Page 3 of Sacred Sin

My toes ached as I balanced on one foot and extended my leg into a deep arabesque. Rehearsal for this new ballet was a killer, combining modern and classical choreography. My partner lifted me high into the air before dipping me down into a deep bend.

From that position, I spotted a sheen on the floor only a foot away, and my stomach dropped. Shit! As my partner lifted me and spun me away, I gripped his hand tightly.

His eyes flew wide at the unexpected movement, and we collided.

“Stop!” Our director’s voice pierced the air from the darkness beyond the stage. A moment later, he stormed onto the stage like a raging bull until he stood directly in front of us.

My partner, Han, glared down his arrogant nose at me. “Really, Nico, the choreography isn’t that challenging, is it?”

I tried not to roll my eyes at his rebuke. Honestly, if we didn’t pair so well, I would have begged for a new partner.

“It’s Nicolette, or Niki, not Nico. And look, dumbass!” I pointed at the pile just as our director strutted across the stage and slipped when he stepped where I was pointing, landing on his ass.

“What is the meaning of this?” he hollered. “Clean this up immediately!” Stagehands scurried to do his bidding, while Han and I reached out and pulled Sergei to his feet.

“Are you okay?” I asked.

His demeanor warmed immediately. It was no secret that I was Sergei’s favorite. “Thank you, my dear. I will survive.”

He took in Han who stood with his hands on his hips looking bored. “How did you not see that?” he accused. “If she’d been spun into that muck, she could have broken her ankle.”

“Well, I could have too,” Han answered defensively. “Look, it doesn’t even shine. How did Miss Perfect Pants see it?” He glared at me accusingly.

This time, I did roll my eyes. “When you dipped me, my nose was only an inch away. I saw the lights reflected off it. You’re welcome, by the way.”

Han stormed off the stage, screaming for a towel.

“Oh my god, he’s such a diva,” I couldn’t help commenting.

Sergei laughed. “Diva, he may be, but he’s also the best we have. Let’s call it a day. Go home, Nicolette. Take a hot bath and relax. That’s an order.”

Not wanting to stay a moment longer, I bid my farewell to the dancers and staff, keeping a performance smile plastered in place. This wasn’t the first incident that threatened to disable me or worse. Far from it, in fact, and the need to get outside and far away from the obvious threat drove me to only stop at my dressing room long enough to trade my pointe shoes for a pair of sandals.

Normally, I wouldn’t leave the studio in a sweaty leotard. As my practice clothes cooled against my skin, my muscles could cramp and I’d begin to freeze. But right now, I wasn’t thinking about my career so much as staying alive.

My heart pounded as I burst through the doors and out onto the noisy streets of Upper Manhattan. Flagging a cab, I gave the driver my address and slumped back in the seat. I took a few deep breaths in an attempt to calm my racing heart. In the rearview mirror, the driver’s eyes flicked to me. He probably thought I was a loony, I mused.

Thankfully, this wasn’t like the full-on panic attacks I’d been having more frequently as of late, which I blamed on the unusual incidents that had been occurring around me.

Several weeks ago, I’d gone to my dressing room after rehearsal and found a dozen dead black roses arranged on my vanity.

Unfortunately, ballet was highly competitive and, like any professional athletes, we were a superstitious lot. The roses could have been a message from someone trying to make a point, or simply an asshole looking to get inside my head. I’d thrown them in the trash and gone on with my night, but the next day another dozen appeared.

Then another.

And another.

Every day since.

The cab slowed down, and I gazed out the window to see the growing traffic. Today, I didn’t mind the deadlock because at least here, in the cab, I had anonymity. I was just another person in an endless maze of cars all trying to get somewhere.

Being stuck allowed me added time to slow down my breath and release the panic, something Gio had taught me a long time ago. Thinking of him inevitably brought up many memories, some painful, but mostly ones that brought a smile to my face.

I’d wanted to call him so many times to ask for his forgiveness and beg him to bring me home. I would have given anything to hear the sexy, demanding tone of his voice, and smell his expensive cologne of leather and bergamot mixed with his natural scent of forest and oak. Instinctually, I drew in a deep breath as if I could summon his comforting scent.

Let it go, Nicolette. You ran away and yearning for the past will get you nowhere.

It was true, but it was still hard to accept. At the time, I’d felt my actions were justified. Had they known… I shuddered to think. Let’s say that my choices might appear unforgivable in their eyes, even though what I’d done was to keep them safe.