Chapter Eleven

 

The dancers poured out of the different studio doors, talking excitedly to one another. Alex watched them with interest. They were all slender and graceful, even the men. Even when they walked, they still looked like they were floating.

After a few days on the job, the world was beginning to intrigue him. The dedication, the drive, and from what he could tell, the pain… He couldn’t help but notice the bruises and sores on their feet as they traded their pointe shoes for flip flops.

Alex watched the three-hour rehearsal session with fascination, as the dancers worked while Armand commanded them to move in a language he didn’t understand.

When that was over, dancers moved to different studios in the building. He used the time to talk to his men. They were bored, and hadn’t found any concerns or major flaws in the building other than the vast theater that took up the other side of the sprawling building. Performances would be tricky to keep under a controlled watch. Alex hoped the problems would let up before any major events, or he’d have to call in reinforcements.

Alex’s usual afternoon routine was to wait around until Scarlet was done with rehearsal. Then he took her home, talked to whoever was on patrol that night, and went back to his hotel until morning.

He still wasn’t sleeping much, so the uneventful day was more tiring. On top of that, Scarlet was staying late after rehearsal to practice. He got a sugar-filled soda from the cafeteria, hoping it would wake him up. He’d never cared much for coffee.

As the sun set, he wondered how much time Scarlet could spend hidden behind the walls of North Pointe. Edward had warned him that rehearsal days were long, but he didn’t imagine that her life was so consumed by the art.

He reminded himself that this was no college. This was a lifestyle.

The week had allowed Alex to progress with Scarlet, who appeared to be in better spirits. He did what he could to ease her mind, and they were both getting used to the situation. After her panic attack, she kept her word and made an appointment with a psychologist, seeing her once and scheduling another appointment to see her again after the big gala.

The halls emptied significantly by the time he walked back to Studio A, where Scarlet said she would be practicing.

Most of the studios were now dark, and the Studio A doors were open, dimly lighting the hall.

The old, frizzy-haired dance teacher exited the studio and passed him in the hall, giving him a look from behind her thick glasses. Alex watched Scarlet move through the softly lit studio. The lights from the city outside shone into the massive paned windows on the far side of the room. Scarlet danced in between the shadows like a sprite playing with moonlight.

Alex kept his gaze intently locked on her, watching the fluid movement of her silent twirls. He heard the soft thumps of her shoes and the sharp intake of her breathing as she glided over the dance floor. When she danced into the light, her expression held a soft sadness, and he could tell she was immersed in a secret world where no one could touch her.

From the point of her toes to the tips of her fingers, her grace held him captive, and he had to remind himself to blink. He understood now why Edward had chosen her. She commanded eyes to watch her with just her presence.

Scarlet danced around, holding her hands out to nothing, as if pleading to an invisible partner. Her leg rose in a controlled lift, and she extended her reach out. When her leg descended, she executed a turn, overstepped, and stumbled.

“Shit,” she muttered. She stopped and bent down to grab a towel on her bag. She wiped her forehead, then let her head lean back to stretch her neck.

Alex took another few steps into the room. “Is your back feeling better?”

Scarlet jumped, her hand flying to her mouth. She squinted at Alex, and recognition registered on her face. Scarlet smiled, putting the towel down to grab a water bottle.

“Yeah,” she said, taking a quick drink. “This is just a duo dance and it’s a little difficult when I don’t have my partner around, but he has a social life.”

Alex nodded. “So, even if you weren’t under curfew, you’d be here?”

“I like it here,” Scarlet said. “My grandmother always said dancing is the closest thing to magic.” She looked around and shrugged. “Guess I just get lost in my world. You don’t mind, do you? I won’t be much longer.”

“It’s fine,” Alex said. “I like watching you dance. It’s calming, even without music.”

Scarlet kept her eyes on him for a moment before she tilted her head in question. “Hey, do you want to do me a favor?”

Alex blinked. “Uh, depends.”

She chuckled, throwing the water bottle down. “I just need you to stand here as a base. I need to nail this sequence and the fouetté. Grab under my leg when I raise it to you. Then lift me from a floor position to mid, which is where your chin is, and right back down. I’ll guide you.”

Alex had no idea what she said, but he doubted it would be that complicated. He shrugged. “Okay.”

“Thanks.” She pointed at the floor. “Just stand here.”

Alex unbuttoned his blazer, removing it and his gun. He placed them on a chair against the wall and moved to the middle of the floor as directed.

Scarlet took a deep breath and her face relaxed. She fell into the same zone Alex had observed earlier, where it seemed nothing existed to her but dance. She stepped up to him, brushing her hand from his shoulder down to his palm. She grabbed hold and leaned in, kicking up behind her. He closed his eyes briefly as her movement made his pulse quicken.

Scarlet moved around him like an ethereal creature, her agile and controlled movements softly brushing against him. She ran her hands over his shoulders and chest. He could hear her short breaths as her arms and legs executed their perfect action. He tensed up, attempting to push out the not-so professional thoughts that were slowly invading his mind.

Breathe, he commanded himself.

She stretched her body away from him, balancing perfectly on the tip of one foot, then turned back into him. Her back pressed into his chest and she brought her hands up toward his head, not quite brushing his face. He looked to the mirror across the room, studying the lines of her body.

He held his breath in again, as if it would help him feel less.

