Playing The Chase - Book Two in The WSU Series

- Chapter Twenty-Eight -

I hate to say it but the Jones outdid themselves.

The gala looks beautiful.

My parents come every year due to my dad being in business with most of the people here and Leah designing most of the dresses the women are wearing tonight. I exchange a look with Ele, amazed at what we're seeing. We're stood at the entrance, the style is an old ballroom, and the massive hall is separated into sections. Tables and chairs on either side of the room with a small dance floor in the middle.

A large bar in the middle, surrounded by older men wishing to be anywhere but here.

"I need a drink," Kian announces before grabbing Lizzie's hand and leading her over to the bar, "Alex, can you dance with me?" I smile at Hayden knowing what I'm doing affects him. It works because he heads off into the crowd. "I only dance when I'm drunk," Alex mutter as I take his hand, "you don't drink though." I say and that's exactly what he wanted to hear, he smirks, "exactly."

I release his hand to throw my hands up, "Em let's dance." Emilia downs the last of her drink before me and Em head towards the dance floor in the center of the room. "So, what's going on with you and Hayden?" She shouts over the music, "nothing— now let's dance!"

I always loved dancing, it's freeing.

You lose yourself in the music and nothing else matters.

The dance floor is almost empty as we make our way there. The music is loud and upbeat, drowning out everything else that surrounds us. Emilia's smile never fades— she loves being free. Surely everyone loves being free. The feeling of being liberated.

Nothing beats that feeling.

"I love you bitch!" She screams over the music while swirling around, "I love you too bitch!" I take her hands to start dancing together. "I need a drink!" I need to get drunk. "Let's head to our table!" Yes, please. "Wait— I need to go pee." I look around the floor to see people judging us. "I'll come with."

"No, it's okay." Em squeezes my hand before rushing off the dance floor in the opposite direction to our table. I need a bit of alcohol in my system before I see my parents. Jesus my father will kill me if he sees me sitting here with four, six-foot guys. Especially if he figures out their football players. I'll be six feet under before the end of the night. Even worse— I'll be locked in that pink bedroom. I'd rather die than be locked in that apartment. Taking my seat, I stretch across the table to grab a glass of champagne.

I fucking love champagne.

A minute later Roma and Ele show up, he pulls out Ele's seat before taking his next to her and Lizzie with Kian on Lizzies left. "That looked tense," Kian takes a sip of his drink. "Nothing I can't handle."

"I will say having conversations was much easier when drunk if I remember correctly," Alex states coming up from behind them, he takes his place next to me. I offer a smile before taking another sip of my drink, waiting patiently for the alcohol to take its effect.