Page 85 of When Hearts Awaken

“Here’s to our future prima ballerina, Taylor. You’ll go places,” the man whispered, clinking his glass with mine.

He stared at me as I took a drink, his eyes darkening.

Minutes later, the world spun around me, my limbs growing heavy.

Jan grabs my ass and groans in my ear, shocking me back to the present. “Having fun, Tammy? Relaxing yet?”

No, motherfucker.

Over my dead body.

“Let me go.”

Gritting my teeth, I spin around and knee him in the balls; the movement causing me to almost trip as the strobe lights flash into my eyes. I vaguely hear his screech of pain as I break into a run, my body pitching, my arms braced in front of me, pushing anyone in the vicinity out of the way. My pulse roars against my ears, icy adrenaline coursing through my veins.

I try to focus on the crowd before me, but their faces merge into one. There’s no way I can find Lisa or Dev in my current state.

I look back, finding Jan’s face flushed with fury, hot on my heels.

Fuck.

Panic joins the chaos inside me, my breathing sawing through my lungs too fast, making me disoriented. I push people out of the way, my legs carrying me as fast as I can through the crowds toward the entrance where the bouncers are. The lights are flashing too brightly, the music too loud; a few bodies smash into me, slowing me down.

Terror curdles inside my gut. I need help. Shit. Fingers trembling, I take out my phone and press a few buttons.

I call the only person I trust.

Chapter 35

“Fuck!” With a roughyank, I pull off my tie as I sit inside my town car on the way to the airport. Not that it does anything to the heartache and betrayal coursing through me.

My mind is filled with images of her laughing, flirting with a random guy she just met—a guy who probably doesn’t even understand the beauty of thorns on roses.

How could she deny everything between us? Did all of it mean nothing to her?

I was supposed to head back to New York right after a business dinner tonight to take care of some bank business that couldn’t be done remotely, and frankly, I’d been away for too long, delaying my departure because of a certain minx. I told myself to just leave. Maybe the distance was what we both needed to think through things. After all, she was the youngest sister of my best friends. Things could get messy.

But the itch to see her only grew throughout the dinner. Ineededto see her before I go. I wanted to tell her how proud I was of her.

Her Odette, while still flawed, was beautiful in her own way.

The strength in her turns and lifts, the fierceness in her eyes.

To dance a role that challenged you, knowing the public was scrutinizing your every move, but still putting yourself out there, night after night, ignoring naysayers, gossipmongers, and critics.

There was strength, and yet, there was also an underlying vulnerability.

It made her white swan unique.

I wanted to tell her before I hopped on my jet, knowing I wouldn’t see her for a few months, knowing I’d miss her and hoping she’d miss me, even though I knew she wouldn’t admit it.

But what did I get instead?

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” Anger makes an appearance, joining the pain.Another person you care about who has no interest in you. This is why you don’t do emotions, Charles. This is fucking why.

I stare out the window, my mind a swirl of madness when the phone in my pocket vibrates.

My minx.

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