Page 55 of Caged By Dance and Desire

Weave a spell.

But you would adore her anyway. You would yearn to watch her dance, yearn to give her your heart and return for hers.

Love me.

Want me.

Feed me.

Let me eat your heart.

Two. . .four. . .pirouette pirouette pirouette, finish on the note.

I held the final position for a three count, then looked at Vargas. She stared at me, eyes wide and unblinking, face pale.

“Very good, Hasannah.” She took a small step towards me, then halted. “Excuse me.”

I watched her leave the rehearsal room, bewildered.

But maybe that was a good sign? Had my dance evoked some emotion, some distant memory?

If it had sucked, she would have said so.

I changed back into my evening attire and left the building to wait outside. Mathen would tell on me to Andrei. How could I spin it? It annoyed me I had to handle this melodrama when I needed to funnel that energy into building my career, not managing an emotional man.

Who had time for that? It was never worth it.

Which was why Andrei had me off balance.

One, I couldn’t walk away from him that easily, if at all.

Two. . .I struggled withwantingto despite knowing it would probably be better for me in the long run, even factoring in all he offered.

But wasn’t that why he dangled so many shiny carrots in front of me? Because he knew, in the end,I’dbe the one giving up everything including my autonomy, my body, my soul?

He hoped I’d be dazzled enough not to see through the beta carotene bling.

Because those carrots? Gold plated and smothered in chocolate and more addictive than anything I’d ever tried in college.

Wealth, power, hisbody,sweet baby Jesus. And I’d seen good bodies in my time.

Sardonic Constin, sweet Mathen. Men who cooked for me, didn’t expect me to lift a finger and do an itty bitty thing other than what I wanted. Family. Philea, who was beginning to feel like the best friend I’d never had.

Not only that, but with Andrei. . .I wasn’t worried he couldn’t handle my not nice side. Please. He’d welcome it.

No, this situationship wasn’t easy to walk away from. Not this time. This time it was actually worth it. That didn’t mean it wouldn’t also kill me in the end.

Ten minutes into my internal struggle, a hissing steam-powered coach rolled around the corner where I waited. I’d figured making Andrei double back because I’d returned to the party would only exacerbate a foul mood.

The coach came to a stop, then rolled a few more feet.

It wasn't a public transport, it lacked the designated insignia. It could be a rideshare, or the pickup for a late-night employee.

It stopped again, the door opening, and a Fae male stepped out.

I watched idly, having nothing better to look at and the Cassanians didn't think staring was rude.

He turned and walked in my direction, hands in the pockets of plain black pants, his stride purposeful but unhurried.

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