Page 60 of Teach Me to Fly

The table is scattered with small plates—crispy duck bao, tuna tartare, rosemary fries, and olives soaking in oil and garlic.

Angelique reaches for a shrimp skewer, and I watch the way her lips part slightly as she takes a bite. Lando leans in to say something to her, and she nods, expression soft. The table conversation turns to Swan Lake once the food settles in as Max brings up lighting cues. Willow rants about quick changes, and Alfie throws in a joke about someone nearly getting kicked in the face at the last techniques class. Angelique laughs again, and I can’t help noticing that she’s glowing here. She’s looser around these people, like she’s finally remembering how to breathe again.

I don’t realize I’m watching her until Terry leans in and says, “You gonna eat that, or just stare at her the rest of the night?”

I flick a piece of bread at him.

“Alright,” Alfie announces, pushing his plate away. “I’m bored with being well-behaved. I vote we play a game.”

“No,” Lando groans.

“Yes,” Willow says at the same time.

“Truth or Dare,” Alfie says, grinning like a devil. “But with house rules. If you pick truth, you still take a shot, and none of that pass bullshit. If you’re in, you’re all in.”

Angelique tilts her head, smirking. “And dare?”

“No shot,” Alfie shrugs. “But if you back out, you do two shots and answer a truth anyway.”

“I like it,” Terry says, flagging down a server. “Let’s get a couple of rounds of tequila.”

“Tequila?” I echo, raising a brow.

“You scared, Harrington?” he teases.

I glance toward Angelique, who’s already holding up two fingers for the server—ordering for both of us. She catches my look, her mouth curving up. Dangerous and beautiful.

Shit.

“Not in the slightest.”

Chapter 21

Angelique

It’s been years since I last played Truth or Dare, and I’m pretty sure the last time was with these same people—minus Reign and Terry. We’re all a little older now, but the electrifying energy is still the same.

Willow starts the game off with a smirk. “Alfie,” she says sweetly, “Truth or dare?”

He leans back, eyes glittering with the challenge. “Dare.”

“I dare you to make out with Max,” she says without missing a beat.

The table bursts into laughter when Max groans, dragging a hand down his face. “Of course you would.”

“Just close your eyes and think of England, mate,” Alfie says, already leaning in.

Max sighs. “Let’s get this over with.”

Alfie grabs him by the collar and pulls him in for a noisy, exaggerated kiss that lasts just long enough to make the entire group lose it. Willow’s cackling, Lando nearly chokes on his drink, and even Reign lets out a soft exhale that might’ve been a laugh.

“Alright, alright,” Max says, flipping us off as he wipes his mouth with the back of his hand. “Angelique. Truth or dare?”

I lift a brow, already bracing for something diabolical. “Dare.”

He grins. “I dare you to feed Reign one of your truffle fries without breaking eye contact.”

The table breaks into obnoxious cheering. I throw Max a look—traitor—but reach for a fry anyway, heart thudding. When I turn to Reign, he’s already watching me, blue eyes lit with dangerous curiosity, mouth tilted in the slightest challenge.

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