Because Clay knew something, more than he would ever admit to, but I had to play it carefully with him because he could change my life back to what it was at the click of his fingers.
The dance teacher nodded. “Show me your audition. What music did you play?”
“For pre-selection, I danced the Pas de deux.”
Lowering his head as he nodded to Carter.
“Solo,” I said.
Carter sighed loudly behind me, and the dance teacher raised his eyebrows. I ignored both as I stretched my limbs and muscles, ensuring I didn’t end up with an injury; also to make them wait.
Clap. Clap.
The music started and before I knew it; they lost me to the sounds, but it was like this every time I danced, the feeling I could fly, be free, forget my life; though only for a little while. I’d been dancing since I was young, pushed by my mother, who always wanted to dance.
And I shouldn’t grumble about what I had because I was born privileged and had great parents. At least I had great parents, but now, in reality, apart from money, I had nothing at all.
I glanced at Carter as I danced and ascended gracefully into the fouette, and turned and turned. I raised my arms high and lifted into a pirouette. Hands ghosted my waist as my legs and body tightened as I spun and took myself to New York City. Trouble was I knew my body was in this modern dance school in the small town called Alton, close to London.
The music stopped, and I spun on my heel, glimpsing Carter. He stood grinning in front of me. A boy that turned into a man in the last year. He appeared taller and broader, his hair seemed a touch darker, almost black or the darkest of brown, and his face turned from boyish to sharp and defined. I looked at him staring at me and could see he still had a glint in those beautiful pale grey eyes; a spark that told me he knew more than he ever let on.
But I’d work it out.
I ignored him and turned my attention to the dance teacher, not sure what I expected to hear, but he must be able to sense the animosity between us.
“Tuesday next week, we’ll be back in the studio. I look forward to seeing what else you can do, Lacey.”
I sighed silently, knowing I was going to see where the next ballet school was located because there was no room for me while Carter was here. But I gave the teacher a nod and walked back to the seats to get my clothes.
“Lacey.” His voice still sounded the same, but deeper. I didn’t turn. I stood and picked up my hoodie as his friends strode forward. Narrowing my eyes, I pulled my sweater over my head and walked away. A hand landed on my arm. “We need to talk.”
“Sorry, I’m too busy,” I said.
“Lacey, did Clay tell you the truth about that night?”
“He told me it wasn’t what I think,” I replied and laughed. “I think nothing… I know what I saw.” I gave a tight smile and walked away.
As I strolled off, he sighed and wandered over to the guys who had walked in earlier, obviously picking him up so they could all go into town and pull some girls.
“That’s her. It’s Lacey, my ex-girlfriend,” Carter said.
That’s her.
“Aurora,” one of them said, as though they knew more about me than they should.
“It’s Aurora Lace, and she prefers Lacey, and so does Clayton. It helps protect her,” Carter said.
Protect me?
As I discussed options with the dance teacher, I turned and saw Carter and each of his friends staring at me. One by one I returned their stares, refusing to be intimated by them, but boy, I wished I hadn’t. They were all gorgeous.
First, there was Carter with his lean muscular body, honed from years of intense ballet training, and he was a gorgeous-looking man. But each of his friends was handsome in his own way.
They probably all had the same crap personality.
I glanced at Carter and then to the left to see the one I missed as they walked in. He was tall, dark and oh so handsome with his olive-coloured skin and dark smouldering eyes. He gave me a wink, and I smiled and rolled my eyes and glanced further to the left at the next guy. Blond, tanned, broad-shouldered, hot muscular body, with a glimpse of a tattoo that ran from the sleeve of his jumper and into his hand.Mm. Sexy.He looked at me, no smile, just a look so intent it was like he looked through me.
I shifted my gaze to the final guy. Oh, the floppy, fair-haired cutie with the glasses, the one I saw earlier, not as tall as the others, and I couldn’t see muscles bulging from underneath his top either. He smiled. He was super cute, a little nerdy, but I liked nerds, especially when they had those dimples in their cheeks. I smiled back at him.