Roxi's POV
Even though Will tried not to show it, I could see the horror on his face as he listened. I could see the blood drain from his face as he lowered his gaze to the sheets.
He was trying to keep his expression stoic, to not come off as judgmental. But it was hard to miss the fact that he couldn't even bring himself to look me in the eyes.
I knew it was a lot to take in all at once. But if I stopped talking now, I would never have the courage to bring it up again. I might never have the opportunity to have him hear it from me again.
Come what may.
My heart was racing as I flicked my tongue over my lower lip and then sniffed.
"At the party, I felt like I was suffocating."
I continued from where I left off, my voice barely audible. "I was surrounded by so many people, yet I felt so alone. I needed to get some air." I pursed my lip. "Samuel came at me......."
The night of the Monroe party
8:00PM
Roxi's POV
Biting down on my lower lip, I rubbed my hand against the fabric of my dress as I looked around the grand hall, my eyes secretly searching for my brothers among the crowd.
If only it was as easy to bury the unease I was feeling inside as it was to hide my sadness behind a wide smile.
I let my eyes stop moving when they found Keenan, the loud chattering of the women around me slowly fading out until it all became more of a background noise. I watched Keenan stare intently at the woman in front of him, his gaze unwavering as he listened attentively to whatever she was saying to him. He appeared so relaxed and unbothered but I could see his fingers fidgeting with one another as he folded his hands behind his back.
I bit down on my lower lip and then looked away, letting my eyes move once more until they settled on Will, who was at the far end of the hall, my breath hitching when our eyes met. He pulled his gaze away almost immediately and then took a drink out of the champagne in his flute. I watched him turn his head to the side, saying something to the lady beside him as he did and I watched her laugh flirtatiously, tucking loose strands of hair behind her ears. He turned to face me once more, his gaze daunting when our eyes met. It felt like he was daring me, like he was trying to get a reaction out of me. But I would never give him the satisfaction of knowing I was affected... of knowing that I was hurting.
As if on cue, Jason stepped in, taking an awkward stand between Will and the lady he had been talking to earlier.
I watched him say something to Will and even though he had a small smile on his face as he spoke, I noticed Will's smile falter, his mouth hanging slightly open as the lady gasped, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed with embarrassment, after which she turned around and stormed away.
I drew in a deep breath and then exhaled, fighting back my tears as they fought their way to my eyes.
And then I saw Andre.
Standing at the balcony,
Looking down at the rest of us like he would never get the chance to do it again.
His hands were wrapped tightly around the railings of the staircase and for a brief moment, our gazes met.
He offered me a small smile and my heart stopped. Suddenly, I wasn't breathing anymore. I wasn't thinking anymore. I wasn't strong anymore.
Suddenly, I was suffocating. Surrounded, but yet so alone.
And I was scared.
Because even if he was smiling down at me, I could see that he was barely managing to keep his shit together. Fear and discomfort clung to him like a second skin and the fact that I couldn't do anything to make him feel better, the fact that I couldn't say anything to make him feel relaxed broke my heart into a thousand pieces. I knew deep down in my heart that turning himself in was doing the right thing. I knew that it was time to stop.
Feeling tears cloud my vision, I returned the smile and then pulled my gaze away.
I needed a breath of fresh air.
And I needed to clear my head, to get my thoughts straight.
Flicking my tongue over my bottom lip, I returned the smile before I set my wine glass on the table. Muttering a quick 'excuse me' to the small gathering around me, I picked up my phone from the table and then made for the doors. I tucked a few loose strands of hair behind my ears, I shrugged when I met Kerman's concerned gaze, shaking my head in an attempt to tell him not to worry about me.
I rubbed the palm of my hand against the back of my neck, letting out an exasperated sigh when I felt the cold evening breeze brush against my skin.
I folded my arms beneath my breasts as I began to stroll with absolutely no particular destination in mind. I had nothing to worry about though. I knew the corners of Paradise hotel almost as much as I knew the back of my hand so I was certain I would have no problem getting back to the hall.
I drew in consecutive deep breaths and then exhaled in attempt to calm down, letting my feet lead me until I got to the garden. I made myself comfortable on the bench and then ran my fingers through my hair.
Andre was going to be fine.
I believed that he would.
And I knew that our family was strong enough to overcome whatever the world would throw at us.
We would take it all. Together.
The sound of my phone ringing interrupted my thoughts and on impulse, I glanced down immediately, my eyebrows narrowing. I inhaled sharply when I saw Jason's caller ID on the screen of my phone, feeling the tension on my face slowly slip away.
I honestly could not get a minute to myself, could I?
Feeling a sad smile find it's way to my face, I bit down on my lower lip and then made a swipe over the decline call icon.
'A few more minutes.' I told myself. 'All I needed was a few more minutes and I'd be ready to go back in.'
It took barely two minute before he began to call again, only this time, I could hear faint footsteps behind me as the work shoes of whoever was approaching made contact with the hard, concrete ground.
I rolled my eyes, but kept my eyes glued to the rose bush a few paces away from me.
I felt the figure draw closer, and closer, but it wasn't until he was just a few steps away from me that I realized it wasn't any of my brothers.
Maybe I was being paranoid, and there were chances that my intuition could be wrong, but whoever he was, his presence was intoxicating, almost to the point that I was suffocating.
Maybe it was about the way he stalked towards me.
Or maybe it was the smell of beer that became more pronounced with every step he took towards me.
I swallowed hard and then drew in a deep breath, feeling my hands begin to tremble.
I had to act.
And I had to act fast.
Glancing down at my phone, I clicked on the call log icon and then dialed Jason, just pushing the call icon before I felt a cold, hard object press against the skin of my neck. I gasped.
"Drop the goddamn phone or I'll pull the trigger." His voice was low and his words were slurry, but I was certain I would recognize his voice anywhere.
It was hard not to.
He had one of those voices that managed to always sound like he had helium stuck in his throat.
I felt my heart beat pick up its pace as I raised my trembling hands above my head, praying silently in my heart that Jason would pick up. My breath quickened and I could feel beads of sweat gathering on my forehead.
"Samuel." I breathed.
"Shut up!" He snapped, pressing the gun harder against my skin. "Don't you dare utter another word or I'll blow your skull right open. I mean it!" He added, cocking the gun and I whimpered in response, feeling tears cloud my vision as my breathing ragged. "Michelle said you were the weak spot. She said you weren't like the rest of them-"
"Samuel, y-you're drunk-" I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "I... I," I stammered, my voice breaking. "Please don't hurt me." I sniffed.
"I want a confession on camera." He said, his voice breaking. "I want a confession on camera saying Keenan killed Michelle." He told me.
I froze, realization suddenly dawning on me.
He was trying to take Keenan down.
He needed someone to take the blame for what happened to Michelle. He needed someone to be punished for it. And since Dre would most likely get off with being sent to a correctional facility and so he was going to make Keenan take the fall for it.
I shut my eyes and then whimpered, nearly choking on a sob.
"Promise me you'll leave the rest of us alone if I do what you're asking." I sniffed. "Promise me you'll leave the rest of my brothers alone." I told him, my voice breaking. He was silent for a moment before he withdrew the gun from my skin. I exhaled loudly, drawing in deep breaths. "There's a room suite upstairs that only my brothers and I know about." I told him, my voice breaking. "But you have to promise me that you'll leave rest of us alone." I breathed.
"Get on your feet." He told me. "Try anything funny and you're dead." He added and I did exactly as I was instructed.
Hopefully, I would be able to buy us some time.
But all of this would only really matter if Jason had picked up that one call.
I had just bet my life on it.