To Heaven and Hell

Chapter 22

Andi's Night

I bite back on my lip, watching them walk across the lawns. This is going to work. It has to work.

"Hey babe." Aspen opens the door to my room. His suit is elagant, just like every other boy tonight. From this angle, when I glance over my shoulder, Aspen's eyes look black. His angel like hair frames his face and cast shadows under his eyes. He looks up at me with a sly smile. "You look gorgeous."

I look down at my ruffled dress. It looks like something a flamingo dancer would wear. A ruffled black skirt angled down my left leg. One strap across my right shoulder. Black sequins cover the bodice making it shimmer. My heels aredangerously high, and yet Aspen is still taller than me. "You shouldn't cut yourself short. You look mighty fine yourself." I grab a small tube of red lipstick and lean in close to the mirror. I blot my lips on a tissue and then grab my small, silver clutch.

Aspen comes up behind me grabbing my waist. He pulls me back into him and my breath catches in my throat. I can't deny an attraction between us, but I can't do that. There is not emotion for me. He is a piece on a chess board. He is the pawn, I'm the queen. He is my protection in this game.

His finger tips are cool along my skin and she brushes my hair away from my neck. He leans in kissing my neck. "Or we could skip the dance." He grabs my skirt and starts to pull.

"Ehh, hey," I push his hand away. "You are going to ruin the plans I had for later." The lie spills out of my mouth. This doesn't involve him, nor do I want it too. He protects me, but I don't want him to get hurt.

**

People. God, I hate people. Why do I even bother to associate with these idiots?

I clench the glass in my hand even tighter. Tonight has a purpose. Tonight I will succeed where I have failed before. I lean back against Aspen. People watch, I can feel thier eyes on us. It's become normal at this point to feels everyone's eyes. But that's only because it's not normal for an insider to be with, for lack of a better term, an outsider. Aspen isn't someone I should be with. I should be with someone else, someone who is on the inside like me.

I take a deep breath. My eyes are everywhere tonight. I am running the show. I saw Mila when she arrived, and I know exactly where she is now and what she is doing. One by one, body by body. Everything is going to work tonight. Two plans are going to come through tonight. I am going to tear down two people and get rid of another. Everything is going to work, it has to work.

I sip on the vodka in my hand. I welcome the burn as it slide down my throat. I watch as things start to play out. Phoenix and Greyson move from the bar to the dance floor. Not yet, they need to be separated first. My eyes move across the room. I watch as the red head kick back, proping his feet up on the table. My eyes dart to the blonde moving toward the bar. Now. I need to move now.

"Aspen, baby," I grab his hand. "I'm gonna go get another drink. You need one?"

"No," he presses his lips against mine. "I want you."

I pull away and smirk at him. "Later, I promise." I walk across the room and up to the bar. I set my empty glass down and wave to the bar tender. A guy comes up next to me setting his glass down on the bar too. Out of the corner of my eye I can see the stubble on his face.

"I assume it's show time," he says under his breath. He orders a drink and sends it down to Eden at the other end of the bar.

"You know what to do," I pass the wad of cash to him under the bar.

He looks at me. "Shot?"

I nod. "Do this right," I tell him. I knock back the brown liquid in the glass.

"Have I ever let you down before Andi?" We look down at the end of the bar. Eden walks away. "It's show time." He takes another shot and walks away from me.

Plan number one--complete.

**

The more the night progresses, the more I am sure that this is going to work. There is no way that it couldn't.

Aspens fingers tap along my waist as we dance. "What's on your mind?"

"Hmmm?" My conscience tells me that I should pay attention to Aspen, but I keep my eyes trained on my targets.

"I can tell that you have had a lot on you mind tonight, considering you haven't said much at all. Tell me what's up."

I pull my gaze away from the bitch and her suitor and look at Aspen. He doesn't miss a thing, I swear. That is the only down side to him. He is starting to know me too well. He can't know me. If he knows me he will run off to his little friends and tattle. Then he will spoil all of my plans. I will not screw this up again.

"Nothing's up." I shrug my shoulders. I lean back and look up at him. "I am just thinking how great our night has been and how much better its going to get."

"Well," he leans in kissing my neck, his hand sliding up my back.

"Not yet," I laugh. But my mind immediately falls back to the plan. I look back over. I see Nix walking away with Greyson. This is my shot. "Aspen, baby?"

"Hmmm?"

"I need to use the restroom. I will be back." I kiss him lightly on the lips. "Don't worry, I will be back sooner than you think."

I pull away from Aspen and move through the crown of people. Where are they going? I follow them slowly, watching as Greyson leads Nix down a hallway. He needs to leave. They stop. What the--? Greyson bangs on the wall and it opens for him. They disappear inside and the door starts to close. I run up and grab it just before it falls shut. What is this? I lean inside the door and see a set of stairs. I hear Greyson's and Nix's voice float down from up the steps. I need to get up there. And if I have to take out Greyson to get to her, I will do it. I reach the top of the steps and hide in the shadows behind the door. I lean against the wall and I can see them.

Digusting.

She is such a whore.

Greyson leans in to say something to her, and then he pulls away. He steps away from her. He isn't talking loud enough for me to hear his voice, but I see him laugh. Then he starts walking in my direction. I squat down, pressing myself back against the wall. He bound right past me and down the steps.

I laugh to myself standing up and brushing off my dress.

This is so going to work.