“Give us a minute, Daisy,” the woman who spoke to me earlier says, holding up a finger. The judges turn around, leaving me waiting with my heart in my throat and my stomach churning like I’m about to puke all over the floor in front of me. Normally they would tell you we will be in contact and you either receive a call with an offer or a letter in the mail with a “sorry, but you weren’t successful” type of message. I have no idea what this is.
When they finish talking in hushed tones, she stands, takes a couple of steps off the platform where they are all sitting, and approaches me. She’s a nicely dressed woman probably in her mid-fifties, with her hair in a low bun. “I took this audition as a personal favor to an old friend. I didn’t expect you to be able to dance like that.”
“Oh,” is all I can say. I have no idea if this is a good thing or not. Her expression doesn’t give a lot away.
She takes my hand in hers and gives it a squeeze, her light blue eyes lighting up just a little. “We wouldn’t normally do this, but Daisy, you’re transcendent. We simply must have you as a member of our school.”
I stare back at her, my heart feeling as though it’s about to stop. Am I hearing her correctly? “I got in?” I whisper.
Her ruby lips turn up at the sides into an all-out grin. “You got in. And we will be expecting great things from you.”
I throw my arms around her and squeal at the top of my lungs, unable to help myself.
She pats my back, clearly uncomfortable with my overreaction.
I take a step back. “Sorry, I just can’t believe it.”
She laughs, handing me the folder she was holding. “Well, do, this is happening. I hope you’re ready for the commitment. You will find everything you need to know here. Classes start at the beginning of next month. You might have to tell Paige she needs a new dancer down at The Raven’s Nest, we’re going to keep you way too busy.”
I beam back at her. “You know I dance at The Raven’s Nest?”
“We might keep that between us, doesn’t look great with the high-society backers around this place, but everyone has to start someplace, and if that’s what brought you here, then I’m grateful.”
“Thank you, you don’t know what this means to me.”
“I think I do. Now off you go, we have more auditions today.” She wanders back to the other judges, and I turn and leave the room with a smile on my face so damn big nothing will be able to remove it. I did it.
I find my stuff and slip my pointes off and my combat boots back on, then toss my leather jacket over my shoulders. I can feel the other girls’ eyes on me, but I don’t look back at them.
Like walking on air, I float down the hall and throw open the front door to find the boys waiting. Cruz is leaning into the brick wall smoking a cigarette while casually chatting to Asher who’s taken a seat on the stairs. Jagger is on his phone and hangs up immediately when he spots me.
I bite the inside of my cheek and hold up the paperwork. “I got in,” I squeal, not able to keep the exciting news to myself a second longer.
Asher and Cruz are the first to congratulate me. Rushing toward me, they shower me with compliments and kisses, while Jagger stands back, watching us.
“You didn’t do this, did you?” I ask, just to make sure.
He huffs out a laugh. “This is all you, flower. Congratulations.” He closes the gap between us, kissing me quickly before he tosses me over his shoulder, ass in the air.
“Jagger, put me down!” I cry, slapping his back, not wanting to make more of a scene than I already have.
“No fucking way, we need to celebrate.” He carries me to his bike and sits me on the back, handing me a helmet.
I throw it on, and he kicks the engine to life, taking off up the road with Asher and Cruz right behind us on their own bikes. I have no idea where they’re taking me, but right now, I don’t care. We do need to celebrate. I’m thinking a quiet night at home with my boys, maybe some games. And most definitely screwing.
We pull up at The Raven’s Nest and park in the alley down the side. To think, only eighteen months ago, I was here stepping off that bus with no idea what I was walking into. All I wanted was to be free and to dance on the stage in Sloane’s club, make a little money of my own. I got a whole lot more than I bargained for; my life is now so damn full. I have friends, a business working with Sloane at Moretti Media, a home, and the most important thing, a family that loves me and that I adore. I’m the luckiest girl in the world.
“I was hoping for a quiet night at home.” I smirk at him.
“We can fuck later. Right now, I want to show you something.” With an arm slung over my shoulders, Jagger walks with me through the front doors to The Raven’s Nest with Cruz and Asher at my side.
As soon as the doors open, streamers fly in my face, and the screams of congratulations coming from my coworkers are deafening. Music blares through the air, “What a Feeling” by Irene Cara. The perfect song, and I know the boys set this up. A cute little nod back to our first movie night together, even if Jagger slept through it.
“What the hell is all this?” I gape back at the boys. How did they?
“Congratulations, baby, we knew you could do it.” Cruz hands me a shot glass of fireball whiskey straight from a tray held by Myriah, the sparkling diamond on her ring finger twinkling under the low light. I give her a soft smile; happy she’s foundtheone, and it turns out it’s the dude she met playing Sloane and Romeo’s game.
I throw back the shot, feeling the burn hit the back of my throat. Every damn time. “You’re lucky I did. It would have been embarrassing for you if I didn’t.”
