Chapter 77
BELLA
Wexley University
The girls and I change, grab our bags, and slip into our sneakers before pushing out the back door of the gym. It’s golden hour. That early-evening glow that makes everything feel like a movie.
And waiting just outside?
Our army. Lex. Cade. The Whitmores. The Barinovs. Roman. All of them.
Lex sees me first. He breaks from the group and walks straight toward me like I’m the only thing that matters.
He wraps an arm around my waist and pulls me in tight. “You were incredible.”
I smile up at him, still catching my breath. “Yeah?”
“Yeah, baby.” He leans in, voice low and rough against my ear. “I’ve never wanted to fuck you and worship you at the same time so badly in my life.”
I bite my lip. “Later.”
Then Cade steps up on my other side, all soft eyes and crooked grin. “You were magnetic, sweetheart. Like glow in the dark, steal the breath from the room kind of magnetic.”
“Thanks,” I whisper, brushing my fingers over his chest. “I missed this.”
Daniel whistles low behind them. “If that performance was you at practice… I’m terrified to see Nationals.”
Clay chuckles, eyes twinkling. “Y’all need to come choreograph my next office holiday party. We’ve got a folding chair and a fog machine. I’ll pay you in tequila and regrets.”
Ellie flips him off. Haley curtsies.
Then Irina speaks, and everything stills just slightly. “That rain number,” she says coolly. “It was… beautiful.”
“Thanks,” I nod.
I turn and see Roman. He’s standing a little ways off, watching quietly. Black dress pants, a fitted button-up with the sleeves rolled just enough to feel intentional. The top few buttons are undone, collar relaxed, trying maybe a little awkwardly to look more like a dad than a kingpin.
His hands stay in his pockets. His eyes, those steel-gray eyes, are locked on me. Steady. Quiet. And for once, not cold. Just… waiting. Like he’s not here to command. Like he’s just hoping I’ll choose to walk toward him.
I take a slow breath and step forward. Lex’s hand catches mine. I glance back. He looks tense, like his body wants to move before his brain tells it to.
“It’s okay, baby,” I whisper, squeezing his hand. “I’ll be right back.” I nod toward my bag on the ground. “Grab my bag?”
He grunts, still not letting go.
I press a kiss to his cheek. “Promise.”
He lets go. I walk toward Roman slowly, legs still wobbly from the dances and the adrenaline crash.
“Hey,” I say quietly.
Roman smiles. “You were amazing, Bella.”
My breath catches. Not at the words, but the way he says them, he means them. Like he’s proud of me.
“The way you moved, the emotion in it. It wasn’t just a routine. It was something else. Like watching someone bring the storm to life.”
He runs a hand through his black hair. “You remind me so much of your mother when you dance.”
That hits harder than I expect. I nod, swallowing past the sudden ache in my throat.
“Thank you. I just wish I could have known her.”
“She was fierce,” he adds, almost to himself. “Didn’t care what anyone thought. But onstage, she was unforgettable.”
I glance down at my shoes, then back at him.
He clears his throat, shifting slightly. “I know you’re headed to your party tonight and I wanted to ask, if it’s alright, I’d really like to be there.”
My face pulls into something between confusion and horror. “Wait, what? Roman, it’s a college party. A real one. You absolutely do not need to be there.”
“No, no, no,” he says quickly, hands lifting in surrender. “Not like that. Not to, I don’t know, crash it or hang out or whatever the hell you kids do these days.”
He takes a breath. “I mean for protection.”
That stills me. He takes a careful step closer. “I know Luca’s been quiet lately and maybe it’s nothing. But I’d feel a hell of a lot better knowing someone was keeping an eye on you. Just in case.”
I cross my arms. “I’ve got Lex. And Cade.”
Roman tilts his head. “And most likely, you’ll all be drunk as shit.”
I blink.
“And I’m not judging,” he adds. “You deserve to blow off some steam. But if anything were to happen tonight, I just want to be close. Out of sight. Out of the way. But there.”
I hesitate. “Lex will lose his shit if he sees you there.”
“I’ll stay hidden,” he says. “Promise.”
I sigh. “Fine. But don’t hover. And for the love of God, don’t get into a staring contest with anyone.”
His lips twitch like he wants to laugh but doesn’t. Then he steps forward just a little. A tentative movement. He reaches for me and I tense.
He stops immediately. Hands lowering like I slapped them. “Sorry. I… I’m sorry.”
“No,” I say quickly, shaking my head. “It’s okay. I’m just not ready for that yet.”
He nods, gaze dropping. “I understand.”
A long beat passes between us. Heavy but not sharp. More like a silence we both don’t know how to fill yet.
“I’ll see you there,” he says finally. “And Bella?” He meets my eyes again. “You really are unforgettable, daughter.”
I bite the inside of my cheek, then nod. “Thanks, Roman.”
His jaw flexes. And then he turns, quiet and composed, and walks back to his car.
???
