Page 201 of Dance of Defiance

“Of course, Papa,” Evie smiles, taking his arm and leading him out of the kitchen. At the doorway, she glances back and mouths “I love you” to Val and me, grinning broadly.

“What was that?” I growl, turning to Val once Evie and my father are gone. “I didn’t need to be saved. I had that completely under control. You don’t know him?—”

“That, wreckage,” he murmurs, leaning close and brushing my lips with his. “Was me not being able to watch you blow yourself up.”

I smile wryly.

“Look, I get that coming out is different for me than for you,” he says. “When I did it, it just meant getting picked on, maybe having to win a few more fights. But you’re the future king of a fucking empire.” He shrugs. “I get it.”

“You don't need to remind me what I am,” I whisper, locking eyes with him.

“I know, baby,” he smiles warmly. “For the record, you jumping up to save my honor or whatever the fuck that was…hellachivalrous.” He winks. “And fucking hot.” He kisses me softly. “But you don’t need to burn down your life and your future to do that—well, not tonight, at least,” he shrugs.

My lips twist.

“For real,” he growls against my mouth. “Seriouslyfucking hot.”

I groan as he rolls his hips, letting me feel his erection against my thigh.

“How hot,” I murmur, my pulse speeding up as my own dick begins to swell.

“So hot that I need to fuck you in your homophobic father’s house, like, now.”

I groan as I grab the back of his head and crush my lips to his. “His office, down the hall,” I breathe. “Hugedesk.”

“Lead the fucking way, wreckage.”

38

VAL

Today is a big day.

I grin as I reach for Roman’s fancy shampoo that he orders from France; the one that’s got—I shit you not—honey from “heritage apiaries” outside Lyon and, like, Alpine frost water or something in it.

I’ve come to realize that Roman is a fancy, bougie little bitch like that.

AndI’mthe one who’s been openly queer since I was fourteen.

Today is not a big day because I’ve finally decided I’m fine using Roman’s nine-hundred-dollar shampoo—I mean, fuckingseriously—to wash my hairandmy balls.

It’s because today is Roman’s official “coming out” party.

It’s a select group. “Coming out” doesn’t have to mean buying billboard space in Times Square. And there are still no plans to mention it to Pavel, regressive homophobic douchebag that he is. No, today is for our close friends, who only know that they’ve been asked to Roman’s penthouse for “an announcement”.

Telling Evie seems to have opened the floodgates of him wanting to tell the people he cares about who he truly is.

Bougie shampoo and dickhead fathers notwithstanding, that’s amazing. I’m happy for him.

I’m happy forus.

I grin to myself as I duck under the rain-head shower.

“Us” has a certain ring to it that I fucking like.

Alot.

Because I’m crazy about this fucking guy, of course, but also, because “us” isn’t something I ever thought I’d find. Or evenwantedto find.