The director hummed as Raphael darted on and off the stage until he appeared in front of me, his arms outstretched as the music became even more emotional and romantic. I ran on pointed toes, enveloping him in a soft hug that made Mia roll her eyes at me backstage.
I pushed Raphael away, running away from him, pretending to be worried while he chased me. For a moment, I was reminded of Alek and me—of our circumstances forcing me to leave him while his obsession with me fueled him to find me.
It was Alek I thought of as Raphael and I came together and began our soft dance. Alek who my heart swelled with love for while my body moved in a rhythm of romance. The pas de deux was so much more than a simple loving dance. It was an innate conversation between hearts and souls, the comfort of knowing and being known, the feeling of pleasure as two slowly began to move as one.
And maybe that was why the others gaped at me from behind the curtains while Raphael and I danced: because the whole time, I was thinking of the man Itrulyloved.
Alek.
The dance was filled with tender moments—pirouettes, arabesques, lifts. We moved with the sweeping music, portraying a story of young, budding love kept apart by tragedy.
Raphael’s fingers continued to find the hem of my dress, Romeo showing his longing for Juliet. And every time he picked me up into the air, his hands trailed down my body, fingers brushing against my lips.
I could feel Alek’s anger as I arched my back and reached for the sky, my face a perfect portrayal of a yearning woman. But it wasAlekI was yearning for.
It was always him.
Still, I understood why his jealousy began to weigh down the air. Raphael and I were doing an incredible job of capturing the emotions in the dance. It would have been easy to believe we were truly in love. And Iwasin love.
Just not with Romeo.
By the end of the dance, Raphael kneeled to the floor. My steps were light as I crossed the stage to him. Raphael stood and grabbed my waist as I went up onto pointe. And with my heart thundering in my ribcage, he cupped the back of my head and spun me in a close circle. My hands fell against his jaw as Raphael pulled me in for a soft, open-mouthed kiss.
“STOP!” a voice boomed from the back of the theater.
My heart dropped.
The silhouette was standing now, stalking down the aisle with his fists clenched, walking like some dark god hell-bent on making every sinner suffer. And right now, the two biggest ones were sitting center stage for him, displayed like a feast.
I gulped as I took a step away from Raphael, muttering under my breath, “Rapha, if you want to live, go.Now.”
I wasn’t sure if it was the seriousness of my tone or the air of darkness hovering around Alek, but Raphael listened, running backstage before Madame Germaine could force him to come back.
“Yes?” Madame Germaine said, holding up her chin. But even she appeared to tremble under the weight of his aura.
Alek stepped halfway into the light. The muscles in his jaw were clenched, and his eyes were completely black. And maybe there was some part of me utterly ruined, because my core tightened with need at the feral expression in his eyes.
“Everyone. Out,” he growled lowly. The authority in his voice was enough to bring a wave of fresh goosebumps to my skin. His rage sounded barely controlled, an unhinged beast gnawing at the bars of its cage.
One wrong move, and it would break free.
The other dancers turned to Madame Germaine, who nodded before exiting the stage. Maybe the director would have fought more if we hadn’t been nearing the end of rehearsal anyway. We might have even gone a little late because of how long it took for me to deal with the costumer—who pinned me extra for complaining.
Soon, the theater was empty, and we were alone.
“Alek,” I whispered, my voice cracking in the middle. I could feel his anger from the front row. It both frightened and exhilarated me.
Alek ascended the staircase to the side of the stage, each step mimicking the echo in my heart.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
Boom.
By the time he reached me, I was already a wet, quivering mess, my body aching to have him again. Twenty-four hours was too long.
