JAMES
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" So what do you think?" Sharon's voice pulls my focus back together, I steer the wheel around and slow down by the U-turn before the main lobby," You've asked me twice in the last twenty minutes sweetheart, what else do you want me to say?" I check on the side mirror before I nod," You look great," I nod as I look over her just in time she roll her eyes on me, I scoff dryly as I look over the window, knowing Sharon, I understand what she meant when she rolled her eyes on me which could only meant two things- either she blushed over something that I told her about, or do while the other time it means she's annoyed by something she doesn't want to talked about, and for one thing I know her rolled eyes just now meant for the later.
She's angry, I know because she spent the last few days to make it obvious and I have nothing left to say beside admitting most of it was my fault because for once thing instead of went after her out of the venue, I chose to stay around and let myself caught into Grace's pulling wave on me, Shit, I even make things worst for not only losing the ring but also how I left Sharon by the venue, completely ignoring her when she called my name as I run to chased a thief that stole my stuff, among other things.
" If you want to lie to me at least try to be more convincing," Sharon shift on her seat, fixing her lipstick by the sun-visor mirror in front of her, most likely doing anything to afford making eye contact," What do you want me to say?" I let out a sigh as she chuckle dryly in the same time," I don't know, Barnes, but I do know one thing," Sharon pauses as she watches her reflection by the rear mirror, before finally turn around and look over me," It's been a week since Natasha's wedding, yet people are still talking about what happened," She sigh, letting out a rush of breath before she looks away," I really don't need them to keep talking and confirming about the rumors when they sees us tonight," Sharon continue, looking anywhere but my direction as I look over her,
" What rumors?" I ask shortly, watching over her after turning the wheel to neutral," That we're miserable couple," Sharon lean slightly over her shoulder as she says it, each word feels more like a sting," Since when you care what others says?" I ask before I look over her, " Do you think we're miserable?" The word slides out of my mouth without second thought, Sharon looks over me with a pause in her eyes before she sigh," I don't know," She says before she reaches for the door, walks out the car, and slam the door behind her just in time the valet steward waits by the door on my side.
" Shit," I mutter as I rush to the stairs after one of the valet staff hand me the ticket, I try to catch up on Sharon subtly without getting anyone's attention before she goes far to the main lobby," You know the event isn't even starts in ten minutes, what's the rush," I say under my breath as I take her arm, Sharon let out her practiced smile to someone she might recognized behind me and wave her free hand slightly before she drops my hand but continue taking a step closer, standing right in front of me now with as she pulls over my tie like she did twice before we left my house.
" You should've put a pin behind it like I told you," Sharon mutters before she looks up, her eyes glitter under the grand lobby light which finally looking up at me longer than she did in the last two hours," You and I both know it's not about my tie, babe," I lean closer as I brush her chin under my thumb," Let's not make a scene tonight," Sharon nods, letting go off my tie before she start walking away.
" You're not still angry over last week are you?" I ask just enough for her to hear me, Sharon stop shorts before I catch up closer to her, wrapping a hand behind her back and pull her closer just before Sharon scoff bitterly and lets out a half hearted smile to wave to someone behind me," I know I screwed too last week but let's be clear here the numbers of time you fucked up definitely above our deal," Sharon scoff bitterly but her eyes looking over me like a tease," You can tell everyone how someone robbed you that night Barnes but I know damn well it wasn't the case," She continue, for once she expresses her anger before letting out a rush of breath," But I admit I shouldn't have lost track of time either," Sharon continue in whisper before I nod, right before she put her hands over my shoulder and she lets me pull her closer," Then why exactly you didn't come home since Sunday?" I watch over her before she chuckles but I know her long enough to the point I can easily tell she's back to holding on her emotion before she looks up at me," I didn't come home because I don't want to smell another women's perfume all over you," She continues under her breath while her hand rubbing the back of my neck,
" And I didn't want to talk just so we don't make a big deal out off it," Sharon continue with a nod," That's one thing we could agreed on about," I whisper just enough for her to hear," Who was he?" I lift her chin by my thumb as I look down over her lips," You really want to talk about this right now?" Sharon eyes traces my face as if I was joking," We still have few more minutes, I don't see why not," I pull the corner of my mouth, daring her,
" Do I know him?" I nod, sharp and clear for Sharon to hear even in whisper, she scoff as she shakes her face off my hand," I'll be damned if you did," Sharon smooth over the top of my suit before she looks away," But he's an old colleague from the hospital I used to worked at during college," She says calmly to my surprise," What a coincidence he was in the same place that night huh," I chuckle just briefly as I look away," He had a business meeting on the next door, I didn't know he was there, and to top that we just had drinks," She says it too fast," Look, we both makes mistakes and I know things hasn't been great between us lately but can we shoved things back up for the night and pretend like we're two happy couple for the next four hours? Our clients are here and so does my dad," Sharon lets out a grin dryly as she looks over my shoulder, she waves a hand and mouthed " I'll see you inside," as if we are not currently talking about our mutual affair,
" I don't need them to see what we've become," Sharon stares up at me for a good ten seconds before I lean forward," You don't want to go that way, Carter," I brush a lose hair falling off her updo to the back of her ear as I say it before she pull the corner of her lips," Then prove it," She says teasingly, I clutch my hand behind her back, pulling her closer within seconds," Show and tell," I say as I lean forward, pulling her red lips into mine before she pulls away, gasping for air as I wipes the smeared lipstick by the side of her lips.
