Page 86 of Jake's Angel

The DJ drops a hard beat and Sadie and Jayde start screaming. Jake’s eyes never leave mine as the girls drag me further onto the floor. “Let’s go Aves! Show us what you’ve got, girl!”

We move in time with the music as the DJ mixes a dirty dance groove. I start moving my hips with the beat and Sadie moves with me, front to front. She puts one hand on my hip, her other hand holding her drink high in the air. We start swaying and dropping low as we feel the music take us away. I haven’t felt like this in a long time.

“Hell, yeah, Sadie! Get it, girl!” Skyler shouts from her place on Ethan’s lap. She was out here dancing for a little while but became too tired to keep up.

I wonder if she’s told him yet.

Jayde pulls both our hands away from each other and widens our circle, squeezing herself in with us. I’m finally relaxing as theDJ mixes another song, bringing out a new hip-hop beat and I allow myself to get lost in the moment.

Sadie and I are both swinging our hips and moving our arms through the air.

I miss dancing. I miss the girls I was teaching. All the little ones coming in dressed in their leotards and sweatpants, with their hair pinned up in tight buns, all so eager to get to work and learn new moves.

I never thought I’d miss anything about my life in Baron’s Edge, except maybe Gramps. But I find myself thinking about the girls I was teaching, and wondering how their recital is going tonight.

Someday, I’ll own my own studio. Someday, I’ll teach little girls to dance because they love it. Because it moves something inside of them. Someday, I’ll take the passion I have for dancing and turn it into my dream.

Sadie and Jayde are caught up in conversation with a couple of young guys who’ve joined the dance floor. I don’t recognize them, so I don’t think they’re members. They must be people from town.

They’re discussing some teacher they all know and reminiscing about things from their childhood. I stop listening and let my thoughts drift with the music.

I must’ve gotten too relaxed in my environment. I feel two strong hands grip my hips and everything inside me turns to ice, and I freeze. A man’s voice whispers in my ear, “Don’t stop now, Princess. We’re just getting started. Come a little closer, baby. Let’s have us some fun.” His grip tightens as he begins to move me in time with his motions.

I don’t know this man. I don’t want him touching me. I try to think of a polite way to get out of this situation, not wanting to cause a scene. I’m sure he means no harm.

You’re okay. It’s okay. Keep breathing. Politely excuse yourself to the bathroom and everything will be fine.

I start to turn to face him, but as I grab his hand I notice he’s wearing a pinky ring.

His pinky ring.

My breathing picks up, my legs stop moving. My heartbeat is thundering in my ears.

It can’t be him. He can’t be here. How would he have known where to find me?

I hear voices around me, but they sound so far away. I recognize Sadie shouting at someone to back the hell up and get their hands off me. I hear her words, but I can’t bring myself to speak. I open my mouth to try but nothing comes out. The words feel trapped.

Just like me.

She’s yelling at someone else now, but my heartbeat is too loud. I can’t make out her words.

My head swims, and my sight is turning black around the edges. There’s motion all around me, but I can’t make out any other sounds except my own breathing as I gasp for each breath. Everything else sounds muffled.

I can’t bring anything into focus.

Sadie? I need Sadie.

She would never leave me when I’m like this. She knows.

She’s shouting at someone to move. Several hands grab me at once, and I feel my legs give out as I drop to my knees on the ground. The feel of the cold cement under my bare legs takes me back to that place and time.

Then everything goes dark.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

JAKE

I’m sittingat the bar with Hawk and Jameson squabbling about some bullshit beside me. I haven’t been paying attention to them. All my focus has been on Avery as she’s spent the entire night avoiding me.

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