Page 33 of Broken Empire
MASON
AftertellingHunterthatIdon’t deserve his sister after all,Iget up from the floor and storm out of the suite.Imake my way to the elevator and step into it, pressing the button for the lobby.I’mintent on finding a club or a bar, it doesn’t fucking matter which one, as long asIcan find somewhere that has tons of alcohol to serve.
Ineed to get shitfaced and drown myself in booze, maybe thenIwon’t constantly feel like there’s a big gaping hole in my chest.Iwant to drink so much thatI’lljust black the fuck out soIdon’t have to deal with all these emotions and pain, at least for a few hours.Iknow onceI’msober again it’ll come back full force to fuck with me.
Idon’t know what else to fucking do right now.Howare you supposed to keep going when your other half is in danger and you can’t even fucking find her?
Iknow that asshole is hurting her from everythingIsaw in that stupid fucking video and it’s burning me up inside to know thatIcan’t help her right now.I’venever felt so fucking helpless in my entire life before.Iwant to murder everyone who had a hand in her disappearance andIknow thatIwon’t fucking stop untilIeventually get them all.
Allthe stupid fucking leads we’ve had so far have been false leads and nothing has been concrete enough to point us in the right direction.Ihave no doubt that we will, butIjust hope it isn’t too late.
It’salready been three days since she’s been taken and none of us have had a full night’s sleep since.Imanaged to get a quick power nap here or there but beyond that was useless since my mind stayed on her.Ican’t even think about actually sleeping, not when she’s somewhere out there suffering.
Ijust want my girl back because right nowI’mfucking spiraling and nothing is going to make it better untilIfind her and have her in my arms again.Thepeople in the lobby waiting for the elevator step aside and give me a wide berth asIstomp off of it toward the hotel doors, my face no doubt has a ‘don’t fuck with me’ expression plastered on it.
AsImake it out the doors,IrememberCole’sclub and figure that’s as good a place as any to go get drunk off my ass.Ihail a cab and get in, giving the driver instructions to take me to clubRaine.
Inno time we’re pulling up to the club.Ipay the driver and step out of the cab.There’sa long line outside with people waiting to get in.Ijust walk right up to the door and up to the bouncer likeIown the place.Idon’t miss the grumblings of some of the people waiting in line andIturn around and give them a smirk.
“Excuseme, sir—”Thebouncer starts to stop me from entering.
“I’ma friend ofCole’s,”Icut him off before he can continue, with all the confidence in the world.Ihave no fucking clue if that’s even going to work butIjust go with it.Imean, you’d have to be friends if you sent your men to help someone kill some dumb motherfuckers, right?
“What’syour name?” he questions.
“MasonKing,”Isay and bouncer guy, who definitely looks like he can eat me for breakfast if he wants to, says something into his earpiece.Amoment later, he’s pulling back the ropes and letting me in.
“Mr.Mancinisays to enjoy your night and not to get too fucked up under the current circumstances,” he tells me asIbegin to walk past him.
Huh?Well,Ididn’t think that would actually work butI’mglad it did.GuessColemust like me since he let me in and who knew the big-time mob boss had a soft spot?ThoughI’dnever tell him that to his face.Awaiter meets me just inside the door whenIwalk in.
“Mr.Mancinihas instructed me to take care of you tonight, sir.Ifyou’ll follow me to theVIParea, please,” the waiter says andIjust shrug my shoulders and begin to follow him.I’msurprised at the royal treatment but heyI’mnot complaining.
“Thanks,”Isay when he brings me to a booth in theVIParea.
“WhatcanIget you?” he asks.
“Anentire bottle of whiskey.Iwant to forget all my troubles for a while,”Itell the guy smiling at him.
“Rightaway, sir,” he says before walking off and heading to the bar area.
Itake a look at the whole club laid out below me.TheVIParea is on the upper level and the booths and tables are set up in a way that you could watch the activities below if you wanted.
There’sa stage area in the center, a step below are where the rest of the tables and chairs are on the lower level.Themusic is thumping loudly andIwatch as people bump and grind against each other dancing, drinking, and enjoying it all.IwishIcould feel some of that enjoyment and excitement but allIfeel is the worry still churning my gut.
Thewaiter comes back with the entire bottle of whiskey and a glass and sets it down in front of me. “CanIget you anything else, sir?”
“Thisis good for now.Thanks.”
“I’llbe around if you need anything else,” he tells me before walking away again.
Assoon as he’s gone,Iopen the whiskey and take a swig from the bottle.Iintend to finish the whole thing so it doesn’t matter thatI’mdrinking straight from it.Themusic, dancers and the whiskey keep me company asIcontinue to take sip after sip.Inno timeIfeel the buzz start to kick in and this is exactly whatIwant and need.
“Wouldyou like a dance?Youlook awfully lonely and you’re too hot to be sitting here drinking alone,” one of the dancers’ purrs as she steps over to my booth.
“Nothanks,”Isay.
“Oh, come on sugar, you look like you need the company,” she continues, this time stepping closer to me and rubbing her hands up my arms.