Lyla
“You did good tonight, Ly,” one of the dancers says, giving me a pat onmy shoulder as I walk into the shower and she’s about to walk out.
“Thanks,” I murmur. “You too.”
“Do you wanna come hang out with us later? We’re thinking of going to the movies.”
I shake my head. “Think I’ll pass.”
She nods, shooting me a grin and I take off my towel and turn on the water. Putting my palms together I catch the water to check if it’s warm enough and once it is, I step underneath the ray.
It comes whipping down on me and I close my eyes, massaging and rolling my sore shoulders. Such a lie. That I was good tonight, I mean. I was horrible, probably did my worst performance ever. Then again, I’ve never really performed before while having a friend missing so maybe I should cut myself some slack.
But that’s easier said than done. All ballerina’s I know put a lot of pressure on themselves. To always be perfect, to always be loveable. Always act like they have everything under control but at this point in my life, I’ve never felt more out of control.
You tried to help, I tell myself. You tried to help Trevor. You did your best.
But it wasn’t enough...
Squeezing my eyes, I finally allow the tears to fall. I’ve been holding them inside all this time but now I can’t hold back any longer and I start sobbing, sliding down the wall. Pushing my knees up to my chest, I bury my head in them, my hair plastering against my hips like curtains on either side of me.
It’s not a pretty cry, it’s an ugly one and my eyes start burning from all the salt in my tears. I open them to give them a wash, only to see a figure standing in the doorway of the shower hall, watching me with intent and I let out a squeal.
“Dolokhov!” I screech. “What are you doing here?”
He’s leaning against the wall as if he has every right to be here. He’s wearing the sharpest suit I think I’ve ever seen and he doesn’t seem to be the least affected by the steam. Or by the fact that he is watching a lonely girl, crying in the shower. Nude.
Unsurprisingly he ignores my question, asking, “Who has made you cry?” His tone lingers with aggression, like he’s ready to snap the neck of the guilty one.
“You!” I say in exasperation. “It’s you who’s made me cry.”
Straightening, he frowns like he doesn’t like being responsible for making women cry. “Why? What did I do?”
“You refused to help me.” I brush my tears away. “With my friend.”
Darkness creeps over his eyes before disappearing just as quickly and then something heated crosses his face that makes my lower belly flutter and I feel riskily exposed.
Good thing he can’t see anything, because of the position I’m in but it’s still confusing and awkward and is there any situation worse than this that a girl could possibly be in? Naked in the same room as a ruthless mobster while he’s fully clothed and not knowing whether he just wants to ravage her or kill her.
“Turn off the water,” he says in a slow voice and I raise my brows.
“Are you going to hurt me?”
His mouth moves in a sneer. “Never, never hurt you.” His mouth goes back to normal and he adds, “I just want to give you your towel.”
He doesn’t need to do that. He could just walk out and I can get it on my own. But I find myself, reaching for the knob to turn off the water while hiding my breasts with the other one.
Glancing at me, Dolokhov takes the towel before walking over to me and my heart thuds when he stops before me.
Looking down at me, he rasps, “I like it when you look up at me like that. It makes me want to make you mine.”
I freeze. Whoa...where did that come from? I’m so stunned that I let out something that sounds like a whimper and a cry and his eyes turn cold again. He drops the towel for me to take it and then he walks out.
“When you are done, you are going to come and speak to me.”
That’s it? That’s all the information I get? What does he want to talk to me about? Should I even agree...?
Looking around, I’m thinking there is no way I could escape. I have to walk out there. Have to talk to him if that’s what he wants. Jumping up when a thrill forms in my body, I figure that maybe he changed his mind about Trevor.