" You still lost my ring, husband," Sharon says brushing a hand over my shoulder," I'll get it back before you could meet your old colleague again, wife," I whisper next to her ear before Sharon shot a look at me for a second then takes my open arm for us to continue our dance.
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GRACE
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" Do we really need to park all the way down here?" Yelena mutter under her breath just enough for me to hear as we walk through the basement parking lot, I chuckle as I look over her thing to catch up with my pace before I shrug a shoulder," Trust me no one's gonna check around and follow us down here if anything go south," I stop short and lean forward by one of the parked car, making sure I don't have smeared lipstick on my lips, " What time is the after party started again?" Yelena asks, I nod over my reflection the second I'm sure I look the part before I turn my heels and look over her," About ten minutes, from now," I say as I take the lead before Yelena's high heels sounds follow behind me.
" Remember," I lean over my shoulder in whisper but then Yelena cut me halfway," The benefits isn't the target, but those rich people around the after party are, yeah you've briefed it to me twice now," Yelena says under her breath before she let out a subtle laugh with a nod as she fixes her black laced corset top," Do you think I'm overdressed?" She asks, I look over her fully and shake my head slightly, " Shall we?" I say, to my amusement, smirking subtly as we climb up a swift step toward the guest list table by the lobby.
I let out a performative smile to the stewardess by the front desk the second he looks over me,
" Name?" Asks the other one without looking up from his tablet," Grace Marelyn and a plus one, I'm here under Dean Albert's invitation," I nod slightly over Yelena before the steward finally looks up," Ms. Grace, Mr Dean is already expecting you, please do take the mask by the next door on the left and I will personally escort you upstair," He says to my surprised before I nod at him and Yelena eyes catches mine right before she rolled her eyes away and chuckles, " You didn't tell me it's a masked party," Yelena says, slightly leaning over her shoulder closer to me," " Believe me, I'm as clueless as you right now," I sigh out an awkward breath before I reach for a dark navy mask with a subtle touch of black laces around it which almost covers half of my face, Perfect.
The steward escort us to the grand room on the 14th floor, I check on my reflection by the elevator mirror, fixing the delicate strap over my shoulders and making sure there's no wrinkles on my dark navy nearly close to black dress which a darker contrast to Yelena's emerald green, over the shoulder dress.
" Mr Dean and his assistant are already inside, here is your table card and please do enjoy the party," says the steward the second we reaches the ball room before the other security open the massive white door open," I absolutely will." I whisper to no one but myself as Yelena and I walk in side by side, clearly wasn't expecting what's in front of my eyes when I accepted Dean's invitation just two days ago through Paul, most likely hundreds of people in laced mask surround the venue like it's an old dance ball party from the 60s.
" Holy sh-," I hear Yelena says under her breath before I nod my head," Yeah," My voices comes out a whisper before Yelena's chuckle brings my focus together," Now tell me exactly how do we find your 87 years old of a friend, Mr. Dean?" Yelena asks in whisper, leaning over her shoulder closer to me, " Two o'clock next to the bar," I nod, Dean stands next to Paul as he always does whenever they visit the restaurant, everyone are wearing masks tonight, everyone but Dean and his assistant for some reason, welcoming every attendance like he know each one of their names.
