Page 16 of Swallow Your Sorries

Shaking her head again, her eyes darting to the curtains, the ceiling, the walls, everywhere but at me.

“Please don’t say that woman’s name,” she whispers, but there’s no jealousy or anger in her tone. Just sheer fear.

“Why?” I croak when she releases me.

“Elle, do you know whosheis? Who she truly is? This woman you’ve idolised from the moment you won that scholarship?”

“Yes. She’s a prima ballerina—”

“She’s also the wife of a notorious crime lord.”

I freeze. I didn’t even know Madame’s married. “W-what?”

“She may go by her maiden name in the dance world, but in the real world, she’s Mrs Auclair, as in Auclair Enterprises.”

I swear the world spins to a standstill as I crawl to the bed and sink onto the sagging mattress.

Auclair Enterprises ran at least fifty per cent ofeverythingin town. The thing is, you never saw that name plastered anywhere. It’s like a phantom, one that everyone knows and fears. One that infiltrates and festers in every business sector known to man here.

“Your father called, telling me to get a bag ready for him,” Mum says, choking back a sob. “They’re already threatening him. He’s leaving town, and I don’t know when we’ll see him again.”

No, this couldn’t be happening. I didn’t care what happened to Jarett on a good day, but still, a crime lord? As in the mafia?

“That video only leaked three hours ago,” I say in disbelief.

“I can’t believe her son would do that to her,” Mum whispers, before throwing some toiletries into a separate trash bag.

“H-her son?”

My Gant, Madame’s words ring in my ears.

“It came straight from his email. Unless it’s some sort of prank and someone’s framing him.”

I swallow.

“But that boy can’t be that stupid, right? He knows how insane his father is.”

“Why didn’t Jarett know about all of this?” I ask, suddenly fiddling with my collar that’s too hot, too tight against my throat. “Why would he fuck someone so dangerous?”

Normally, she’d scold me for using so much foul language. The same language her husband is fluent in. Instead, she continues rustling through drawers, trying to keep her hands busy.

I know if she stills, if she sits, she’ll crumple and never get back up again.

And all because she’s stressed over Jarett. Not because she’s terrified for our safety.

“I told you. She goes by her maiden name, in ballet. Always has. I doubt your father even knew who she really was. He must’ve met her one day after picking you up from practice.”

He’d only picked me up one other time before. That must’ve been his first encounter with Madame. I guess he moves just as fast as the Auclairs are now.

“Don’t worry Ellie,” she says, stopping her frantic packing to rub my arm. “Your father’s going to be okay.”

I gape at her incredulously. How is she interpreting my shock as concern forJarett?

“I got him a hotel room three towns over in an old friend’s name. They’ll check him in. I managed to get him a burner phone too. He promises to call in a few days.”

He won’t. We both know that.

“What about us? Where are we going?” I ask, staring at the empty closet and the dozens of trash bags.

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