ELARA
The room was packed, buzzing with laughter and chatter, but none of it meant anything to me. I barely recognized a single face, and even the ones I did see held no importance. My eyes moved over the crowd, restless and searching. Cedric had to be here somewhere. Maybe Emmeline, too. But no matter how hard I looked, they were nowhere in sight.
Before I could sink too deep into my frustration, a hand slid around my waist, firm and possessive. I snapped out of my thoughts, blinking as I turned my head—only to find Dave’s face way too close. Our lips almost touched, and my breath hitched. That cocky smirk of his was back, his eyes gleaming like he knew exactly what he was doing.
I cleared my throat and tried to step away, desperate to put some space between us, but his grip tightened,
