Page 88 of In Shadows We Dance

"You're thinking too much." His tongue licks along my ear, sending shivers down my spine. One hand pushes under the edge of my shirt, fingers stroking bare skin where no one can see.

Heat floods my face. Across the table, Monty smirks while Nico pretends to be fascinated by his phone. They know. They must know what happened, what I let him do to me.

His other hand slides up my thigh, and I have to bite my lip to stay quiet. "Stop it!"

"Why?" His teeth graze my earlobe. "Because people are watching? Because they can see how badly you want my hands on you?" His fingers inch higher, hidden by the table but still too bold, too public. “Because youlikeit?”

I squirm, trying to escape his touch without drawing more attention, but he just pulls me closer, his grip tightening. "Be still, or we’ll give everyone a performance they’ll never forget."

The hard length of him pressed against me makes his meaning clear. My pulse races as his hands continue their exploration, each touch just proper enough that no one could prove anything inappropriate, but intimate enough to leave me breathless.

"Meet me in the dance studio after school." His voice is low, meant only for me.

"Why?"

"Because I own your secrets now, Ballerina." His hand on my thigh moves inwards, fingers brushing too close to a part of me that aches. "And it's time you learned exactly what they are."

CHAPTER 46

Forcing The Spotlight

WREN

The cafeteria buzzeswith whispers as I hold her in my lap. Every eye is on us, onher, just like I want. My invisible girl, finally being seen. The students who have walked past her for years without noticing suddenly can’t look away. They are seeing what I’ve seen all along. How fucking perfect she is when she stops hiding.

Her fingers tighten around the edge of the table. Her spine is ramrod stiff, refusing to lean against me, and her head is lowered so she can’t see anyone around her. Everything she’s doing is designed to make her less visible, make this less real.

“They’re all looking at you.” My thumb strokes circular patterns on her thigh. “You've never been the center of attention before, have you?”

She swallows, but doesn’t respond.

“Look around, Ballerina. Take in just how visible you are right now.”

Her head gives a tiny shake, but her eyelashes lift, gaze darting around the room, catching on faces staring in our direction. The whispers grow louder.

“Is she new?”

“No, she’s been here forever, I think.”

“Did you know she and Wren were a thing?”

“No way. She’s nobody. Why would he …”

I run my fingertips down her spine, just the lightest of touches, and a shiver runs through her. The color in her cheeks deepens the more people talk around us.

“Do you hear them? The things they’re saying about you?”

Impossibly, she stiffens more. “Please let me go.”

I laugh softly. “Let you go?” My hand squeezes her thigh,thumb brushing over her pussy through her jeans. “Why would I do that? Not when you’re finally being seen.”

“She looks so nervous,” one of the cheerleaders says, her voice just loud enough to carry. “Why is she even sitting there?”

“You don’t think Wren’s forcing her, do you?” another whispers.

“You think he’d have to? Have youlookedat him? I’d do anything he wanted, and you know you would too.”

Ileana’s cheeks turn bright red, her head dipping lower.

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