PROMISE

NINETEEN: Dance

KYLE

"I REALLY DON'T get what you're doing here. Couldn't you just stay at home or better yet, go to your own house or something?" I grumbled as we climbed the few steps towards the the big ass mansion Samantha disguised as a house.

"Don't you have any friends you can bug?" I tightened the suit jacket I was wearing around myself, itching to get out of the clothes. I hated wearing a full on tuxedo suit. Jason chuckled besides me as he slapped me behind my back. I grimaced at the force he exerted. I had let him do that as a kid because he had been my sweet and innocent little brother and he seemed so vulnerable and so fragile to me. The habit had stuck and sometimes I just wondered why I put up with it.

"Stop being so grumpy little brother. You like having me around and don't forget you asked me to tag along." I sighed pushing through the throng of people. Greeting and shaking hands with a few acquaintances.

I knew almost everyone from these endless kind of parties and others from doing business together. Some I owned a few shares in their companies. It was a given they would be here since they were mine and Samantha's mutual 'friends'. But that didn't mean I enjoyed seeing them on a regular basis.

I watched Jason from the corner of my eye as he kept tugging at the collar of the dress shirt he was wearing. I didn't get what the fuss was even about. The top button was loosened and he had put his foot down about wearing a tie. My eyes roamed the packed room, my heart throbbing with a familiar ache as I looked around for a familiar face. Or rather a particular face.

I clenched and unclenched my fists while fighting the urge to lose my mind. The last time we spoke had been so confusing. It had felt like everything was alright yet so final. Like she was finally giving up on me. I hated the idea. I hated it even more just thinking about the date she had brought with her. My eyes narrowed just thinking about the guy I was going to punch and beat the hell out of.

"Jesus these people are so uptight. How could you possibly stand it? Oh but how could I forget? You fit right in with a whole lot of them little brother. Uptight and stiff. A whole lot of stiffness." I took a deep breath shrugging his words away. Hot air coming out of his big head.

Him calling me little brother was one of the other things that had stuck. People used to pass us for twins when we were growing up. With a two year old age difference, we were too similar it was insane.

And so fucking annoying at times.

"You should just go Jason if it's so much torture. Why put yourself through it?" I asked nodding at a beautiful woman who smiled flirtatiously as she passed us by. Not to mention the husband whose hand she clasped in hers. Or boyfriend. Whatever the hell he was. The point was, she had company. Some people had no sense of matrimonial loyalty whatsoever. It was disgusting to watch at times.

"For Amanda."

My head whipped around to stare a hole into his forehead. I was a tad bit taller and bigger than he was so I maintained my intimidating stance.

"What do you mean by that?" I ground out. My brother had a habit of pushing my limits and I hated how he just kept pushing me over the edge. He knew exactly how to rile me up. He furrowed his brows.

"Don't look so surprised. I haven't seen her after you stole her from me last night. I really need to talk to her." I took a menacing step towards him which he simply raised an eyebrow at.