Page 18 of Allegiant

I will.

This is nothing more than infatuation.

“No. No, it’s more than that,” Neo says. “Watch.”

He hits another button, and the video plays.

And, just like every other time I’ve seen him dance, my entire world dissolves.

I can’t look away. Voices echo around me, but I don’t hear them. All that exists is Rowan on the screen, twisting and turning like the music is part of him. Or like he is the music.

It’s breathtaking.

Then, as fast as it began, it’s over. The screen turns black.

And the world comes roaring back in the form of my nosy fucking family.

“You’re right, this is definitely a fucking problem,” Dalton is saying to Wylder. “I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“Want to pass the case over to me?” Harley says, swinging on the back two legs of his chair. “I can have it done before the hour is out.”

My dagger is against Harley’s neck before he finishes talking. “No.”

Harley smirks, completely unbothered by the blood now trickling under the blade. “Don’t worry, boo, I’ll make it quick and clean. Out of respect, ya know?”

I snarl, but before I can decide whether it’s worth pushing the dagger deeper, there’s a set of hands on each of my biceps, another pair of arms around my waist.

Three of my brothers are pulling me away, but I hold firm. Then there’s a loud sigh, followed by the cool press of metal to my temple.

“Let him go,” Wylder says calmly. “You’re not going to kill him.”

“And you’re not going to kill me,” I growl. “So fuck off.”

“I won’t kill you, but I will pull you off the case,” Wylder warns. “So step down before you force my hand.”

I give Harley one more warning snarl before releasing him. “That was your fault. You pushed the wrong fucking button.”

“Actually, I think you’ll find I pushed the right one,” Harley says, still unfazed by what just transpired. “You’re welcome, by the way.”

I gape at him. “Excuse me?”

“Now we all know exactly how you feel about Rowan Mitchell,” Harley says, accepting a handkerchief from Ansel and dabbing at his neck. I roll my eyes at the sight. I barely scratched the fucker, and he should be grateful for it. “And exactly why this is fucking complicated.”

I blow a breath out of my nostrils. “Fine. He’s…interesting. Okay? Doesn’t affect my ability to do the job.”

Laughter breaks out all around me.

“Sure,” Cade chuckles. “Because you try and slit Harley’s throat over every mark.”

“He’s tried to murder him over Monopoly,” Wyatt says. “Not sure this is much different.”

“It’s very different,” Wylder says. He’s not laughing. He’s sitting back in his chair, his chin resting on steepled fingers. “Horseplay during game night doesn’t threaten everything The Firm stands for.”

I meet his gaze coolly. “Neither does this.”

Wylder juts his chin at my chair. “Explain.”

I shoot one more warning glare at Harley, then lower myself into my seat. Everyone retakes their chairs, but no one else settles back into them. They’re all waiting for me to lose it again.