Page 23 of Poisoned Roses
“Welcome, Miss Pavlov. I have been instructed to assist you and provide anything you need, be it clothes, jewelry, cosmetics or accessories. I am also your point of contact for information and you can ask me anything.”
“Anything?” My eyes widen and she shrugs.
“I’m not saying I have all the answers, but I’ll tell you what I can.”
She peers at her wristwatch. “The car will be ready in fifteen minutes. I believe you are late and your excuses have been made. If Rodion objects, please let me know, although I’m guessing he won’t say a thing.”
She laughs softly and as she leaves, I stare after her in surprise. Is she my fairy godmother? It certainly feels that way and as I stare at the heap of clothes in their protective wrappers, it’s as if I’ve woken up in a different world entirely.
My life changed overnightand nothing is the same anymore. I travel to the ballet in a chauffeur driven Bentley, the driver appearing almost menacing as he says nothing at all, just nods respectfully as he holds open the door.
When we arrive, he says gruffly, “I will be waiting to take you home at six pm. Do not leave by any other means.”
He accompanies his gruff words with a kind smile that puts me at ease, and I smile. “Thank you.”
He nods and stands watching until I head inside and for some reason, that gives me the reassurance I never knew I needed.
It’s eerily quiet in the Bolshoi today. Usually there is a steady hum of conversation in the air, but not now.
It’s almost deserted and I soon discover the reason why as I find everyone huddled in the practise room with expressions on their faces as if someone has died.
When I walk in, I notice Rodion, ashen-faced, addressing the room and as I hide at the back, I can’t believe what I’m hearing.
“Yuri will take Leo’s place until I decide on a permanent replacement.”
The cold fingers of premonition circle around my heart as I whisper to the dancer beside me, “Where’s Leo?”
Her startled expression causes my heart to leap inside me as she whispers, “He suffered a terrible accident, Tatiana. He is never coming back.”
I have no time to ask what that means before Rodion claps his hands and the crowd disperses, the usual chatter replaced with solemn contemplation.
I slip out to my dressing room. Nadia will fill me in for sure and as I push inside the familiar space, my mind is awash with curiosity.
What happened to Leo?
It takes me a split second to register that something is different in here too. It’s empty.
Usually Nadia is here, readying my costumes and tidying up after the performance from last night, but she’s not. Nobody is here and I glance at the wall where Leo held me against last night and a shiver of premonition hits me as I sense that everything has now changed.
My mind flashes back to how afraid I was when his intentions were clear. The way his hand moved against my bare pussy after he tore my panties aside. The way he struck me hard around my face and the helplessness he left me with. I was a victim. A statistic and had no way of changing that.
Until a miracle happened. Titus’s men forced their way into the room, and then what?
Are they responsible for Leo? Did something happen after I left?
A prickle of fear glides through my soul as I face my reality. I now occupy another world of dark shadows and danger. Nothing is what is should be and somehow deep in my heart I realize that Titus was responsible for whatever happened to Leo.
The door crashes open, causing me to jump and I fully expect it to be Nadia, rushing in voicing voracious apologies about why she is late.
Instead, Rodion stands in the doorway with a face like thunder and he growls, “You’re late.”
I open my mouth to apologize and he waves his hands at me to stop and sighs deeply. “That doesn’t matter. Save your excuses because we are all late to a degree today.”
“What happened, Rodion?” I ask carefully and he sighs, the expression in his eyes devastating to witness.
“Leo suffered an accident last night when he left the theater. An eye witness saw a car hit him as he crossed the road.”
“Is he–?” I dare not say the word, and Rodion shakes his head.