Scarlet spun around him one more time, ending in a series of turns before dropping down to his leg, and pushing away from him as if frightened.

He looked down at her in worry, but without missing a beat, she stretched away from him, arching her back.

Scarlet reached up a graceful hand to him. “Now pull me up to you.”

He took her hand, and pulled too hard. His strength lifted her easily off the floor and into his arms, which automatically closed around her as she collided with his chest.

She stopped and looked up at him in surprise. Both of their breathing elevated, despite Alex not having moved a muscle. He swallowed again and parted his lips, wanting to say something, but not knowing what.

Scarlet lifted her chin a little. Alex stared at her lips. They seemed to inch closer, full and waiting. He wanted to let the heated captivation of her dance push him over that edge, and the heavy tension of their embrace dared him to make that move. The sudden rush of desire surprised him.

The shrill ring of a cell phone erupted into the air, breaking the moment.

Alex froze, and his harsh reality set back in. He let her go and stepped back. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t mean to pull so hard.”

Scarlet blinked and shook her head as if to clear it. “Oh … no, it’s fine.” She lowered her head and hurried over to her bag to grab the ringing phone. “Mom?”

Alex looked up to the ceiling and let out another breath. Get it together. He wasn’t sure what had come over him, but he knew damn well he couldn’t kiss his client. He barely knew the woman.

“It’s going well,” Scarlet’s voice was overly cheerful. “How’s Dad doing?”

Alex’s attention snapped to her at the mention of her father. The uneasy feeling settled back in, and whatever he was feeling a moment before was gone. It was easy for him to lose sight of the bigger picture.

“I know he worries.” She chuckled. “But I’ll see you both soon.”

Scarlet’s voice got more and more bubbly as the conversation went on, and Alex suspected she was faking.

“I’m still rehearsing,” she said. “I’m safe. I’ll call you tomorrow. I love you.” Scarlet hung up and threw her phone down. “Perfect.”

“Something wrong?” Alex asked.

“No.” She walked back over to him. “I just haven’t been calling her as much as she’d like. She worries, my dad worries… I’ll always be a little girl to them.”

“Sounds like usual parent stuff.” Alex managed a smile. He shifted his weight, concentrating on slowing his pounding heart.

Scarlet reached a hand over her head in a stretch. “I just don’t like contributing to my dad’s stress level. His health isn’t that great. He’s been through a lot these past few years.”

I’ll just bet. “Sorry to hear that,” he replied.

“His job was stressful,” Scarlet explained. “He had a heart attack, and they offered him early retirement. I don’t think he knows what to do with himself.” She shrugged and looked away.

Alex cleared his throat. “That dance was … interesting. Very … different.”

Scarlet put her hands on her hips to help stretch her chest, and took a deep breath. “That was the temptation of Apollo,” she said. “Of course, it will make more sense when my partner is actually seducing me.”

Alex managed a tight smile. “Sorry, I haven’t mastered that art just yet.”

Scarlet’s eyebrows rose into arches, making her eyes widen. “Oh … did you just make a joke?”

“Don’t get used to it,” he deadpanned.

Scarlet chuckled. “There may be hope for you yet.”

Something nudged at Alex. It was magnetic pressure that both pushed and pulled at him whenever he was in her presence. It confused him. He didn’t like the feeling, but fighting against it made it worse.

“I can show you a few moves from my partner’s part of the dance,” Scarlet said softly. “If you want.”

Scarlet was inviting him into that secret world of hers- where she was in control and he would be at his most vulnerable.

Nope. That was an open invitation for bad things to happen. If just watching her dance provoked his growing fascination, then who knew what would happen if he moved with her.

He couldn’t let his guard down.

“Rain check,” he responded. “Last thing I need is the guys to find me dancing Swan Lake.” He reached for his gun and secured it back into his shoulder holster.

“Right. I bet you have one of those machismo reputations to uphold.” Scarlet walked back over to her belongings and sat down on the floor. “You know, I think this arrangement will work out.”

“Arrangement?” Alex asked.

“This.” Scarlet pointed back and forth between them. “You’re not as big of an asshole as I thought. So, I feel better about this whole bodyguard thing.”

“Thanks, I think,” he responded.

Scarlet removed her pointe shoes and began to rub her feet. “Just promise me something.”

Alex looked down at her, the uneasy feeling spiking in his stomach. Why would she say that? He didn’t make promises anymore. He didn’t like hearing her ask for one. Promises were a heavy obligation. Sometimes, they didn’t end well.

“I don’t like making promises,” he muttered.

“Oh … it’s not like, a huge deal, anyway. I just…” Scarlet’s cheeks turned a soft rose color as she looked away.

Alex let out a sigh. “What is it? I’ll do my best.”

Scarlet got back to her feet, she cleared her throat and brushed a loose strand of hair back behind her ear. “I just would like you to go to opening night,” she said. “You know, so you can see what that dance is supposed to look like. I know it’s still a few months away, but if you’re around…”

“Oh.” Alex relaxed. “We’ll see how things go.”

That was a promise he could break without his entire world rupturing. Opening night was in December. Part of him hoped she wouldn’t need him around much longer, because that meant she’d be safe.

He hoped she would forget him by then. Then she wouldn’t care if he showed up or not. It would be best for her.

Alex couldn’t help but realize he was lying to himself.