“I know. What if they don’t want me?” I’d only ever wanted a single thing in my life. Just one. I’d trained very hard since I was four in hopes of being one of the lucky few selected to continue my training in the United States. It was a dream that my mother and father didn’t share, but it hadn’t stopped me from pursuing my dream behind their backs.
“You’re the most talented dancer I’ve ever seen. And so very beautiful.”
Sophia was my greatest supporter. Who was I kidding? She was my only supporter. And my only friend. My father loved me. That much I knew in my heart, but he was far too busy to spend but so much time away from his work.
Being the only daughter of the most important man in Sicily was a lonely endeavor. This was my one chance at breaking free of the perfectly decorated prison I’d lived in my entire life.
“You’ve only seen a few dancers in your life, Sophia, but thank you. The world is so special. When I dance, I’m truly myself. I know you don’t understand.”
“I do, Miss Scavullo. I just…”
She didn’t need to finish her sentence. My only worth in the family was being the perfect daughter, coiffed and waiting to be used in whatever method my father determined.
Shrugging, she nodded toward the envelope.
After a few seconds, I finally found my courage, ripping the flap, almost dropping the single piece of paper. As soon as I read the words, I jumped up and down, forced to slap my hand over my mouth to keep the sound from penetrating the hallway. The last thing I wanted was for one of the guards to burst in.
“What does it say?” Sophia was already jumping up and down with me.
I took a deep breath, laughing nervously. “It says: Dear Miss Scavullo, the American Ballet Theater would like to invite you to continue your formal ballet training in the Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School for the upcoming season.”
A frown crossed my face as I read ahead in the body of the letter.
“What’s wrong?” Sophia asked.
The excitement faded from my tone. “We have made several attempts to contact you via email. Unfortunately, as the positions are limited, if we do not hear from you by…”
I jerked my head up. “They need to know by tomorrow or they’ll give my place away to another student. I didn’t get any emails. Did you?”
“No, Miss Scavullo.”
Fuck.
“That means my mother did.” My own mother hated me. She’d do anything to sabotage my happiness. My papa would befurious with her. I jerked up from the seat, tossing the brush and heading for the door with the letter still in my hand. I’d worked so hard over the years to even be considered good enough to be accepted in the ballet school.
The American Ballet Theater. The most prestigious dance company in the world. Even the Bolshoi wasn’t nearly as good. At least that’s what I believed. And who would want to go to Russia?
“Where are you going?” Sophia moved towards me and I was surprised by the odd look on her face.
“I’m going to talk to my father.”
She shook her head, fear in her eyes. “You cannot do that right now. You know he has a visitor.”
“I do not care if he has a visitor. This is important. Besides, my papa always has time for me. He will fix this.” I was already at the door when I felt her presence behind me. I’d never been so angry in my life.
“You do not want to go downstairs.”
“Sophia. I love you but I don’t have any time to waste.” I threw open the door, rushing down the stairs. At least today was Mama’s primping appointments, which meant she was out and couldn’t try to interfere.
My father’s office was at the other end of the house. I scurried down the darkened hallway, trying to think of the right words to say. Other than Rome and Madrid for a shopping trip, I’d never been far from home, certainly not to the United States. My father believed the country to be dirty and barbaric.
I’d practiced the speech for hours, praying and wishing so hard.Please. Please. Please. This was my one chance to prove myself, to be on my own.
I flew down the last hallway and before I was halfway to his closed door, I heard the same voices as before. Even louder and angrier.
Shocked there were no guards waiting outside his door, I used the empty corridor to my advantage. I’d become an excellent snoop over the years, discovering dozens of details about life outside the walls of my gilded prison. Maybe I could find out why the emails had been kept from me. My father was the most powerful man in all of Italy. Some people believed in all of Europe.
He was also a ruthless man, feared by almost everyone.