The Catacombs – Carrington Row
The Catacombs aren’t just a basement. They’re a kingdom carved beneath Carrington Row.
Exposed brick. Concrete floors slick with decades of spilled drinks and louder sins.
Purple and gold LED strips run along the ceiling beams, casting a low, pulsating glow.
The main room is massive, speakers already thumping low bass like a heartbeat.
But just off to the side is the real prize, The Trifecta’s Get-Ready Room. My personal favorite. Vintage vanity mirrors, string lights, racks of costumes, a couch that’s seen everything but judgment. It smells like perfume, body glitter, and secrets that never leave this room.
I’m curled on Cade’s lap on the couch, arms draped around his neck. His hand absently tracing my thigh like muscle memory when a water bottle hits my chest mid-thought.
“Hydrate or die, bitch,” Knox announces from the doorway, cocky as ever, “because tonight y’all are gonna get lit or some shit.”
I snort and grab the bottle. “Charming as ever, DJ Asshat.”
Cade leans in, voice warm against my ear. “I missed this.”
I bump my forehead against his. “Same.”
The door swings open and Lex walks in, a brown paper bag in one hand, and August trailing behind with a tray of stacked containers like a waiter on steroids.
“Room service, ladies and gents,” August calls.
Lex ignores him, eyes locked on me. “Eat up, baby,” he says leaning down to press a kiss to my mouth slow and sweet, but laced with something dark and hungry underneath. “Carbs. You’re gonna need ’em.”
Haley swoops in like a seagull. “Please tell me that’s pasta.”
“It’s literally nothing but carbs,” August groans, setting it down. “Barinov wouldn’t let me bring anything green except one Caesar salad.”
“Because that shit doesn’t count when the girls are going to be seventy-five percent tequila by the end of the night.” Lex says, already opening my container and handing it to me like the world’s hottest personal chef. “Now eat. Or I’m feeding you myself.”
“Tempting,” I murmur, popping open the lid. “But then I’d probably choke and die, and you’d never get the release you’ve been waiting weeks for, baby.”
Cade chuckles beneath me, arms wrapping tighter around my waist. “Can confirm. Girl’s a menace with noodles.”
Lex quirks a brow. “Bet she’s—”
August cuts him off and groans. “Ugh, can you three not.”
“Don’t start Augie,” Ellie warns from the vanity, fluffing her hair like it’s war prep. “They’re in a good mood. Let them flirt with carbs and each other.”
“Thank you, Little Whitmore.” Lex says to Ellie causing her to roll her eyes.
“Hydrate, Problem Child,” Knox adds. “You’re the host tonight. No dying before midnight.”
I salute him with the bottle. “Yes, Dad.”
The room’s buzzing by the time we finish our dinner. Haley is already fixing her makeup, Ellie’s blasting music off her phone, and August is bitching about the lighting in his corner. It feels like before. Like the version of us that used to live for nights like this.
Knox slams a bottle of tequila onto the counter like he’s starting a ritual. “Alright, bitches and bastards. Time to pregame properly.”
August claps his hands. “Finally.”
He lines up eight glitter-rimmed shot glasses, Wexley Wolves decals and all. He pours generously, spilling half of it with chaotic flair.
“Hey,” Cade says, reaching for a towel. “You’re wasting it.”
Knox shrugs. We all grab our glasses.
Ellie lifts hers first, a wicked glint in her eyes. “To chaos.”
Haley bumps hers. “To the baddest Wolves in the den.”
Cade raises his and nods toward me. “To getting her home in one piece.”
Cal grins. “To whatever happens, happens. We all remember the Hamptons.”
August bows. “To Queen Bella.”
Knox throws both hands in the air like he just dropped the bass. “To tequila, bitches!” he yells, spinning around like he’s on stage at Coachella. “Tonight’s forecast? 100% chance of blackouts.”
Lex lifts his and looks straight at me. “To the girl who brought the whole damn pack to its knees.”
They all look at me. “To you all, to my family. I don’t know how I would have gotten through all of this without each and every one of you. I love you guys.”
We throw them back in unison, the tequila burning down like liquid regret. Ellie and Haley dart to the mirror for last-minute touch-ups and to put on our new outfits. Cal heads upstairs to hype the crowd and Knox grabs his mic and heads toward his booth.
Lex pulls me aside, one arm around my waist, backing me into the brick wall with no apology. His mouth brushes my ear. “Can’t wait to get you home, baby. That chair routine? That rain dance? Wearing my name like it’s your goddamn birthright? Yeah. I’ve got plans for you.”
I smirk, tilting my face up to his. “You better.”
He groans, then crashes his mouth against mine—fast, hard, dirty. Like a promise. When he pulls back, his voice is rough. “Fuck, I love you.”
“I know,” I whisper, lips brushing his. “Now go before I forget we have a party to host, I need to change.”
He grins and backs off just as Cade grabs my hand and Ellie calls out, “Boys, get out!”