Chapter Four: The Dance That Changed the Air
The music shifted as the evening deepened.
It softened, slowed, becoming something meant for closeness rather than celebration. Crystal glasses clinked softly. Laughter drifted like smoke beneath the hanging lights. The garden hall glowed in gold and shadow, the kind of light that made people seem kinder than they were.
Sophia handed me a glass of something pale and sparkling.
"Drink," she said. "You're thinking too much."
I smiled faintly and took a careful sip. It tasted sweet, unfamiliar.
"This isn't my world," I murmured.
Sophia leaned her shoulder into mine. "It doesn't have to be. Just borrow it for tonight."
We stood near one of the tall tables, watching couples move toward the dance floor. Dresses swayed. Hands found waists. The music wrapped around the space like a slow heartbeat.
That was when he approached us.
He didn't interrupt. He waited until Sophia noticed him first.
"Sophia Royce," he said with an easy smile. "You always disappear at these things."
She turned, her face lighting up. "Julian!"
He was handsome in a clean, effortless way. Not sharp like Rowan. Softer. Kind eyes. A polite smile that reached them. He wore a dark suit, well-fitted, but he didn't carry it like armor. He carried it like it was just clothing.
"You look dangerous," Sophia teased.
Julian laughed. "Only on paper."
Then she turned to me. "Aira, this is Julian Thorne. Family friend. Business partner of my brother's. And one of the few genuinely decent men in these circles."
Julian inclined his head politely. "That's a dangerous introduction."
I smiled, a little shy. "Nice to meet you."
"The pleasure is mine," he said, and meant it.
His gaze was respectful. Curious, but not invasive. It made me feel… safe.
They exchanged a few words—easy, familiar—before Julian's eyes flicked briefly to the dance floor.
"May I?" he asked me, extending his hand.
The world seemed to pause.
I looked at his hand, then at Sophia.
"Oh—I don't—" I started.
Sophia nudged my side. Harder this time. "You absolutely do."
"I don't really dance," I whispered.
Julian smiled gently. "Neither do I. We can stand and sway. No one will notice."
I hesitated.
I'd never danced with anyone before. Not at parties. Not at events. Not even at home. The Grace house had never been a place for music like this.
Sophia leaned close, her voice soft. "It's okay, Aira. Just for one song."
Something in her tone—encouraging, protective—gave me courage.
I placed my hand in Julian's.
His grip was warm, steady. Not possessive. Not demanding.
He led me toward the dance floor, stopping just short of the center, where the light was gentler.
"Tell me if you're uncomfortable," he said quietly.
"I will," I promised.
The music wrapped around us. Slow. Measured.
Julian placed one hand lightly at my waist, careful not to assume. I rested my free hand on his shoulder, my movements uncertain.
"It's fine," he murmured, sensing my tension. "There's no right way."
We moved slowly, awkwardly at first.
Then… easier.
I became aware of my breathing. The rise and fall of movement. The soft murmur of voices around us.
"You look beautiful tonight," Julian said, not as a compliment meant to impress, but as a simple observation.
"Thank you," I replied, surprised by how calm I felt.
We danced.
Not dramatically. Not perfectly.
But peacefully.
And then I felt it.
That shift.
That weight.
I didn't need to look to know.
But I did anyway.
Rowan Royce stood near the edge of the floor, half in shadow, a glass untouched in his hand. His posture was still. Controlled. But his eyes—
They were locked on us.
Dark. Sharp. Watching.
My steps faltered.
Julian noticed. "Are you alright?"
"Yes," I said quickly, forcing a smile. "Just—crowds."
He nodded, understanding. "We can stop if you want."
"No," I said softly. "It's okay."
But my awareness stayed pulled toward the edge of the room.
Rowan didn't move. Didn't interrupt.
He simply watched.
Sophia noticed too. I saw it in the way her smile shifted, her eyes flicking between us and her brother.
Interesting, her expression seemed to say.
The song ended.
Applause drifted lightly through the space as couples separated.
Julian released me immediately, stepping back with polite distance.
"Thank you," he said. "You were wonderful."
"I was clumsy," I laughed quietly.
He smiled. "Honest dancers always are."
Sophia appeared instantly, looping her arm through mine. "See? You survived."
Julian inclined his head. "I hope I didn't steal you for too long."
"Not at all," Sophia said brightly. "You might have just made her night."
Julian looked at me again, something thoughtful in his eyes. "If you'd like to dance again later…"
I hesitated, then nodded. "Maybe."
He smiled, satisfied, and excused himself.
Sophia squealed the moment he was out of earshot. "Aira Grace. Dancing. With a man."
"Stop," I whispered, mortified.
She leaned close. "Did you see Rowan?"
I didn't answer.
I didn't have to.
Sophia grinned. "Oh, this is getting good."
I excused myself and stepped toward the refreshment table, needing space, air, something solid.
I felt him before I heard him.
"You dance now?"
His voice was low, even.
I turned.
Rowan stood close—but not too close. His face unreadable. His eyes darker than before.
"Only when encouraged," I said.
He nodded once. "He's polite."
"Yes."
There was a pause.
"He's interested," Rowan said, not as a question.
I didn't know how to respond to that.
"He was kind," I said carefully.
Rowan's jaw tightened, just slightly.
"I see."
Silence stretched.
Then he stepped back, as if catching himself.
"Enjoy the evening," he said.
And walked away.
I watched his retreating back, my heart confused, unsettled.
I didn't understand the darkness in his eyes.
I didn't understand why his attention felt heavier than Julian's touch.
All I knew was this:
Something had shifted tonight.
The air between us was no longer empty.
And whatever had begun—
It was no longer quiet.