Page 162 of Dance of Deception

Dove just shrugs, smoothing a hand over her tutu. “Have fun out there.”

Naomi smiles. “Thanks.”

After Dove walks away. Milena slowly turns to us, her blonde brow arched.

“Soooo, we like her now, yes?” She looks imploringly at Naomi. “Canwe like her? Please? She’s so fucking cool.”

Naomi blushes, rolling her eyes. “Why are you asking me? I think she’s great.”

Before I can say anything, someone clears their throat behind me.

“Ms. Barone?”

Bianca lifts her head from where she’s doing some last-minute stretching on the floor behind us. I follow her confused gaze to a young woman standing in the doorway, holding ahugebouquet of black roses.

“Yes?” she says, a puzzled look on her face. “But it’s actually Mrs. Drakos now.”

The woman with the flowers frowns. “Oh, sorry. This is for Barone?”

“Hey—dumb-dumb.”

I turn to scowl at Milena, who's elbowing me in the ribs. “What?”

“That’syou, bitch.”

Fuck me. Itis.

“Uh, here!” I blurt, stepping forward.

The woman smiles and hands me the huge bouquet. “For you, then.”

Naomi lets out a low whistle. “That’s—dramatic.”

Milena smirks. “I wonder who those are from.”

I feel my face heat. Ireallywanted Carmine to be here tonight. But the performance tonight is only for high-level investors in the company. More to the point, this morning, he had to jet off to Chicago on business at the last minute.

But it’s fine. Again, it’s only a preview.

“Thank you,” I smile to the woman.

She glances around the room. “So, we’ll just bring in the rest, yeah?”

My brow furrows. “The rest?”

“Just a minute.”

She turns on her heel and walks out of the dressing room before I can ask what the hell she means. Then the door opens again, and she comes back in with another huge bouquet of black roses.

Two other women follow her, also holding bouquets.

Two more followthem.

What. The. Fuck.

By the time the five of them have made about four trips in each, the dressing room is drowning in gorgeous black roses.

Andeveryoneis staring at me.

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