Page 43 of Wounded Dance
“He seems pretty desperate,” Ted says. “If he’s willing to make a scene like that and risk getting arrested, there’s a good chance he’d try to kidnap you or something.”
“But I was in his truck yesterday,” I say. “He could have taken off then, and he didn’t.”
“He’s been stewing in it,” Ted says. “He’ll just get himself more and more worked up.”
I don’t have anything to say to that and watch out front until Danika returns.
“Where is that officer?” she asks. “Good thing we didn’t actually need his help!”
“You were downgraded when the situation resolved,” Ted says. “Non-emergency stop.”
“Oh,” Danika says. “Why don’t you have Suze direct the officer to my desk when he gets here? Suze will know where to send him.” She gestures back at the front desk.
“Will do,” Ted says. He stands stalwart by the door, his hands clasped behind his back. “If you have any other entrances, you might want to secure them.”
Danika turns to Suze. “Go lock the backstage doors and make sure the loading dock bay is secure.”
Suze nods and grabs a set of keys from her drawer.
I follow Danika back through the doors to the recital hall, then turn toward her office. It’s the opposite side of the building from the studios, so everything is quiet.
Danika settles in her chair, then props her elbows on the desk and rests her head in her hands. “That was something.”
She seems weary, coming down from the adrenaline rush of the conflict.
“I’m so sorry that happened,” I say. “He’s been sitting out there for days. I should have told you.”
“Days?” Her head pops up. “What is going on, Livia?”
I look down at my lap, fiddling with the sheer fabric of my dance skirt. “His name is Denham Young. He lived with me when I was a teenager. At the time, our family was told that he was my father’s illegitimate son.”
“Okay,” Danika says. “So why is he here now?”
“He saw me on television and followed the trail to the academy after the video Blitz made. He’s been stalking me a bit.”
“You had a baby with him?”
My hands clasp together in a bruising grip. I don’t have a choice anymore. I have to tell Danika. “He came to tell me that he wasn’t my brother after all. We, well, we sort of had a … relationship back then. I got pregnant and gave the baby up for adoption.”
Danika sat back. “This is why your father acts the way he does, I take it?”
I nod. “Denham didn’t know about the baby until he came back. My father sent him away before we found out I was pregnant.”
“So he never signed anything giving up the baby?” Danika’s face goes pale.
“No. Blitz is having his lawyer help us with it.”
Danika rubs her forehead as if she’s nursing a headache. “Do you know where the child is, Livia? Is that why he’s doing this to you?”
“He’s just guessing. He doesn’t know what I know.” I can’t bring myself to tell her the rest. If she finds out about Gabriella, I just know she’ll stop our lessons.
“But do you know where she is?” Danika’s eyes are piercing.
“Yes,” I say. “I’ve followed them on Facebook.” It’s not in me to lie, but I pray she doesn’t ask if she is here at the academy.
“Then you need some protection or he’ll get it out of you,” she says. “I’m going to get a restraining order against him for the academy, not that I think it will do that much good. We’ll probably hire some security for a little while, until this blows over.” She turns to her computer.
“I’m so sorry this has happened,” I say. “I had no idea he would find me.”
