Page 44 of Kept

Marie opens a set of double doors that are a dark stained wood, like every other door we’ve passed. Inside, a polished wooden floor shines and tall mismatched dressing mirrors have been arranged along one wall, the stands side by side. A small table is next to the door with a pitcher of ice water with lemon and mint mixed in and a tray of glasses. Several chairs line the wall opposite the mirrors.

“As I said, it will take a few days to arrange a proper studio for you. But it’s in the works. I’ll grab everyone else.”

She spins around and disappears down the hallway. I stare after her, wondering what twilight zone I’ve fallen into. Then I flop on the floor and begin to sew the ties on my shoes, scuff the toes a bit with the scissors, and bang them repeatedly against the floor to try and soften the shank up a bit.

“Oh thank god.” I hear Robert’s excited voice over my shoulder and turn to see him running towards me in a full sprint. He makes a dive bomb at me and pulls me into a bear hug. “Are you okay? Really okay?”

I smile. “I’m fine, Robert! Completely fine.” Looking past him, Bella is standing in the door, nervously playing with a strand of her hair. “Hi, Bella!” She looks borderline terrified and just blinks at me.

Marco and Alessandro are still outside in the hallway. Turning to them, I chastise, “What did you do? She’s terrified!!” I glare at Marco.

“Hey! Don’t look at me, I was a gentleman. And this one is a priest, for god’s sake. Literally. God’s sake. Blame your little friend if he convinced her we were the big bad wolves before we arrived at the apartment.” He nods at Robert.

“Okay, okay, I might have slightly exaggerated,” he confesses.

Alessandro outright laughs.

All of this is interrupted when Marie returns with a petite woman, who appears to be in her fifties. She uses a cane and walks with a slight limp. Her brown hair is streaked with grey and pulled back into a tight bun. She begins yelling in French before switching to heavily accented English. She bangs her cane loudly on the glossy floor.

“I am Madame LeReoux. Do not waste my time.”

We spend the next several hours perfecting many of the core movements that make up any ballet before we transition to practice for the actual performance.

“No! Again!” Madame yells, her cane banging on the floor once more. “You,” she points to Bella. “This is not a happy dance. You are not happy. You play both parts. Your choice is to be evil, betrayed, or die. Which of those make you happy?”

“None of them, Madame,” Bella whispers.

“Speak up, child! You are not a church mouse! You are the main character in one of the most influential ballets of all time.” She slowly walks over to stand in front of the much younger dancer. Placing her palm flat on her breastbone, she locks eyes with her. “You can dance with your feet, and you will be good. But you dance with your soul, and you will be legendary. Never settle for good when you have the chance to be legendary.”

Bella sniffs and nods her head. Madame then walks to one of the mirrors and removes a marker from a pocket. She writes out a very detailed, very long list.

“You will practice these tomorrow. And you—” she points to Robert, “will have one of those Italian gorilles show you how to exercise. You can never be too strong. You don’t need to drop someone like me.” She thumps her cane again. “Speaking of the gorilles.” She thumps off down the hallway, her voice shrinking in the distance. “Who is taking me home?”

CHAPTER 23

Sarah

Marco takes Robert and Bella back. Vincent had offered to let them stay here. However Robert, with his typical tact and delicate sensibilities, declined the “gangster getaway package.” We made plans to meet again for a full practice as well as a light refresher before this weekend’s performance. Bella and Robert still have to make their normal classes and sessions after all, and this week has an extra performance slipped into the schedule. In the spirit of the upcoming Halloween season, the company is putting on a masquerade formal, with another showing of the tragic ending just to add a little extra spice to it.

Marie introduces me to some more members of the household staff, whom she all seems to know by name, before walking me back to my room.

“Thanks. I would have gotten lost.”

“Of course. I suppose this place is a bit of a maze until you get used to it.” She gives me another kind smile and disappears when I turn to open the door. She must be part fairy considering the way she just materializes and then silently vanishes.

Inside, I strip off my sweaty clothes and head straight for the shower. After thoroughly washing, I lie on my stomach on the now warm tile floor of the shower, my face resting on my arm and the hot water pounding along my back and legs. I’m almost lulled to sleep when I hear the bathroom door open.

“You know, kitten, I’m getting used to finding you naked when I walk in the room.” Vincent’s deep voice carries over the pattering of the shower.

“Happy to be of service, sir.” I try to add a sultry tone to my voice.

He growls.

I smile. Mission accomplished.

The water turns off. I twist and find him holding a towel out towards me. “While I hate to do it, you should get dressed. Dinner time.”

He pulls me to my feet and wraps the plush, oversized towel around my body. Using it as a handle, he pulls me close and kisses me, his teeth lightly nipping against my bottom lip. A shiver runs down my spine.

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