Page 62 of Shifted

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I wasn't one for dancing. Actually, I was terrible at it. But as I watched everyone on the floor as I sat back, I felt a little left out. There were precisely 15 of us, and I couldn't hide in a crowd of bad dancers like I was planning to do with the other 200 original guests.

Maria danced around with Joely, and beside them were Grayson and Bella. Everyone was dancing to a popular song that had been on repeat on the radio, but it was romantic enough not to be considered pop.

"Why aren't you dancing?" He sat in the chair beside me and leaned back as he joined me as an observer. "You know me, I'm more of an observer rather than a participant?" He raised a questionable brow from my words.

"I think that's far from the truth," he says, and I shrug, turning my attention back to Joely in her dress, twirling around with Maria. The two seemed to be having the time of their lives out there, and I was jealous of them.

"She did not get those moves from me," I claimed. I couldn’t help but begin to laugh at the two of them spinning around. "Yeah, I'm positive they came from my mother. I mean, look at that influence." Theo jested as Joely was copying directly from what Maria would do.

He then offered his hand to me, and I looked at it confused. "What am I meant to do with that?" His cufflinks were unbuttoned, but it was even more interesting to see him in even more formal attire. I knew he wore a suit every day, but when I’d see him at Bella’s, he was back in sweats.

"Join me for a dance, please?" I stared at his hand and then stood on my own.

"I’ll break your foot; we both know I have two left feet, Jones. I think you should play it safe with cousin Drew,” I peered over to the only other person sitting. He was a close cousin of Grayson’s in his thirties but was probably the shortest man in Boston.

“I’d rather play it safe with you,” He grabbed my hand and yanked me forward, “Thank god I took all those dance lessons to teach you Hope.” A slow melody of music flooded into the air as he dragged me to the floor. My chest pressed up against him as I unfortunately found myself in his arms.

"You trapped me, you bastard!" I frown at him, but he only seems to smile. Maybe I should step on his foot purposely, and then he might just shut up.

"I did no such thing; you just happened to be in my arms! I would never pursue a taken woman, Miss Taylor. Shouldn't you know me by now?" Swaying in his arms, I shook my head in annoyance. Being on a cold rooftop with him as a source of warmth definitely didn’t help either.

"I don't know you," I clarify. “I can pretend I do, but I don't know you, and you don't know me, Theo." He spins me out and then pulls me back against his chest. The glint in his eye tells a different story as I stare into them.

"Don't lie to yourself, Angel. I know you better than anyone." The mimicking feeling of a roller coaster drop takes my stomach for a ride as I stare at him.

"Angel?" I ask, feeling frozen. He couldn’t have known; nobody knew. My entire existence as Angel has been tucked away in the deepest, darkest corner of my life—a box on a shelf meant to go untouched to keep every person around me safe. Now, here Theo was calling me Angel.

"My Angel of Hope." He smirked at me. I was his angel, not thee Angel. He has no idea what type of mini-heart attack he's given me.

"I'm no Angel Theo. You've been gone a long time." Stepping away from him, I turned to see him standing in a tux. His eyes remained strictly on me and my dress. I didn’t feel like the most beautiful girl in the world, but with eyes like those looking at me like this, I began to.

"You made it." Giddy with my words, he pulls me in for a kiss and mumbles, ‘Of course,’ in my ear. It was nice to see that he showed up and eventually made it. I knew it must not have been easy for him, especially with work. But he showed up for me tonight when he could because he knew it counted.

"Now, shall we dance?" He asks, and I take his hand. He spins me, and within moments I’m quick to fall on my ass like some spazz in the middle of the floor.

"Looks like somebody's having too much fun!" Bella mocks, tilting her champagne glass at me. "It looks like somebody's not having enough champagne." I contended, making her stick her tongue out at me childishly. Grayson pulls her back to continue dancing as Reed gives me a hand.

"Oh, to be young and in love." Grayson teases.

"Hush you. I could whoop your ass in an instant if I wanted to, Grayson," He raises his hands and steps away, leaving me with Reed.

"This could be us someday," He mumbles into my ear, but my tongue seems to be stuck in my throat, leaving me empty of words. I want to say something, anything, but I can’t, so I just nod. It had been months, yet he was thinking of years. I was just thinking about my child if anything.

My phone rings, saving my ass from this awkward moment, and as I lift it, I see Isaac's contact. Giving me the excuse to step back and answer.

"I told you not to call unless Paris was burning. I'm at an event, Isaac. I'm not on duty.” I told him strictly that today, of all days, I was not to be bothered nor summoned.

"Three-million-dollar job on the line. Tonight, I need you to get this guy and his captives, and the money will be in your account by morning." Isaac's voice was frantic. I've never heard emotion in the man, but right now, he sounded scared. Isaac had a front about him as if he’d crush a puppy with his foot or spit on a child. From what I knew, there wasn’t an ounce of care or nurture in the guy.

"What did he do?" I asked, and silence followed. I had never done a job without a reason.

"I don't do your dirty work without a reason, Isaac. What did he do?"

"Enzo Petrova, he's the target." He interjects, deflecting once again.

"Isaac, you need to tell me what he did?" He didn't say anything for a few seconds, leaving me more frustrated. "Isaac, I need you to—"

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