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CHAPTER 20

Owen William Rhodes

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He was tired of dancing without having danced yet. After James' Waltz, little over a month ago, Owen had enough. Although maybe he had been fed up before that. After meeting with Bowmen and agreeing to leave Goldie be, he could not bring himself to box.

A waiter passed, and he grabbed a champagne flute. Taking a sip, Owen made eye contact with yet another girl trying to catch his attention. He stopped himself from rolling his eyes, and glanced at the entrance. The cyng nearly choked on his drink.

Atop the steps stood a girl in gold.

Her dress had a soft V held up by fine halter straps. The golden lamé fabric hugged her figure like a second skin, loosening past her high slit, where the material draped around a perfectly toned leg.

He blinked, and when the girl was still there, his throat dried.

Is Goldie really here? He wondered. Why? She could have left. He gave her the chance. But if she was here... He straightened his back. If this really was her choice, Owen would not hold back anymore.

"If you stare any longer, the whole Dynast will gossip about how madly in love you are," Matt commented, strolling over.

Neither of them took their eyes off the girl. Owen loosened his tie, about to walk over, but the sight of a boy next to Goldie made him stop. His fist clenched at their matching attire.

"Her date is from the West?" he asked.

"It would seem so."

The kid, Lynch, said something to Goldie, and they laughed.

"Look, if you still want to win, faking it won't work," Matt said.

Owen took a deep breath and checked around to ensure his parents were not watching him.

"I don't know what's real anymore," he sighed.

Matt turned away, patting his cyng on the shoulder. "She's real," he said and followed behind a tall figure.

"Here goes nothing," Owen mumbled, striding over to the entrance with squared shoulders and a smirk at the ready. He stopped two steps below the girl and extended his hand, shooting a subtle glare the kid's way. Lynch took a step back, avoiding eye contact.

"Allow me the first dance," he said.

"Not a chance," Goldie scoffed.

"Not a question," he countered, taking her hand.

She pulled away, but Owen's grip was firm, and he swept her to the dance floor just as the orchestra started a new piece. Violinists took the lead, hacking at strings as they built up momentum.

"I want to dance with Lynch," Goldie grumbled.

When Owen glanced back, the girl looked tempted to kick another shoe in his face. She would not try anything with people around though. Right?

At the centre of the floor, Owen turned and pulled her close. Goldie's breath tingled against his throat, and she peered up at him with ocean eyes. Electricity ran down his skin.

"Well, you got me," he smirked.

"Talk about a downgrade."

Owen laughed and led them into a Viennese waltz, weaving in between the other couples. His attention, however, was quickly seized by the girl as she resisted his control, trying to steer them her own way. He grinned at the challenge, pushing her out and spinning her back close.

"You, Goldie, will change the world one day," he whispered.

"How so?"

All around them, glances snuck their way.

"Because you just can't fit onto the board we're all playing on," he said. "This room, this town, this country. It's too small for you. Just when I think I've got you figured out, you throw me a curve ball."

She pulled at the lead again, and Owen distracted her with a dip, holding the pose. His back tingled where she held on. And without meaning to, he leaned in, tempted by her eyes, her lips...

A pain shot through his foot, and he nearly yelped.

"How's that for a curveball?" Goldie asked with batting lashes, pulling herself back up and leading the dance.

The girl just stepped on a cyngs foot in public! If someone saw... Owen closed his mouth before anyone could notice. After their date, he found out she was probably one of the few people that could harm him if she wanted, but the strangers watching did not know that.

Instead of fighting it, Owen allowed Goldie to guide them. There was no question she must have had lessons. Although the cyng had his fair share of dance instructors as a child, he struggled to keep up.

At the music's climax, there were much more people to avoid on the dance floor. He stiffened when it seemed they would collide with another couple, but without missing a beat, Goldie pulled back into a change step, and they effortlessly reverse turned to safety.

"You're pretty good," Owen commented.

"Every savage can dance," Goldie shrugged, pushing herself away into a twirl and spinning in with her head thrown back. Her dress flared, swirling around her exposed legs.

The cyng shared her grin. It was usually his mum who threw Jane Austen quotes around. Listening to her was finally going to pay off.

"Careful, Goldie," he smirked, pressing their bodies close. "To be fond of dancing is a certain step towards falling in love."

The girl quirked an eyebrow, then rolled her eyes.

"I'm not falling in love," she asserted.

"But you can't deny there's something between us." He slowly gained back the lead, pressing her close as if he could prove his words. "I felt it back when we danced at the yacht party. You busting out your retro dance moves... And our kiss..."

In an instant, the girl's face flushed.

"Can you not get over that? It was a onetime—"

"Two-time thing," Owen corrected, and by some miracle, Goldie turned an even brighter shade of red. "We could make it three?"

He leaned in, and she missed a step for the first time. "Oh, look, the song's ending," she said, ducking out of Owen's hold and dodging through couples, disappearing into the crowd.

The music indeed came to a close, but everyone else stayed to bow to their partners. Owen shook his head.

"You might as well jump off a cliff after that rejection. I'll hold your hand if you want," a comment came from behind.

Owen turned to his driver.

"It won't be funny when we lose that bet."

"True," Seane sighed. "And just when the bet seemed over."

Goldie being back could cause nothing but trouble. Not just for West and East...

Still, a weight lifted from Owen's shoulders.

"Hey, have you checked your messages?" Seane asked, hands stuffed in his all-black suit. "We need to stay on top of things."

The cyng got his phone out. It had been on silent since his arrival.

"You're right; I got a message," he said and checked the text.

Seane left without another word.

And the message was from the same unknown number that had been helping him these last three years. The number that told him to confront Bowmen that day he met Goldie. That told him to take a detour the week after and inadvertently got him to save the girl.

And it was this number that suggested the bet in the first place.

All with the promise that Tygerwel would be as he wanted it.

Unknown
Xavier is planning something at midnight. Get out of there NOW.
19:54

Owen's forehead creased at his phone. The number had never been wrong in their warnings. But of course, Xavier will try his luck, he thought. And I intend to see what the devil has up his sleeve.

Glancing around, his mum and dad talked to his elders near the entrance. He strode over and tugged at his mum's arm while his dad continued chatting with Ms Kenting and Mr Waldorf.

"What is it?" Katherine asked.

"Take dad and leave."

"Why? What's happening?"

"I think it'll be safer if you go to East Ends for the weekend. I got a tip-off, and I'm unsure how serious it is. Take Pee Wee with you."

"You're not coming?"

"Mum, I'm the cyng of the East. I have to stay. Don't worry. By the laws of blood, nobody can hurt me."

"Alright," she said and hugged him. "Stay safe."

He turned back to the ball, eyes scanning for his kin. Instead, he saw the cyng of the North talking to guests by the glass doors. They made eye contact, and Xavier rose his glass of wine like a toast, a smirk on his lips.

Owen had to find Goldie. 

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