For The Empire - Sempre

Chapter 26

I somehow manage to make it back to the table without falling over, even though my legs feel like jelly.

"You alright, moms?" Miles asks me, and I take a deep, shaky breath in and nod. "In that case, may I have this dance, milady?"

He stands and bows next to me. I chuckle and take his hand. Then, he spins me onto the dance floor, making me laugh again as I stumble into his arms.

I see Kai dancing with Gianna; Lucy is dancing with Gabe, and Sean is dancing with Jessica; he smiles when he sees me.

I glance at the table JP was sitting at earlier and don't see him. I scan the room and don't find him anywhere.

"If you're looking for JP, he left, but I don't think for good," Miles tells me.

"I wasn't," I lie.

"You know, you're not a good liar, mom. At least not with me. I know I haven't known you as long as some of your friends, but I can tell when you're not honest."

"How?"

"I don't know; it's a gut feeling, I guess. You have a good poker face, and that's why you can fool others but not me," Miles smiles softly at me.

"No one can deny there's still something between you and JP. He matches your intensity, that's for sure," He laughs. "I bet he's a badass in a fight, too."

"Miles."

"Anyway," He emphasizes."You deserve to be happy. It's none of my business, moms, but I think you need to figure out what you want. For yourself, not for us or anybody else. And the thing is, I think you know what you want, but you're scared."

"I am happy."

"I think you're hopeful but not happy yet."

"When did you become so insightful?" I sigh.

"Well, you see, I met this cool lady a while back, who changed my life. She helped me realize that if I'm not happy about where I am or what I'm doing, I'm in control of my life and have the power to change my life, to go after what I want," He smiles down at me.

"Thank you, Miles," I pull him into a hug. "I love you; you know that?"

"Yes, I do know, and I love you, too, mom."

Staff is serving food when we return to our table. Sean joins us shortly after, and I look around for Lucy when I see Kai sit down.

"Lucy went to the bathroom," Kai informs me and smiles, realizing I was looking for her.

"Are you having a good time?" I ask Sean.

"I am," he lifts my hand to his lips, placing a soft kiss on my hand. "Are you?"

"Yeah, I am." I am mostly.

"Not good," Kai says, his gaze focused behind me, and I follow it.

Lucy is dancing with Nico now, but we can see Marco watching from the side, with his hands clenched in fists. He starts walking up to them, and I start to get up, but Sean stops me.

We watch as JP intervenes by pulling Marco roughly by the arm away from the dance floor.

Marco rips his arm out of JP's grip, and although we can't hear what they're saying, it's obvious they're fighting. Santino and a few other men quickly lead Marco out of the venue.

JP looks back at me briefly before making his way back to his table, but he's stopped as a literal flock of women begins to surround him.

"Keep walking; he's mine!" Lola stands in front of JP, holding him back, and I put my hand over my mouth, chuckling. A few of the women smile or laugh but disregard her, and a couple of them start moving in.