It's Been A Long Time... [Desperate Measures Sequel]

Thirteen.

Paige had let me borrow a black dress she was holding hostage in the bottom of her bag for the casino tonight. It was a long black strapped dress with a slit up the leg to the top of the thigh. I was a little unsure of wearing it until I saw myself in the mirror. I wore my black high heels with it and Paige had pulled my hair into a tight bun before deciding that I looked the absolute bomb. 

"This," she said as I admired my reflection. "Is my gift to you." She held out a box, I raised an eyebrow before turning and looking at her before taking the box. 

"What for?"

She bit her lip, "Everything. You know." She sighed before her hands through her long black hair. "And well, I was let go tonight."

I hugged her, my natural reaction. "Oh baby." 

She laughed as she pulled out of the hug. "Don't you worry, I'm not. I have other places to go. I just wanted you to know before it all got out into the press."

"Thank you." I smiled at her. "You didn't have to get me anything though." I offered the box back to her. 

She shot her head before she gave me a smile. "After everything I am surprised you even give me the time of day, you are a good person Tasha."

I placed the box down and held her right hand, "You are a good person Paige. You need to believe in yourself."

"How can you be so sure?"

"I've been on the brink of death, everyone is a good person until they show you otherwise." I bit my lip. "How do you know Alberto is the one?" I asked shyly as I let go of her hand. 

She placed her hand to her chest, "I feel it in here. When he is near, when he talks, when he messages me, whenever I think about him. He gives me that warm gooey feeling." She looked at her phone before she placed the box back into my hands again. "Please take this."

My hands shook as I opened the box and my eyes beamed at the silver chain with a few encrusted flowers that sparkled in the light. "It's too much." I looked up at her and handed the box back as I closed the lid. 

Paige took the box and took the necklace from the box before walking around and placing it around my neck and fastening the clasp. "I will be offended if you don't take it." She walked around and looked at me as she motioned for me to do a little twirl. I obeyed and she grinned widely. "You look perfect."

"Thank you." I replied before I turned and looked in the mirror at my reflection. The necklace added the extra bit of pizzazz that my outfit needed. I turned back to her and hugged her, "Thank you so much."

She smoothed my hair before she handed me my bag, "Go and have fun tonight."

I smiled at her, "Don't wait up for me." I warned her before I left the hotel room with my bag in hand. 

As I left the room I closed the door behind me and smiled to myself. I head over to AJ's room and knocked on the door impatiently. As I waited the door started to open, I looked up and expected to see AJ but there stood Dean. 

"Hi," I said quietly. 

"He's not here," he said as he leaned against the door, a cocky look on his face. He was looking rugged, he had stubble and he was wearing a pair of blue jeans and a white tee, he usual look. "You look-"

"Tasha!" AJ interrupted. I swung my attention to AJ and saw him approaching with Luke and Karl, all three of them in tux's ready for the casino. 

I looked back to Dean but he had already closed the door. My expression fell a little, disappointed that I didn't know what he was going to say.