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Skylar

It’s everything I dreamed it would be.

Although I had some rather reasonable ideas that were so rudely cut down—for instance, the absolute need for a koozie decorating station—it’s still perfect.

I marvel as I take in XO. In a matter of hours, we’ve transformed it into a perfect white and silver wonderland. There are tasteful garlands hanging down the rafters, tipped with little silver stars. Glass ornaments dangle between them, catching the different hued lights and casting elaborate shadows on the dance floor. All the alcohol has been put away and in its place are different refreshments and snacks.

After setting up, Cassius and I went home to change, and the kids have already arrived. The volunteer chaperones are all intermingled amongst them, making sure everyone has a safe and wonderful time. There’s a prerecorded track playing the greatest hits of the 2000s, which is more for the adults, but even so, the kids are loving the music, dancing and having fun.

“Isn’t this amazing?” I sigh, pressing my hand over my heart as I do a slow spin. “Wow.”

Cassius looks down at me with a soft smile. “It was all you, sunshine. I don’t think anyone else would have ever gotten Davis to agree to this.”

One name comes to mind, but I keep it locked up. Tonight isn’t the time for plotting… That’ll come tomorrow.

Cassius looks absolutely dashing beside me. We splurged and bought ourselves tuxedos. I’m sure we’ll never need to wear them again, but it was important for us to have the full experience. His is elegant and black, fitting to his lean frame perfectly, while mine is a light baby blue with flourishes in the collar. We’ve already hit up the photo booth, and I pat my pocket to make sure the print-outs of us are still there.

“We should make sure that everything is running smoothly,” I say, thinking through the list of things that unfortunately couldn’t be done last minute. “Do you think Max ever found the?—”

“Hey,” he says softly as he places a gentle hand on my cheek. “You’ve done enough work. How about we have a dance?”

“But—”

Reaching out with lightning speed, he wraps his hand around the back of my neck as he drags me to him. “Dance with me.”

Well, when he puts it like that , all growly and dominant, what is a guy supposed to do?

I’m breathless as I let him drag me to the center of the floor. As if on cue, a slower song begins to play, and I chuckle when Elvis’s smooth voice filters through the club. “Good timing, huh?”

He winks knowingly and tugs me closer. “Can’t reveal all my secrets. Need to keep you interested.”

I roll my eyes at that ridiculousness and don’t even bother with an answer.

While I may have been blinded by my own insecurities and weighed down by nightmares, Cassius has always been and will continue to be the greatest person who’s ever lived. As we dance, I finger the bruise under his right eye. It’s a little discolored, and he hisses when I put pressure on it, but I know it’ll fade.

Now that he’s let me in on his love for fighting, I went with the rest of the crew to see him in his first professional fight. While I hated seeing him get hurt, and flinched every time he took a punch to the face, I’m happy that he’s found something for himself that he enjoys. And, well, he looks hot as fuck in boxing gloves.

I showed him just how much when I let him fuck me in the locker room afterwards.

He tips his head. “What’s that look for?”

“What look?” But even I can feel the way my cheeks are quickly heating.

His grin turns wolfish as he pulls me even closer, his large hand on my back wandering dangerously low. “Get those dirty thoughts out of your head.”

“But look at you,” I gush, dragging my eyes down him. “The tux and the music and the dancing. I mean, come on .”

“Skylar.”

I pout but wouldn’t dare push it any further. “Fine, but you’re keeping it on later.”

Chuckling, he leans forward, brushing his lips chastity against my ear. “I can do that. And maybe I’ll even use my belt to collar you. Does my princess like that idea?”

I yank my head back and scowl. “Mean.”

“Me? I’m the nicest person,” he teases, lifting an arm to twirl me.

It hasn’t escaped my attention that in the last few weeks, he’s seemed…different. Different good. He’s still the same Cassius who’s fiercely protective and unflinchingly loyal, but there’s a lightness to him that wasn’t there before. He’s been more relaxed and carefree, willing to tell me about the little problems he has throughout the day or let me know when he’s not feeling too great. While we’ve always been close, it’s brought a level of intimacy I didn't realize we were missing.

He's also finally in talks with the producer I tried to introduce him to. She’s been cool about the fact that she was brushed off because she’s genuinely interested in Cassius’s music. I don’t know if anything will come from the meeting, but it warms my heart that he even took it to begin with. Either way, I haven’t been pushing. I want to be a part of his career, but I know that this is something he has to decide on his own. I’ll support him through anything.

Because we’re not just best friends, we’re not just boyfriends, we’re soulmates.

Against my will, I start to sniffle, and Cassius immediately tenses. He steps back only enough to tip my chin up. “Why are you crying? What’s wrong? Is it not everything you wanted?”

