Total pages in book: 110
Estimated words: 104185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 104185 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 521(@200wpm)___ 417(@250wpm)___ 347(@300wpm)
“Thanks. I’d . . . like to talk to her again.”
We lapsed into silence.
Beyond the door, other dancers shuffled past, laughing and teasing each other. Over the comm, I heard the announcement that the front doors were opening in five minutes and the security team needed to get into positions.
“Okay, I’m dressed.”
She wore a white costume that plunged deep in the front. Clear gems dotted throughout the fabric and tutu, and when they caught the light, it cast multi-colored reflections around the room.
The words tumbled from me without warning. “God, you’re beautiful.”
My compliment caught her by surprise, and color flashed across her cheeks. “Thank you.”
Her bashfulness didn’t last long because she sensed the clock looming over our heads. She took a seat at the lighted mirror and began to gather her hair up in her hands, but the door abruptly swung open.
Jesus, did no one knock?
Albina appeared, carrying a glass vase stuffed with a shit-ton of red roses. “These are heavy,” she announced, “and they are for you.”
She plunked them down on Laurel’s table where they took up most of the space, and Laurel’s concerned gaze found mine through the mirror. Her expression screamed this wasn’t normal.
That this had to be from him.
Every muscle in me tensed, and I reached down to grab the vase, hurrying to get it as far away from her as I—
“From someone named Shawn,” Albina added casually.
I froze, and Laurel let out a sigh of relief.
My brother’s stupid, well-meaning gesture had nearly given us a heart attack.
“How could you not tell me you had a boyfriend?” Albina was oblivious to the tension that lingered. “A hot, German one?”
For a moment Laurel’s face skewed as if she didn’t know how to answer it.
“My boyfriend’s not German.” She inhaled deeply and her voice went uneven. “That was his brother.”
35
LAUREL
There was no outward reaction from Jason when I declared him as mine. Maybe it seemed trivial, given all that had happened. It wasn’t like he could argue against it right in front of Albina.
But I hadn’t asked him to give up his life and follow me. He’d volunteered to do that on his own.
He believed we belonged together. And then, for just one tiny moment, I saw the hint of a smile on his lips. He agreed with me labeling our relationship this way. It made the performance butterflies already in my stomach compete with the butterflies he created in me.
Albina glanced at him. “I should change elsewhere?”
“If you don’t mind,” he said. “I can’t leave her.”
I couldn’t tell if it carried any meaning beyond the obvious, but it only made the butterflies worse.
She collected her things while I finished putting my hair up. Once she left, I moved the vase out of my way and began to layer on my foundation. The fading bruises from my encounters with Frey shouldn’t be too difficult to cover with my stage makeup. It was powerful stuff.
Jason was quiet as I applied concealer, and the sweet perfume from the roses his brother had sent invaded every breath I took.
“This must have been expensive,” I said. People spending money on me made me uncomfortable.
“He can afford it.” He moved to drop into Albina’s vacant chair. “Think they’d mind if you wore a Kevlar vest over your costume?”
I smiled. “Yeah, I think they would.”
When the stage manager announced over the backstage speakers it was fifteen minutes to curtain, Albina reappeared in her costume. She gave Jason a pointed look and took her seat a half-second after he vacated it, so she could get started on her hair and makeup.
It was surreal to put on my pointe shoes. Last time I’d been in this room and in this costume, I’d laced them on, believing it was the true start to my career.
Now it was the end.
His hand was cold on my bare shoulder. “What is it?”
“I’m just trying to take it all in, so I can remember it.”
His hand was gone and dug into his pocket to produce his phone. “Stand up for a minute.”
He wanted to take my picture? I came to my feet, and a wide smile spread across my face. I liked the idea of my picture in his phone, especially if we were going to be separated soon.
He tapped the screen a few times, and when he started to put it away, an even better idea struck me. I stepped forward and took the phone from him, holding it out to my friend.
“Albina, do you mind?”
He didn’t understand until I moved beside him. I held down the side of my tutu so I could get close, so I could press into him and use my body to demand he put his arm around me.
He hesitated only for a moment, perhaps deciding whether he should, and then the choice was made. His vest was scratchy, but his strong arm was solid and comforting as it draped around my shoulder, holding me tightly.