The Escort

19 - Engagement

"You should be ashamed of yourself. You're no son of mine." Katherine furiously sentenced but Jermaine didn't seem to take her words too seriously.

"You've always vouched for your precious little Michael, the only brother capable of turning his back on us. Dontchu remember Jackie? Randy? What happened with LaToya's beauty salon? He never once lifted a finger to help."

The matriarch seethed, she couldn't believe the resentment in her son's words, and about his own brother. "Michael's been more than helpful to all of us, everybody's generosity has a limit, Jermaine."

"Generosity? Ha! Joseph's about to drown and he chooses to sit back and watch!? Was I supposed to allow that? I sure as hell am going to make that conceited fucker do something!"

Katherine slapped him hard, startling him. "How could you blackmail your own brother. Your younger brother, the one that always looked up to you and stood by your side. The one that helped you get your house, your business. How dare you, how dare you, Jermaine! You disgust me."

She turned around with tears in her eyes as he watched, bringing a shaky hand to his cheek. His mother never, ever hit any of her children, Joseph took care of that and certainly overdid it. But the meaning behind Katherine's slap was deep and it cut him like a razor.

***
"He was here, he knows."

Juliette's eyes widened with anxiety and sweat began to spawn along her hairline. "Are you sure? How much does he know?"

"Julie, the guy literally told me the whole story. Every detail. Even about... You know... I told him it wasn't true."

"I cannot lose her! She's like a walking cash machine! Oh my lord... I've gotta find her. She wasn't there you say?"

"No, she wasn't. Julie... Is she okay? The guy seemed worried."

"She's fine, she was under control until he showed up. I need to take him out of the picture. Thanks for the heads up, I'll deal with it."

The Madama hung up and bit her nails nervously... She could not afford to lose Laura. Now that Michael found Adriana, it was a matter of time before she did and that would dismantle her business. What if she went to the police again? What if he helped her get proof? Michael Jackson was a very resourceful man and was very well connected.

She hastily dialed La Maison. "Gunther! Find Laura, she told me she'd be attending a sort of engagement party. Get to her before Jackson does."

The man told her to consider it done and hung up before hurriedly going to get his car, pulling his cellphone from his pocket to start his research.

***
Michael blew air into his hands again to check his breath, he was good. He pulled his freshly washed hair into a ponytail and quickly straightened down his shirt, he smelled his t-shirt to check if the fragrance he sprayed on was still noticeable.

With every ounce of calmness he could harvest, Michael walked into the high-class party salon where the gathering was taking place and had to squint his eyes to adjust to the dimmer lighting.

Music was loud and frantic hue changing lights flashed all around the room, lots of people were dancing.
He looked up at the flashing Neon sign that said "Congratulations Joshua" with tiny hearts and stars around the letters and smiled shaking his head, too cheesy for his taste.

A group of girls waved at him as they giggled loudly and he raised one hand, returning the gesture, but quickly walked past them to try and find Jensen or, better yet, Laura.

***
The cocktail was a little warm and made her scrunch her nose after taking a sip, she probably let it rest on the bar for too long and it went to waste. "Fuck..." She looked around the packed salon, trying to spot any familiar face as she pulled one cigarette from the pack and put it in her mouth.