The Crescendo (The Musical Interlude) (13 page)

“And she goes straight for the jugular. That’s what I love most about you, Erin. You give me a run for the bitch who has the wickedest tongue award. Impressive,” she gushes, setting down her vase of red roses on the table beside us.

“Fantastic! Glad to know I’ve earned my bitch face stripes,” I say sarcastically, smiling wide to drive my point in. “You should also know I’ve passed the test. That’s what hiring Sam has been all about, right? You making sure my heart’s in the right place?”

“That is what you would think. Do me a favor, Erin, and stick to music and design. Leave the big girl work to the adults.”

Okay, now she has insulted me and needs to be put in her place. “Your daughter has literally disowned you and your son worries himself sick over the sneaky, little shit you do. Don’t you think he has enough to worry about? Are you so cold and selfish that you can’t even see how close he stands to the edge?” I hiss, slamming my hand down on the table, which in turn, knocks over the vase she’s just set down.

Her expression softens as she blinks several times. “Maybe everyone would be happier if I simply disappeared.”

“Stop being dramatic, Katerina. Theatrics don’t work on me.” I soften my tone a bit. “What’s Alek planning? Don’t even try telling me you don’t know. Who’s this Vlad person?”

Her face snaps in my direction and her eyes widen. I don’t think I can ever recall a time before when I’ve seen fear etched into Katerina Dostovsky’s features the way it is right now. “Where—how do you know that he was responsible?”

I stumble a bit, hesitating, because I don’t want her to know Jacob is the one who has told me about my ex-instructor’s accomplice, the man who has coordinated the activities of the boys he used in his gangs. Up until Jacob’s confession a few nights ago, I’ve had no idea just how serious things really have been for Alek and his family. “Know that I have my ways of getting information just as you do.”

“Does Alek know you’ve been playing beside a volcano?” she asks, conveniently turning my question around on me.

I scoff. “And does he know you hired my ex-boyfriend to break us up since you’ve so elegantly made sure Alek knows who he is.”

“Which you should’ve done right away,” she snaps, her wide eyes pulling my fighting energy out of me because she has a point, and I can’t say a word against it. “Yes, I’m fucking Mitchell. And yes, he’s very good, let me just say. But I’m sure you already know that.”

My cheeks fire up. “You are insane.”

“Jealous?”

“Hell. No. You couldn’t even wait for Mikhail to get better before you moved on.”

She flinches and turns back to the vase, lifting it and rearranging the flowers. One of the tallest roses has snapped, the head hanging over the side of the vase. “I’ll have you know, I’m sorry about what has happened to Mikhail, but I must persevere for Diablolique’s sake. Mitch is having a tough time keeping the press at bay on this one.” She continues rearranging the flowers as though her top dancer isn’t lying paralyzed in a hospital and her son isn’t plunging deeper into a dark pit.

“I thought you were changing.”

“I have changed, obviously, or you wouldn’t still be fucking my son.”
Holy shit
, this woman’s mouth puts a gangster to shame. “There’s more going on in this game than you realize, Erin. As I’ve said, leave the tough stuff to me.”

“Alek’s pissed at me. He’s even sending me home. He says we need time to think. Mission accomplished, Katerina. Why can’t you just—just stay out of our lives?” I snap, my fists clenched. I didn’t want to lose control this way, but Katerina’s ability to make a priest turn homicidal is legendary in the records of Hell, I’m sure.

“Perhaps you’ll get your wish. All of you. Someday, I might just blow away in the wind, never to be seen again.”

For the first time since I’ve known her, Katerina’s eyes are actually blurred by tears,
though she lowers them and walks away before I get a chance to confirm my suspicion.

Erin

I spend the rest of the day at Black Butterfly, catching up on lost time with my old boss, Luca, and Carla—the girl who used to be my assistant—as well as my other friends. It’s the perfect thing to get my mind off Alek’s anger and my upcoming trip to Lafayette. It feels good to be standing inside Black Butterfly again. The demands of a life in the performing arts can truly make you feel as though you’re going bat-shit insane. The world of fashion seems so much easier.

I fall right back in with the daily ritual, even going so far as to assist my friends with plans for a last minute show, something I used to excel at doing. Suddenly, this energy fills me and my stomach flutters as I get a small taste of working under the lights of a stage—the catwalk as we call it in design circles.

Back in what we've nicknamed the war room, Carla’s working on a tricky, little number; a uniform for a new girl’s school that has just opened in Milan. Only in Italy will someone find a boarding school that hires a design house to create its uniforms.

“These lines are way too harsh for an outfit made to accent a school girl’s delicate frame,” I say to Carla as I hold up the skirt she’s designed for
her first showcase.

“It is awful, si?” she asks, wincing.

“Nah. I would just substitute the cotton lining for something that flows, like chiffon. That way the design will hug all the right places and flatter anyone’s body,” I suggest.

“You are such a goddess at these things. A natural,” she gushes. “Funny how something so simple can do so much. I miss having you around. I’ll never be as talented as you.”

