Page 69 of Dreaux: The Corporate Assassin

“Ah shit!” Jerome hissed and laid my head on his chest. “What the hell is wrong with you?”

“I miss him.” I cried harder than I wanted. “I want and miss Andre, Jerome. What am I going to do?”

I tried my hardest to wear this brave face as if I didn’t care about losing him. The truth of the matter is that I’m struggling every day. Not just me, but Briley. She mopes around the house, and I know it’s because she misses Andre as much as I do.

Drying my face with my hands, I looked at Rome. “I love my job, but I will give it up today if I could have him back. I don’t care about the shit he does anymore. I know we can be happy together. I want my husband, Rome.” I was crying again and knew it was the liquor that had me unable to control my emotions.

“Shit, if you want that man, then go up that mountain and save your marriage!” My sobbing stopped as I peered up at him and frowned. “What, bitch? You’re in the club, drunk off your ass, crying like Shelia did about Mike. At least your man is fine and not a dickhead.” We laughed before he grabbed my shoulders. “You and Dre are going to figure this shit out. It might not be tonight. It might not even be tomorrow. But you and him will find your way back to each other.”

“How do you know?”

“Because you’re still alive,” he said bluntly and shrugged. “If he didn’t care about you, you’d be in the same hole with Bryce, rotting.” Pulling me up from the couch, he handed me a few napkins so I could wipe my face. “Now, come on, so I can get you home. In here showing your ass and crying in front of these people. Then, you got me wasting my money on all this food and liquor. Let me go find Skip and see if I can take this shit home.”

Giggling as I got myself together, I said a small prayer and hoped that Jerome was right. All I wanted was Andre, and I would do whatever it took to get him back to me. Tonight, I would wallow in my drunken pity, but tomorrow, I was going to get my man. I don’t care if I had to hop on the first flight to Florida to make it happen.”

After going back and forth with Skip for over thirty minutes about taking his food and alcohol home, Skip relented, packed us up, and put us the hell out of his club. He offered to get his brother to follow or drop us off, but Jerome assured him I had killed his vibe and buzz, so he was okay to drive.

“See you tomorrow, cousin! I love you!”

I waved and giggled to Jerome as he gave me the middle finger and waited for me to get inside. Stepping in and closing the door behind me, the strong smell of weed invaded my nostrils. The only thing that came to mind was my man.

“Andre, baby! Is that you?” I asked as I walked through my darkened living room. I could have sworn I left the lights on, but I couldn’t be sure. Bumping into the end table, I used the light on my phone to find the light switch, but it was snatched immediately.

“Dre, what are you?—”

My words were clogged in my throat as the lights came on, and I was face-to-face with Nate’s friend, Kurt. I hadn’t seen this man since I’d left Los Angeles and could not believe he was now in my house. Taking slow steps back, I kept my eyes on his crazed ones.

“K-Kurt… what are you doing here? Why are you in my house?”

Smelling like a pound of weed and cheap vodka, he was dressed in all black as he stalked in my direction. A sinister smile spread across his face, and I knew I was in trouble.

“I’ve been looking for you for a long time, baby.” I continued to backtrack as I bumped the side of the sofa. “You should have never brought your ass to Cali, sticking your nose in places it didn’t belong.” He eyed me lustfully as he shoved me into the wall. I stared at him quietly, thinking of a plan. My service weapon was under the coffee table, and I just needed to get to it. I wanted to beat his ass as I knew I could, but the liquor and adrenaline may not mix well. “Nate is pissed with the predicament you left him in. It took me a little time to find you, but here I am. He’s adamant that I kill you, but when he told me how sweet you tasted…” He traced his finger over the top of my breast, causing me to slap it away. “Oh, I’m going to have fun with you.”

Not giving him a chance to touch me again, I kicked him in the dick and sidestepped him when he bent over in pain. Fuck the alcohol. This nigga was going to get whatever I could do in my current state. Dashing to the other side of the living room, I was almost at the coffee table when I felt him grab my hair from behind.

“You stupid bitch!” He screamed as he threw me to the floor. “I was going to be gentle with your fine ass but now, I’m fucking you until my dick no longer hurts.”

I scooted backward on the floor in horror as I watched him unfasten his belt. Looking around the room for something to use against him, I spotted a red light through the window.

Pew!

“Ahh!” I screamed in shock as a single shot came through my window, blowing off the side of Kurt’s face. His lifeless body dropped at my feet, and in an instant, I was on mine. I needed to get out of this house. Right as I reached the front door and swung it open, there was a figure leaning against the threshold. With wide eyes, I gasped and took a step back inside.

“Going somewhere, wife?”

As I was sittingon the roof of Denim’s neighbor’s home, I saw Kurt the minute he jimmied her front door. I’d been watching Denim for years, so I knew all about her case with Nate and him going away for life. A nigga like him was bound to send someone after her once he found out who she really was, and I knew it would be his flunky. Too bad I was going to make sure he’d be lying in his cell when he woke up. I may have given him a little leeway tonight, but there wasn’t a chance in hell I was going to let him hurt my girl.

“Andre…” Her lips trembled as she continued to step back. She looked from me to my gun. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m here for you, baby.” I walked further inside and closed the door behind me. “And Big Bri, of course.”

With tears streaming down her face, she nodded before running to her coffee table and grabbing her little service weapon. Angling my head in amusement, I watched her aim it at me as tears streamed down her face.

“I love you, Andre. I love you so much that it fuckin’ hurts, but if you’re here because you decided to finally kill me and my child, that’s going to be a problem.” She aimed shakily at me as she confessed her feelings.

Laughing, I set my gun on the entryway table and stood with my hands crossed. “Denim, ain’t nobody trying to kill your Fed ass. Well… that nigga was, but not me, Lil’ Mama.”

She dropped her gun on the floor and walked toward me. “Good, because I’m charging you for stealing my heart.” The tears flooded her face faster, and seeing her crying like that did something to me. Placing my finger under her chin, I lifted it and brought her tear-stained lips to mine. I pecked them a few times before I used my thumb to wipe the waterfall of tears cascading down her face.

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