Instead of moving forward, I leaned back against the wall, trying to get control of myself. I needed to learn to keep my temper under control if I was really going to attempt resurrecting my career. It was going to get a whole lot worse than some two-faced bitch talking shit behind my back, and I was going to have to let it brush off me. If I lost my temper every time someone acted like an idiot, then entering the ballet scene again was going to be the biggest mistake ever.
“What the hell is going on here?” Yuri asked, temper lacing his tone of voice. “Are you fucking kidding me? You’re in here fighting? I suggest you save the energy for rehearsal. I promise there isn’t a soul here who can rest on whatever fucking laurels you might imagine having. Is that understood? Not a single one of you!”
The way everyone stepped back with an odd look of fear in their eyes was a little strange. Were they all scared of this guy or something? Was he more of a dickhead than he first seemed? When Yuri realized no one else was answering, he tapped me on the shoulder and indicated for me to follow him out of the shower room.
Shit. I tried to settle my nerves as I reached up to tighten the towel around me before following him out the door. I’d had my chance at redemption for a half a second, and I’d already blown it.
Would an apology be enough?
Would I be able to talk myself out of this one?
I wasn’t used to talking my way out of things anymore. It had been a very long time since I’d had to answer to a choreographer.
Since I had to answer to anyone.
“I’m sorry,” I started instantly, wanting to get my words in first. “That should never have happened. I know I need to earn your trust and respect, as well as theirs.”
“No.” He shook his head at me, causing my heart to sink. Was it already too late? “I don’t want to hear anything about trust. I don’t really give a fuck what you did in the past as long as it doesn’t bleed into my theater. I need you to work your ass off and prove we made the right decision in investing in you.”
Huh? That wasn’t what I was expecting at all…
“When our mother was alive, Volkov Ballet was known to be an amazing theater. Our reputation was that our productions have dancers who outshine the very stars in the sky. We had the very best in the world begging to be in our company. Then she died and, a few weeks ago, our principal goes and gets pregnant. Costs are rising, dancers are getting lazier and demanding more money and more fucking time off while we are working our asses off to make sure we don’t lose the respect and reputation our mother spent her life building. I need you to help me with this. You’re an amazing dancer, though out of shape and in need of some fine tuning. I’m sure it goes without saying I don’t need any bullshit from you, but I’m not stupid enough to believe that isn’t going to happen. As long as you’re not the one to start the crap, I’m willing to cut you a break.”
“I promise—”
“Don’t bother making promises you have no idea if you’ll be able to keep. Just suck it up and take whatever the others dish out. If you can’t do that, then do us all a favor and leave.”
He waited silently as several long moments passed, neither of us making a move. Finally, I shook my head.
“I’m not leaving,” I said as my heart made the decision for me.
“Good. Then go get dressed and get that contract signed with my brother.”
I did my best to ignore the others as I headed back to the showers to get dressed. My mind spun with the fact that I was being brought on to dance with Volkov Ballet. Luckily, after Yuri’s small telling off, everyone else avoided me, too, which made me think maybe he had it right. Maybe he needed to act like a dick and to have a firm fist to control all of these diva-wannabes.
Dropping the towel onto the floor, I reached into my bag and froze when my fingers wrapped around something slimy. Withdrawing my hand and the soaking wet washcloth someone dumped my shampoo on before shoving it into my duffel, I gritted my teeth and dropped it on top of my towel. They might be too timid to face Yuri directly but evidently weren’t afraid to fuck with my belongings. It was the juvenile prank of a coward. I ignored the dampness of both the panties and leggings I pulled out of the bag, brushing off the bit of suds that had developed, and pulled both on, adding a tank before rubbing my head vigorously with another towel. Once my hair was somewhat dry, I drew a brush through it and pulled it up into a high ponytail. It would be better to completely dry it, but I didn’t want to take the time. All I wanted was to get the hell out of this room and back into air that wasn’t threatening to clog my lungs with pure hatred.
Tucking my toiletries bag back into the duffel, I zipped it and dropped down to sit on the bench. I put off leaving for another few moments by giving my feet a quick massage before slipping them into a pair of ballet flats. That menial task had me smiling again at the memory of doing the exact same thing at every rehearsal and after every performance.
The slamming of a door had me looking around to discover that where there had been several others milling about, I was now alone. Taking a deep breath, I stood up and slid the strap of my bag onto my shoulder.
The hell with the others, and fuck indecision. I intended to grasp onto this new opportunity with both fists. The chance to get on the stage again was too amazing to turn down. It was what my grandmother wanted for me too. Over the last couple of days, we’d had long conversations about it, and she’d told me over and over again she was happy to get the help of nurses while I was out on the road. Though I was not sure how I felt about someone else doing what I felt was my job, I knew my babushka would never forgive me if I didn’t give this a true shot. I was pretty positive I’d not forgive myself either if I didn’t agree to take Alek up on the offer. We’d deal with the rest as it came. I had the intense feeling if I didn’t do this right now, it’d be the biggest mistake I’d ever make.
I walked through the theater, anxious to see Alek once more. The situation surrounding me was crazy. It was the most unexpected thing in the entire world, but feelings for Alek were still managing to creep their way in no matter how hard I tried to deny or explain those feelings as something else. I suppose it was because he was giving me the lifeline I so desperately needed. Or maybe it was because he was my prospective boss, which made him taboo and off limits. Lusting after Alek was another way I could mess up this chance, which I really didn’t want to do.
He was gorgeous as anything, probably the most handsome man I’d ever laid eyes on. He might not dance on stage, but he moved with a grace that reminded me of a sleek panther.
A shudder ran through me at the thought of being stalked by such a beast. I could so easily visualize him slipping through the jungle without making a single sound, only to drop down from overhead to pin me beneath him. The shudder turned into a quiver that resided between my thighs as I pictured his head lowering, his mouth opening in preparation to claim me.
A bit shocked at the tingle of desire zinging about in places I’d thought long dead. I reminded myself I’d sworn off men, took a final deep breath and lifted my hand to knock on the door.
6
Alek
“Come in,” I called out, looking up to see the door opening a crack to reveal a face that had me wanting to lift my fist into the air, shake it in victory, and shout, “Fucking A!” Instead I said, “Oh, hey, Clara. Come on in.”