Page 101 of Dance of Defiance

He and Bogdan crack up, while Evie, Dasha, and I say nothing, exchanging uncomfortable looks across the table.

“Can you imagine having a son like that?” Papa sighs, looking at Dasha’s father. “The shame it would bring you?”

My hand closes to a fist on my lap. I feel a soft tap on my forearm, and when I turn, I see Evie looking at me curiously. I immediately open my fist and roll my shoulder.

“Pinched neck,” I mumble.

A phone suddenly pings. Evie blushes, scrambling to snatch it off the chair next to her as it chimes again.

“Sorry!” she blurts.

“Not at the table, princess, you know that,” Papa grunts.

Evie’s eyes go wide.

“Oh my God!” she chokes, her hand flying to her mouth. She leaps to her feat, her face pale and horrified. “Papa! I’m sorry, but I have to go!!”

“Like hell you do,” Papa growls. “Sit down and?—”

“A friend’s been in an accident!”

Dasha gasps, her hand also flying to her mouth as my pulse jumps.

“Who?” I croak. “Who was?—”

“Val.”

It feels like the ground literally falls away beneath me. Like the floor just…collapsesunder my feet, sending me tumbling down into an abyss.

No.

“What?” I choke out, lurching awkwardly to my feet. “What…what hap?—”

“Motorcycle!” she blurts. “Someone hit him! He’s at Mt. Sinai!” She turns to our father again, her face anguished. “Please, Papa!”

He rolls his eyes, then exhales, waving a hand. “Okay, okay.Fine.”

My hand lands on her arm. “I’ll drive you.”

18

VAL

Fuck me,myeverythinghurts.

Head, back, shoulder, hand. Even my fuckingballshurt, which is the shit icing on the turd cake that tonight turned into.

Mercifully, there’s no damage to my legs or feet. Some road rash, a dislocated shoulder, some fractured ribs, and amotherfuckerof a bruise on my right thigh.

And a concussion. That's what scares the fuck out of me. When you’ve already lost significant chunks of your memory…well…

But I’ll live. More importantly, I’ll stilldance, in three to four weeks, according to the doctors. After my ribs heal up a little and the bruising and scrapes go down, I should be back to showroom condition.

Thankfuck.

Now, about tonight.

WasI riding recklessly, not paying enough attention to the road and other drivers?