" Gracie," Dean greets me lightly the second I approach them, Yelena grins by the nickname before I let out the widest smile I can put out of a show," Dean," I nod slightly out of formality," How do you know it was me?" I take off my mask on his account before my eyes move to where Paul already looking over me," I know that smile from miles away, who's this?" He asks quickly, turning his glance over to where Yelena stands next to me awkwardly, " She's my sister, sort of- the one that I told you about before, Yelena," I say nervously, glad that Yelena take over the situation by reaching for Dean's handshake, Paul smiles at me with a nod," Charming to see you finally here," He says taking me by surprise," I'm glad I can skip Clover rush hour for once," I say jokingly before I look around the room, scanning for the possible CCTV before Dean's laugh taking me aback," Well you two better enjoy the party, it's very nice to meet your sister, Gracie, we should get that brunch sometimes Yelena," Dean flashes his kind smiles before he nods and walks away, I nod my head slightly over the two of them before Paul mouthed," Have fun," over my direction.
" You missed to tell me your 87 years old friend's the one hosting this whole charity ball," Yelena says in whispers before I look over her," Do you wanna hit the bar? let's hit the bar," I say quickly as I start walk away, ignoring Yelena's footsteps try to catch up behind me," What is it?" She asks shortly," Nothing, I just need a drink," I raise a hand to get one of the bartender's attention, he raise a finger- wait a second, as he nods," Two shot, straight," I say as soon as he walks towards me, Yelena chuckles on my left before she leans her back by the bar,
" You're nervous," She grins," No I'm not," I sigh a breath subtly before I look over my shoulder," But after knowing this is actually Dean's benefit I just don't feel like pulling a job here," I pause under my breath," He's a friend," I continue shortly before the bartender return with two straight vodka shot, I let out a smile by the sight of the liquid before I quickly take the shot, and so does Yelena, " Well if you says so, that's cool with me," She says with a nod," But now we're here, might as well enjoy the party, right?" Yelena says with a grin," Hey, can I have a double shot Cosmo," Yelena chuckle when she order the drink, I look over her and nod," Make it two," I say, looking over the bartender.
" I'm heading down," Yelena says with her drink in one hand and her clutch on the other," Where are you going?" I ask, turning my stool and lean my back by the bar," Grace, enjoy the party," Yelena raises her glass before she slips through the crowds, I shake my head the second Yelena out of my sight, part of me glad that I decided to called off the tip for tonight and enjoy the party while not taking any chances to ruin Dean's night.
But I'd be lying if I say I don't start to get bored by the bar, I finish my drink quickly before I step down the stool and slips my way through the crowd, " Fuck," I mutter under my breath as soon as my eyes finds what's in front of me, the party stretches toward the open balcony where you can clearly see the empire state building from," What is a pretty woman like you doing in this balcony alone," says a voice walking behind me, I glance over my shoulder, only to find a strange guy in a light blue suit with a dark gold mask," Who's to say I'm alone?" I say as I look over him.
His intimidating height towering over me is the first thing I notice once I fully facing him, the corner of his lips lifts under his mask before he takes a sip on his drink, flashing a wedding ban on his finger, " Come dance with me," He says, slightly turn around and put his empty glass on a wooden garden chair," No," I scoff, shaking my head just enough for him to notice when I look away," Thank you, but I don't do dance with a married man," I nod slightly as I take a swift step backward and start walking away.
The guy chuckles as he walks behind me," It's not like that," He says as he keeping his pace closer to me," Oh I think it's exactly like that." I scoff shortly,bitterly," Come on, just once dance," He insists , I roll my eyes when I steal a glance over him still trying to keep up behind me," Not interested," I say clearly, as I continue walking away, I steal a quick glance over my shoulder when someone stands in between me and the drunk guy's still following few feet away," Drop it dude, she's not interested," He chuckles, but there's no joy in it," Leave," I hear him says to the drunk guy, pushing him lightly before I take another step backward, ready to blend into the crowd," Not so fast," He says just in time he takes me by my arm stopping me from walking away from him, for a second I freeze as soon as I recognize that voice before tonight, only this time he sounds far more poisonous than the first time he walked to me down the wedding bar almost a week ago,
" Hello, thief," He says with a smirk on his face as he takes of his mask and towering his height in front of me, James.