Canvas & Keys

23. This Gives New Meaning To The Term 'Bad Dancer'

Chapter 23

This Gives New Meaning To The Term 'Bad Dancer'

It was strange, seeing them there. When Vince and Seraphina walked through the doors into the room, they seemed almost...normal. Normal if they were just a couple who just happened to buy their way into a benefit gala we were at.

But there was no way this was normal.

Drake hadn't caught sight of them, his arm still wrapped around my waist, holding my hand with his other. He was saying something to me, whispering in my ear as he pressed his cheek to my temple. It took him a moment, but he finally realized I'd fallen silent, only moving because he was still leading our slow dance.

"What's wrong?" he asked, pulling back to look down at me. My eyes were still locked on Vince, who was shaking hands with Dr. Sarto. "You seem like..."

"Vince is here," I whispered, voice shaking. "Why is he here? How did he...?"

Drake swung me around so he could look where I was, blocking my face from view. My eyes were on his and I immediately felt the difference in his body, the tension that immediately swept through him.

"How the hell is he here?"

"They can't...they don't know why we're here, do they? They can't know about the key, right?"

Drake's eyes went from dangerously narrowed to wide with surprise.

"What?" I asked, turning just in time to see who had come in behind Vince and Seraphina.

Beau and Flannery stood side by side, looking all around as Vince and Seraphina continued talking to Dr. Sarto. Unlike all the other times I'd seen her, Flannery was dressed in a flowy green dress with her hair in a braid to the side. Her red lips were moving only slightly, saying something to Beau as he edged himself closer to her.

Beau...gosh, I thought I wouldn't see him for months, but there he was. He looked the same, though he looked just as uncomfortable as he ever did in a tux. His jaw was set, blond hair perfectly in place. He glanced over at Flannery just when she spoke, saying something back before he grabbed her hand and looped her arm through his.

As the two of them stepped forward, Flannery was still favoring one leg, though she seemed to be walking fine otherwise. She was using Beau almost like a crutch, still trying to heal, and the four inch heels weren't helping her much either.

"They're here...with him," I breathed.

Vince and Seraphina turned to the two of them. Beau looked as if he was more than wanting to punch Vince. But with one look from the man, along with the firm grasp on his shoulder, Beau kept himself in check as Vince spoke to him.

I turned back to Drake, looking up at him with wide eyes. Spinning us around, he hid us in the crowd of dancers, making Vince, Seraphina, Beau, and Flannery disappear behind them.

"They're here. Beau and Flannery..."

"Hattie," he tried to cut in.

"Why are they here? Do they know we're here? Are we the reason they're here? We saw them only two weeks ago...how could they already be with him?"

"Hattie."

"Drake, they're with Vince. Beau and Flannery are with Vince. How?"

"You knew this was their plan."