped at the sound of his voice.

“Aight…” I peered up and saw him leaning against the threshold of his door. He wasn’t even gone fifteen minutes before he was back here. “What are you thinking we should do, wifey?”

Today wasthe day we collected the girls, and I was ready to get this over with. Not only am I ready to get them home to their families, but I’m ready to go home as well. Milly Grove is cool and all, but South Florida is calling my name. The sooner I can put distance between Denim and me, the better.

“Y’all niggas ready to do this shit?” Jules asked from the passenger side of my Range. He, along with the rest of the crew, came into town last night and was just as anxious as I was. “You got everyone in place?”

“Everything is what it’s supposed to be,” I assured him as I headed to Grove’s Isles. Rebecca reached out and told us that we were to meet her tonight on the pier. I guess that it made sense to traffic the girls by water instead of land. It was easier to conceal the cargo; at least, that was the case for us with drugs. “I just hope everything goes according to plan because I’m not used to relinquishing control to someone other than family. I’m ready to get this shit over with so I can come home.”

The other night at the penthouse, it took everything in me not to fuck the shit out of Denim. I won’t lie and say the attraction and feelings are no longer there; it’s just hard dealing with her knowing she tried to play a nigga. I thought I would feel better after treating her like a rag doll for me to bust my nut on. In my mind, she wanted to be a hoe when she tried to entice me, so I figured I would treat her like one. In the end, I just made myself feel worse.

How is it that she’s the one that played me, and I’m the one that’s feeling bad?

“Trouble in paradise already?” Rosier asked as he chuckled from the backseat, followed by Luca. “They said the honeymoon phase doesn’t last long, but a month has to be a record.” I clenched my jaw as I eyed him in the rearview mirror. “Marriage is hard work, bro. It’s not just a sheet of paper.”

I tuned them out as they decided that my situation was what they needed to lighten the mood. After the night was over and I was settled back home, I needed to get with Jules to see what I could do to end this marriage. In my heart, I knew I wasn’t going to kill Denim—not because of what I felt for her, but because of Briley. She was already going to grow up without a father. There was the possibility of making her an orphan, but I wasn’t doing that to my Big Bri. The worst thing I could do was break her heart, and I was already planning to hurt it enough by disappearing on her after tonight.

For the remainder of the trip to the pier, I listened to the guys as they talked about their wives and how much their kids were growing. Jules was working double-time trying to convince Bridgette to have a baby, but she wasn’t going for it. He wasn’t tripping on it too much because he knew what all she’d been through. Not even that, the girls knew what was at stake tonight. Bunny’s mental wasn’t where it needed to be, and he respected it. That didn’t mean he wouldn’t keep trying, though. It was Jules; he was going to figure out something eventually.

“We’re here.” I cut down the radio as all talking ceased. “Y’all ready?

No one said anything as we parked near the dock. There were a few boats on the water, but nothing out of the ordinary. Spotting Rebecca at a nearby cargo ship, the guys and I exited our cars and headed her way.

“Welcome, gentlemen,” she greeted as we got closer, her eyes lingering on me. “You look exceptionally well tonight.”

“As do you.” I nodded at her floral dress. “My grandmother has that same one.”

The smile on her face dropped as the fellas behind me snickered. Turning around in a huff, she marched ahead of us. Leading us toward the nearby warehouse, I could feel my heart rate increasing. As I glanced around, nothing seemed suspicious, and I was thankful for that.

“I was expecting to be welcomed by Holmes since he is the one we’ve been in contact with,” Jules spoke as we approached the warehouse. I could kick that ignorant-ass nigga in the knees for bringing up that dead motherfucker. “Is he here?”

“Bryce is away on business.” She shrugged as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “He told me he was going out of town with his brat of a daughter in preparation for you.” She glanced over her shoulder as she placed her hand on the knob. “If you want someone more experienced, let me know. I’m more than willing to give you the time of your life.”

“Lady, you got one more time to throw that old-ass cat at me before I pull your spline out through that rancid-ass muthafucka.” She gasped in shock as I mugged her. “Open this muthafuckin’ door before you piss me off!”

Fumbling with the handle, I pushed her out of the way and opened the door myself. Stepping inside the dimly lit area, Rebecca zoomed past me to hurry and cut on the lights. Once on, my heart dropped to my stomach at the scene before me.

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