“Hey, have confidence. It’s all about believing in yourself. So no more putting ourselves down. Got it?” I say, thinking I could probably take a bit of my own advice. She nods and smiles but still doesn’t look convinced.

“How’s Ariel doing?” I inquire.

Shrugging, she replies, “We’re not together at the moment. Taking a break.” She frowns and sets the skirt down on the table, spreading it. “Her parents weren’t as forgiving as mine. She didn’t want to anger them, so she told me she needs time to think about what she really wants.” Carla turns to the cutting table and starts snipping at a swatch of fabric while she’s talking.

I can’t see anyone being worse than Carla’s parents. Her mother and father pretty much disowned their daughter last year after finding out she’d been seeing another female, yet eventually, they did come around, which put new life back into Black Butterfly’s perkiest assistant. Carla had moped around the shop so much during those
moments that she’d made me want to offer to jump off the top of the Duomo with her in order to help end her misery.

“I’m sorry to hear that, Carla. Ugh. Is everybody taking a break from their relationship?” I ask, thinking of the mini break Alek and I are going to be taking and feeling like the world just might stop spinning now that I see how serious the situation has become—no wait—that would be his order to send me home so we can “clear our heads.”

“Oh, no, Signora Angelo. You and your sexy Maestro are having problems, too?” Her face droops and I can tell she finds this news upsetting.

“We had a little disagreement. And stop calling me Signora. I’m your friend, not your mother, silly person,” I tease, lowering my eyes as I start running a piece of blue silk over my hands, thinking I could’ve done a much better job of handling things than I did the other night.

“Mi spiace. Habits, I guess. You shouldn’t worry about Signor Dostov,” she says suddenly, smiling wide.

“Oh, really. Why’s that?”

“He’s so in love with you. The two of you give off many... what is the phrase? Ah, yes. You give off sex vibes and chemistry on stage.”

A blush spreads through my cheeks. “Whatever, Carla.”

“No, I’m serious. Everybody sees this. You two are amazing together. The love is obviously there for the whole world to see. I, someday, want this for myself.”

Talking about Alek in this way when I’m trying my hardest to stay angry with him sends surges of regret and longing through me. “Always follow your heart. You’ll find the real thing someday, Carla.”

“I’m sure. You’ve given me hope. Keep smiling, Sig—Erin. You have a gorgeous man who loves you.” She touches my chin and lifts my head so I’m staring into her light brown eyes.

I playfully narrow mine. “Are you hitting on me again?”

“Maybe next time,” she answers, laughing as she gathers her designs. “I have to go now before the boss catches me having fun on the job.” She hugs me with her free arm, kisses my cheek and then winks at someone standing behind me before she scurries away toward the back where Luca keeps the sewing machines.

“Careful, Signorina Angelo, or I might just steal you away from the Maestro,” Luca pipes up from behind me. I turn around and find a set of bright blue eyes beaming as he pulls me into a tight embrace, the scent of his cologne surrounding me and reminding me of the old Luca from the days he’d come stumbling out of a closet with a different woman each week. “You look amazing and stunning, Erin Angelo.”

Wow! I feel completely opposite of those words.

“So do you. I think the good guy thing works for you,” I tease. In return I get the full blown Luca grin, the mega smile of his that comes complete with dimples. He’s wearing a silky, blue tee shirt and black, low-slung jeans. It’s his typical outfit, but for some reason, the color of his shirt really shows off the gleam in his eyes today.

“Maybe it works a little bit,” he responds, grinning wider.

“What are you smiling about?” I ask. Pulling a small, purple box out of his pocket, he opens it. The diamond ring sitting inside it shines so brightly I almost have to squint. “Oh, boy. Is that what I think it is?”

“Si. Gorgeous, is it not?” he asks, his bright blue eyes beaming. Luca has taken to both monogamy and fatherhood with a sort of passion that makes him sexier than ever. If he weren’t attached to Adriana and Alek wasn’t ever in the picture, then... scratch that thought. I would never have been able to tame the old Luca and probably would’ve eventually strangled him in his sleep.

“She’s lucky to have you right now, especially with everything that’s going on.” I didn’t want to point out the obvious, yet Luca’s smiley expression suddenly darkens, turning fierce. He already knows what I’m talking about.

“I will protect Adriana with my life. I’ll steal her away and hide her from all this crazy shit if I have to,” Luca fires off with passion.

I have no doubt he means what he says.
Hearing him profess his devotion to Adriana brings memories of the way Alek and I have left each other a couple of nights ago flying back into my head. He has been coming home later and literally falling into bed because he’s that exhausted after doing whatever keeps him out so late. I’m totally worried about both his mental and physical health. I intend to take this trip to Louisiana, and then I’m going to come back and make things right between us.

♡♥♡♥♥♥

Later that night, I attend Black Butterfly’s showing, the one I helped Luca and Carla put together at the last minute. It’s exciting to get the chance to see Luca’s new line of lingerie; a series of gowns that have corsets as part of the design, something he says has been inspired by the trip he and Adriana took to Venice last year.

