Page 89 of Caged By Dance and Desire

I wouldn't give them the satisfaction.

“Han! Wait up!”

I turned at the sound of Samuel’s voice. Taima trotted at his side, a slight frown on her face.

Samuel slung an arm around my shoulders. “You’ve been holding out, diva. Nice strategy.”

“You’re not mad?” I asked.

They walked with me to the lockers. “What I am is trying to put out the fire you lit under my ass. But seriously. . .you’d tell us if you were Fae, wouldn’t you?”

I sighed. “I’m not Fae.”

“But, Han, your solo. . .” Taima trailed off.

“I may have some very distant Fae blood and if I do, my parents don't know, so there's no telling who it came from.” I admitted this reluctantly. “It never came up before the other night.”

In the locker room, we began gathering our things. “Speaking of the other night,” Samuel said. “I got laid. No promises, but I didn’t expect anything.”

“The Cassanian guy I saw you dancing with?” I asked. “Was he Court?”

“Low Fae, but rich as a sultanandhe likes to bottom. Hand me the whip and I’ll make you call me Daddy.” He smirked. “Prima, these Fae men can fuck All. Night. Long. Butyouknow.”

Taima groaned as I laughed. “You see the circles under my eyes?”

“I’ll swap stories. I want to know if High Court cock is?—”

“I don’t think so.” I shook my head, shouldering my bag with a grin. “It's uncouth to discuss intimate matters. Besides, I doubt Andrei wants rumors about his. . .uh, prowess all over the city.”

Samuel gave me an amused, incredulous look. “Girl, those are the exact rumors he wants. A Lord who can’t fuck their lover right can’t be trusted to rule a goddamn thing.”

I only sighed.

“Anyway, it’s probably a good thing you and Cora left early,” Taima said, slamming her locker door closed. “The party gotrealwild. Someone spiked the drinks or something.”

Samuel giggled. “Whatever it was, I want more.”

I rolled my eyes. He was young. Give him a few more years.

I entered my bedroom and hit the shower as soon as I returned home. That I’d come to think about the townhouse as home over the last few days revealed how far I’d wandered into wonderland.

Home.

With a High Fae Lord and his merry band of randy warriors.

I dragged myself out of the shower, tiredness wearing away the natural high of the day’s work. I set aside worries over the other dancers. In the end, they didn’t matter. They’d be in the corps,and I’d be prima. Samuel, Taima, and even Coralene were still my friends and between them, my bonded, and my warriors, that was all I needed. As long as they didn’t betray me, I’d drag them to the top with me. There had to be some perks for putting up with my shine.

The tingling awareness of Andrei’s presence washed over me as I stood at the vanity drying my hair. The bathroom door was half open, my bedroom darkened.

“I've decided on your punishment, Hasannah.”

THE TRILOGY CONCLUDES IN LORD OF DANCE AND DESIRE

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