Is he asking about the prom? Because the answer that comes to mind has nothing to do with that.

I never thought my life would look like this. When I was young and scared, everything seemed so terribly out of reach. I had Cassius as my lifeline, and I don’t think I ever could have imagined being in love with him. Not because he wasn’t good enough, but because I wasn’t. A part of me wants to be bitter that we didn’t have this when we were eighteen, but therapy has taught me that you can’t linger on the past. I’ll always have nightmares and scars that show what I’ve been through, but I’ve come out stronger because of it.

I know my worth, and I’ll live every day reminding myself of it.

So, is it everything I wanted?

“It’s more,” I whisper truthfully. “It’s so much more.”

His features relax, and the corner of his lips quirk. He knows. He always knows. It’s effortless with him. “I love you, sunshine.”

“And I love you,” I reply, standing on the tips of my toes so I can brush my lips against his. “Forever and always.”

I let my mouth linger on his for only a moment before pulling back. The song changes to something more upbeat, and I take the opportunity to find the whole crew. Knox, Butch, and Rhys refuse to dance—unsurprising—and Everest seems a bit shy. I can’t find Max, but Elton takes the floor at full force.

I think everyone, minus Knox, found it hilarious when he managed to hurt himself doing The Worm.

The night continues with Elton icing his crotch for the majority of it. Max eventually makes an appearance, looking a bit flustered and out of sorts, but he charms all the kids when he reveals that he knows how to make balloon animals.

Side note: he doesn’t.

Since this is a kid-friendly event, we stop the prom around nine. We won’t open for regular business until tomorrow, but it’s time to get the kids home. All the volunteers and the crew end the night with a big dance and then make sure everyone leaves safely. When the last kid leaves, Sadie is overflowing with tears and gratitude. Davis chose the wrong moment to make his appearance of the night when she threw herself into his arms and proclaimed him a saint.

Truthfully, I think he was two seconds away from telling Butch to escort her out.

“Okay, let’s look at the list!” I shout, trying to gather everyone to help clean up. “Let’s go, let’s go! Time is money, people!”

“Actually, we won’t be helping.” My eyes widen in confusion as Cassius takes my elbow and starts dragging me to the back entrance.

“What?” I ask. “That’s not fair.”

He chuckles as he kisses the top of my head. “I think you might change your mind when you see what I have planned.”

Opening the back door, he pushes me through. “I don’t think so. We can’t just leave it all to them. What could possibly be— Holy shit !”

Okay, I take it back. The crew can tear down the whole club themselves without any guilt on my part because I’m not passing up a chance at this.

Because when I see Cassius’s motorcycle parked where we left it, but with two helmets hanging off it instead of one, all my dreams come true.

“You’re finally giving me a ride!” I squeal, jumping into his arms. “Oh my God. You’re fucking with me, right?”

He shakes with laughter and sets me down, but keeps me bracketed in his arms. “Nope. It’s for real. I never did give you the ride after you won Dance Party Extreme , and I am nothing if not a man of my word.”

I pull my bottom lip into my mouth. Yeah, no way am I rejecting this, but I’m feeling a bit bratty. “So, you’re suddenly not worried about me getting hurt? Love me a little less, Cassy?”

This sobers him up. Growling, he wraps his hand around my throat and yanks me to him. He seals his lips against mine, fucking into me with nothing but raw power and passion. I’m dazed when his tongue slips along mine, when his teeth dig into my bottom lip, and when he pulls away before giving me more.

But it’s his eyes that truly make me feel like I’m about to pass out.

He’s glaring at me with so much unfiltered love that I curse myself for ever not realizing how he felt about me.

“I love you the most, sunshine, and I’ll only love you more with every passing day,” he states as he rubs his thumb against the underside of my jaw. “You’re getting a ride because I’ll never let you fall. I’ll protect you with my own life. You get that, right?”

I nod and wrap my arms around him for a tight hug. “Yes, Cassy. I do.”

“Good,” he says, giving me a light tap on the ass so I can step back. “Let’s get you ready.”

With too much enthusiasm, I barrel toward his bike and nearly knock it over. He just laughs at my joy and helps me put on the purple helmet he got me. It’s a little awkward to get on the actual bike, but he helps me once he’s taken a seat. He instructs me on where to put my hands and feet, and then the engine’s roaring to life.

At the last second, he flips up his visor and looks at me over his shoulder. “Whatever you do, just don’t let go, okay?”

As if I’ll ever let him go.

I nod, and he takes off. He doesn’t ease me into the ride but throws me into it at full force. Everything feels surreal and the rush of adrenaline lights me from within. My blood pounds and my mind soars, and I can only hope that I’ll feel this way for the rest of my life.

But I know I will.

Because I’ll always have Cassius.