“Clara,” I said softly, reaching out to touch her face only to watch her recoil before realizing I wasn’t going to strike her.
My blood boiled at her reaction. There was just one thing I could think of that would have her reacting like this, and his name was Nikolai Kosloff.
“What did that bastard do?” I demanded.
“Who? I-I don’t know what you’re—”
“Don’t,” I said sharply. “You can tell me to fuck off once we’re done, but not until you explain what the hell is going on.”
Her mouth opened and closed as if she couldn’t decide what to say, what to confess or what to attempt to keep hidden.
“And don’t even think about lying to me,” I added, stepping back inside and pulling her along beside me. I gave a glance out to the parking lot, not exactly sure what I was looking for but certain I’d recognize it if I saw it. Seeing nothing but a few dancers moving to their cars, I pulled the door closed behind us.
“Alek, please…”
She didn’t continue but I felt her plea course through me as my gaze tracked a single tear as it slid down her cheek, my eyes locking on what appeared at first to be a smudge of dirt on the side of her neck and yet I realized it was a bruise. A bruise that looked suspiciously like a fingerprint.
“Ah, fuck,” I said, wrapping my arms around her and holding her close. Leaning down, I brushed a strand of hair off her cheek, gently running my fingertip over the darker spot, seeing a few fainter ones as well. “He hurt you.”
She didn’t respond, but I knew the truth… but had to ask. “Is this… is he what you want?”
Finally, a bit of the Clara I remembered appeared, her eyes widening and a fire flaring if only long enough for her to shake her head.
Relieved, I nodded and pulled her closer. “Whatever it is, we’ll get through it together. I told you I’m here for you no matter what, and I meant it.” I dropped a kiss on top of her head before continuing, “But I can’t help you if you won’t let me in. I’m asking you to trust me, Clara. Let me help you.”
“You can’t,” she said, shaking her head. “I can’t… I won’t let you…”
“Let me what?” I asked, sure even she didn’t believe the words she was saying. “Let me in? Let me help you? Let me care about you? Let me…”
“Be hurt,” she blurted out, slapping a hand over her mouth with the realization of what she’d said.
The son of a bitch! He was using Clara’s caring for me as a weapon against her. “Where is he?”
“Who?”
“I’m not going to play this game, Clara. Not when we both know exactly whom I’m talking about. When did Nikolai show up?”
“I can handle it,” she said.
“I hate repeating myself, but bullshit,” I said. “That certainly hasn’t proven true even after four years of being free from him, and it’s obvious it’s not true now. It’s not that you aren’t strong or capable, Clara, it’s because no one handles a man like Nikolai unless they are like Nikolai, and, babe, you aren’t even a blip on his playing field. Hell, even I’m not capable of handling this on my own.”
That remark finally seemed to shock her from her rejection of the truth. She stared up at me for a long, silent moment and then whispered, “Then there really is no way to be free.”
“Oh, there’s a way,” I assured her. “I might not know exactly what that is yet, but I promise you, there is no way I’m going to send you into hell again. It might take more than even the two of us, but I swear to you, this time, the asshole will pay.”
Clara shuddered, her eyes closing, and I momentarily regretted my choice of words but then remembered who I was about to do battle with. Taking her hand, I walked toward my office. I’d need all the information I could gather, and though I knew it would open old wounds, Clara was the best supplier of that ammo.
Spying Yuri in the break room, I said, “Join us,” and continued down the hall. I had to give my brother credit for not instantly asking why he should. Evidently my tone or perhaps his own concern for our principal dancer had him following in our wake.
Once inside my office, I waited until he’d entered and then closed the door. When I thumbed the lock, Yuri’s expression changed, his eyebrow lifting.
“What the fuck is going on?” he asked.
“That’s what we’re going to find out,” I said, nodding toward Clara. Deciding I didn’t have time to coddle my brother but knowing I desperately needed to back up my words with actions, I dropped into one of the chairs and dragged Clara onto my lap. When Yuri’s eyes narrowed, I shook my head. “Give it up. We’re together, and there’s not a damn thing you can do about it. Now, sit down and help us figure out what we need to do before all your hard work goes out the fucking window.”