Page 55 of Brutal
I avoid the informal dance floor, and I steer clear of the people doing lines out on the patio. I spot both May and Chase in the pool, and somehow, they appear to be having fun. So much for thinking the men are dicks. She’s just as happy to enjoy the luxuries provided.
Not that I blame her.
In the end, this is still better than where I used to be, bastinado and rape games notwithstanding.
What a fucking life.
I push past some drunk people—and how many fucking people did he manage to invite on such short notice? I find a large, high-back chair inexplicably turned away from the rest of the area and sit down, sighing in relief. Sure, I can still hear everybody around us, but I feel better now that I’m hidden from view.
While I collect my thoughts, some other people sit down in my corner. I don’t think they notice me, for which I’m grateful.
“Can you believe he’s throwing a fucking party now? We’ve got that big announcement next week and he’s goofing off instead of preparing.”
I tense and resist the urge to turn around. They probably think nobody can hear them because of how secluded we are and how loud the music is.
The second voice, also male, responds, “Just fucking let him. It’ll make it easier. We can use this as evidence for the board.”
A female voice chimes in, “Just look at what’s going on here. The drugs, the drinking… It’s like he wants to ruin himself.”
Interesting that there actually are people who don’t like Drake Brutal, but I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m not the only one who noticed how out of control he is.
Which these people have figured out, too.
“Just another week,” the first man says. “I talked to a few of my friends, and they’ve assured me of their support.”
Huh. I don’t know that much about how corporations work, but this sounds like they want to get rid of Drake entirely. That would probably teach him a lot of much needed humility.
I wait for them to say more, but one of them shushes the others, and then I hear, “Yo, Oliver. Have you seen… oh, there you are, Mimi.”
I wince and sit up, turning to wave at Drake. The other three stare at me with wide eyes.
“Sorry,” I say, getting up. “I somehow managed to doze. The droning bass can be a bit soothing.”
Drake looks between the three people who’d been discussing his fate with the company — who all look a little guilty — and me. I don’t know how much he’s had to drink, or if he’s mixed the alcohol with drugs, but he looks a little more alert than he had been earlier. “Only you could fall asleep at a party like this,” he says, going along with my lie.
He wraps an arm around my waist, kissing my cheek.
It makes my skin crawl, but I smile.
“These are some of the people I work with,” Drake says, gesturing to the three of them. “Oliver, George, Penny, this is Mimi. She’s my girlfriend.” He grins at them, though the look is almost poisonous. I wonder how much he knows. “Look at me, starting to settle down.”
I get a better look at the people. Oliver is slightly older than Drake, though not by much. Handsome enough, I guess, but having just overheard the conversation I don’t think his personality is much to write home about. The other two look out of place at the party, a little too old to be here at all.
It’s surprising they came here, but if they were looking for evidence against Drake, it suddenly makes sense.
I lean against Drake and wrap my arm around his waist. “Babe, let’s go find a private room. I definitely had too much to drink.”
“Yeah, okay,” he says, offering another smile to the three of them. “Enjoy the party.” We start to walk away, and he mutters under his breath, “Or don’t. Ugh. I can’t believe Caroline invited them. This was supposed to be fun.” He leads me through the crowd into the bedroom, closing the door behind us and quirking a brow. “I know you didn’t say that to get me to fuck you,” he says bluntly. “The fuck’s going on, Mimosa?”
“I didn’t like them,” I say. “They were being really disgusting. Even that woman was a judgmental asshole.”
“Doesn’t surprise me,” he says with a grunt. He eyes me warily. “Did they say anything about… my vacation or whatever?”
I look at him earnestly. “What would they have said?”
Drake eyes me for a long moment. “Don’t know.” He sighs, unbuttoning the top button of his shirt. “You can lie down for a little bit if you want, but I want you there for the afterparty in a couple hours. Got it?”
“Yeah, ok.” I sit down on the bed, grabbing the hem of the dress so it doesn’t ride up too high. On a whim, I ask, “Do you actually know any of the people attending? Properly know. Except for Chase.”