Hide and Go Seek // Sammy Wilk

Eighteen.

"I wanna go too," my mother said, sounding like a child.

"No, mother," I said as I put on my diamond stud earrings. "This doesn't concern you."

"My daughter is getting married at someone's mansion, I'm sure it concerns me. I did happen to carry you for nine-"

"Mom! Please! Enough with that!" I cringed. "You can't keep bringing this up every time like I was born into debt."

My mother sucked her teeth and left my room. The prepaid phone rings and I quickly answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey," Sammy sighed on the other end. "Almost ready?"

"As I'll ever be. What are you doing?" I asked him.

"Just finished going over the plan with the guys."

"Why do we need them again?" I chuckled.

"In case I need backup. Since you guys aren't meeting at a hotel or your house, I can't exactly plant the cameras."

"The suspense is killing me, Sam. What's the plan?" I bit my nails, completely careless about the fact I just painted them last night.

"Alright, alright," he laughed. "It's simple really. The guys are about to leave my house and grab food, they're gonna be on standby outside of the Carlsons. Johnson's bringing a camera but we can't catch audio but at least if he dares touch you in or outside the house, we'll get it."

"And what are you going to do?"

"I'm gonna show up alone, not with the guys. Gonna ring the doorbell & let myself in. Plain and simple. I'll tell him about us. And that if he doesn't fuck off or threatens either of us, Either me or the guys are gonna put all his shit on blast."

There was a bit of silence. I wasn't too sure about this anymore.

"I feel like you didn't think this through, Sammy," I cringed. "Like, seriously, maybe your head didn't fully clear after...the head."

"I'm not following. What...do you expect me to do?"

"I don't know. It's just...Nick—"

"Has he gotten you so shaken up that it makes you think he's invincible? Because he's not, Harlow. He's a pussy."

"That's about to get fucked," I heard a male voice joke in the background.

"Who was that?" I asked.

"Gilinsky," Sam sighed. "Listen, baby, we got this. Everything's gonna be okay. Whatever happens in the end, just know I love you okay? I have to go."

"Sam, wait-"

He hung up. Before I could redial, I heard my mother call from downstairs. Nick was here. My stomach was churning and I was seriously having second thoughts. Perhaps Sammy was right, Nick brainwashed me into thinking he was the most dangerous man on U.S. soil.

I walked downstairs and Nick looked at me like I was a masterpiece. I hated to admit it to myself, but I missed when he would look at me like that every single day. Back when I didn't know he was capable of being a complete asshole. He came in for a kiss but I turned my head last minute, making him land on my cheek. He squeezed my arm as he pulled away and we were on our way out the door.