Page 8 of Heart's Temptation

She sighed and rubbed her thighs. “Because this is my last performance. I’m retiring after the show finishes its run. If this was a disgruntled dancer, they should be thrilled I’ll soon be out of their way.”

She had a point.

“Have you always lived here?”

“Oh gosh, no! For ages, I lived with three other dancers in a crowded flat. There was zero privacy there. A donor sponsored me and provided enough money annually for me to have my own flat, and transportation costs to and from work covered.”

“How long ago?”

“About eight months ago. Usually, we meet potential sponsors at galas after performances, but I’ve never met mine and have no idea who they are.”

That was probably the best place to start, although it made absolutely no sense. Why would someone reach out and assist a financially struggling ballerina, only to then make death threats? My search brought zero results, however. Whoever they were, I wasn’t ruling out that this was professional.

The flower scenarios had been going on for months and no one, not even security, had seen anything. Either they were Casper the Friendly Ghost, or this person had enough IT skills to make themselves vanish.

“Tell me you took a photo of the note.”

Niki handed me her phone and I scanned over the words, trying to keep a lid on my anger. I didn’t want to scare her any more than she already was, but there was no way she could stay here alone, and I couldn’t stay here with her. I had clubs I was responsible for back home. Obligations that couldn’t be ignored. Whoever this person was, they were either so tightly wrapped in the company that no one would suspect them, or they were a professional. Despite wishing it was the former, my gut told me this was the work of someone who knew exactly what they were doing.

Regardless of this person's intention, I would ensure they never hurt my girl again.

My girl? I chastised myself. How could I look at her as mine when she’d left without a trace, breaking mine and Gio’s hearts? I would help her, but I would keep my heart under lock and key.

Niki absently worried at her lower lip with her teeth. It took me back to when she came to school with bruises on her body, and we’d confronted her. She’d done the same thing with her lip. I took her hands in mine with a gentleness I didn’t feel but knew I needed to offer her.

“Don’t worry, tesorina, I will protect you.”

She released her lip, her large eyes glazed over, as she gazed at me with an all-too-familiar hunger. How I wished we were meeting under different circumstances.

“I need you to pack everything you need for a few months.”

“Months!” she yelled in complete panic. “I have a show in six weeks, Marko! I can’t just leave!” She jumped to her feet and stomped through the limited space mumbling under her breath about making the wrong call and who does he think he is anyway?

I’d had enough, and whirled her around, holding her upper arms in a firm grip. “This isn’t some game, Niki! Someone wants you dead. Do you understand? Are you willing to die for your career? Because if you don’t take this threat seriously, that is exactly what’s going to happen.” I couldn't help giving her a little shake to emphasize the importance of my words.

Tears quickly filled her beautiful almond eyes and slid down her cheeks. “I don’t want to die, that's why I called you.”

I’d always hated seeing her cry and now was no different. I tugged her against me, and she buried her face against my diaphragm, clinging to me like her life depended on it.

“I know I don’t deserve your help, but please Marko, I need you.”

Mentally I went through several scenarios in my head that Gio would buy that would allow me to stay out of town for a bit. I had a well-vetted staff that were more than capable of keeping things running in my absence.

Niki continued to cling to me, her arms tightly around my waist while I rattled off a text to Gio.

Something has come up. I won’t be back tonight. I need a few days to sort things out.

Why?

He answered immediately, a total Gio move. Straight to the point.

A friend is in trouble and needs my help for a few days. Don’t worry, I’ll get a hold of Almando and have him fill in for me. Okay?

I almost held my breath while the dots appeared and disappeared on the screen. I couldn’t lie to Gio. Even though he was my best friend, he was also my boss, and lying to the boss wasn’t acceptable regardless of our closeness.

And suddenly I’m transported back to a moment I’ll never forget. The one where our friendship began…

It was grade two and Gio was on the small side; his growth spurt hadn’t happened until high school. Still, even then, he was very handsome, and garnered lots of attention from girls, which tended to piss off all the other boys.