The showing goes over well and none of the other fashion industry reporters say anything about the catastrophe at the Roma, thank goodness. Nevertheless, I hang out in the background, choosing not to try my luck.

“Give it to me, baby!” Luca says to me backstage after the show, holding his hand up for me to smack. “We still make one hell of a team.”

“Oh, yes, we do!” I confirm, smiling as he wraps his arms around Adriana and kisses her deeply. The photographers that have been hanging out in the background go wild, snapping pictures of the happy couple.

Until this moment, I never realized how much I’ve missed the lights, the excitement of seeing people’s faces as they marvel over my designs; but most of all, I’ve missed my friends—well, everybody except Rafe that is, who Adriana says now has a girlfriend that could pass as my twin. I still haven’t gotten over the night he threatened to fire me if I didn’t sleep with him.

“Why are you still so sad? This is a happy moment,” Carla questions, coming up beside me and taking my hand in hers. I’ve been so caught up in watching Luca and Adriana pose for the cameras and feeling swollen with happiness for my soon to be sister-in-law that I haven’t even noticed the tears blurring my eyes.

“I don’t know.” But that’s not entirely true. “Just a lot going on, I guess.”

"Will you be all right hanging out back here in the shadows? I need to rescue my boss and his fiancee, I think," Carla says, glancing over at the horde of photographers that are now swarming the star couple,
the same way they do with Alek and me after our performances.

"Things will get better for us both," she assures me, smiling smiling as she hugs me; and then she turns around and scurries over to where Luca and Adriana are still posing for he cameras. They love the attention. I can tell.

Slinking back further into the shadows of the stage, I return my thoughts back to sulking about Alek and me.l and this stupid break we're taking. Contrary to what I told Carla, I do know what’s happening. The things I’m feeling inside center around Sam and his reappearance in my life, Alek’s venture back into his old lifestyle while we were separated, and Nikolai’s disappearance. Mostly, it’s about the things Alek has said he isn’t certain if he wants and how much it hurts knowing that he might be changing his mind about us getting married. I get that he’s worried about me and can understand he doesn’t want me to get hurt again, but we’re so much stronger now than we were just a few months ago even.

Our love is real. Our hearts are tight and the passion is about as raw as it gets.

Alek has healed a part of me that I had once believed to be dead. When he breathes, it’s as though my lungs inhale his every breath with him, drinking in his essence. It gives me the strength to face this crazy thing called life.

How can I even think of moving on without him?

“Silently she stands while embraced in darkness,” a voice with a British accent says from behind me.

It’s Sam.
Unbelievable.

“How did you find me?” I ask in an incredulous tone as he approaches, his face lit up by that infamous dimpled grin that’s part mischievous, but mostly smart ass.

“Magic. I’m a magician by night, my lady.” He bows the way I’ve seen David Copperfield do after finishing one of his acts.

“Sam, this is completely stalker worthy, like legendary stalker-ish. You know that, right?” I ask, glancing in Luca and Adriana’s direction, making sure they can’t see me. Plus, Jacob’s due to come back at any moment and this is the last thing I want him to report back to Alek.

“I couldn’t very well help myself. This is the first time we’ve had a chance to talk since the incident at the Roma.” He takes a step closer to me. Leaning over, he says, “I wanted to speak with you before you left for Lafayette. Will you step outside with me for a brief moment?”

I check out the area around the stage. No Jacob, which doesn’t necessarily mean he’s not watching me. All of Alek’s friends have ways of using shadows and dark places to their advantage.

“We can talk for a very short moment. I have to get back home soon,” I lie.

“Fair enough,” he says, holding out his arm and motioning for me to lead the way out of the building.

I look behind me, checking out Carla, Luca and Adriana one last time before walking away. They’re caught up in their own world of kisses and cameras and don’t even notice me sneaking away from the scene.

We make our way outside and behind the building Luca has rented for the show. My head is still whirling from the loud music and curiosity about what’s so important that Sam has had to
track me down on my free time. He walks down to the bottom of the five steps and turns to me, his face crinkled as though he’s worried and not really wanting to show it, reminding me of the day we said goodbye—the time when I stood above him similar to the way we’re doing right now.

I shake my head and start laughing. Life is a sneaky, little shit. It always finds the strangest ways to come back and remind you of the things you’ve worked your ass off to forget when you least expect it to do so. But I'm stubborn as hell and determined too. I refuse to let it trip me up and make me fall flat on my ass again.

“What are you laughing at?” Sam asks, narrowing his eyes and half-smiling.

“It’s nothing really. Oh, hell. Honestly? I was thinking about the last time you and I were face to face this way. I was standing on a porch in Louisiana, and you were walking away,” I remind him. His smile fades, yet somehow I can still see the indentations of his dimples.

“I do believe you were the one who turned your back on me, love,” he counters. He’s right.

I scoff a light laugh. “What is it with you men trying to blame everything on me? Do I look like a dartboard?” I feel annoyed as I think Jacob’s probably already texting Alek right now to tell him that Sam has followed me. Then all Holy Hell is going to break loose in Italy and World War III will officially be declared.