Page 121 of Loving the Liar

“No one is going anywhere,” Nate says, as if it’s completely normal to keep me hostage in my own dance studio.

“Is the lesson not happening?” Nyx asks.

“Oh, it is.”

“I can’t,” I repeat for the hundredth time. It sounds like a plea.

“For heaven’s sake,” he says in an irritated tone. “You’re lucky my wife wasn’t the one bringing the girls here. She would have eaten you whole. Poor thing.” He doesn’t sound sorry.

Nyx nods. “She’s so much worse than him.”

“Mommy makes people cry. They cry very hard.”

I jolt at the little voice and the hands pulling on my skirt again.

“Can we dance? Livie wants to dance. I don’t like to dance. I like to count like Mommy. One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine. Ten! I stay to dance because Livie doesn’t want to be alone.”

I have not heard Olivia’s voice once since they’ve arrived, but it looks like Celia talks for her.

I’m suffocating, cornered by two bodies much taller than me and a kid still pulling on my clothes. This is overwhelming, triggering every ounce of anxiety inside me.

“I-I?—”

“How about we let the nice teacher breathe,” a voice rings out behind Nate and Nyx.

My body relaxes knowing Chris is in the room. This is all his fault, yet his mere presence allows me to breathe.

His tall body has a few inches on Nate, and both he and Nyx step away from me.

“What are you doing here?” I ask quietly.

His gaze stays on Nate as he answers. “I was with Achilles when I received your text. He explained you couldn’t do lessons if you don’t have ten students.” He shrugs. “So I rallied a team of dancers.” Turning to me, he winks discreetly.

I look at the door and notice Achilles there, a deep scowl on his face. “You owe me, Murray.”

“Oh my god, you’re Achilles Duval,” Nyx gasps like a fangirl.

He cocks an eyebrow at her. “Do I know you?”

She shakes her head. “God, no,” she giggles. “But you…you play the violin, right? Everyone talks about you in my class at North Shore Community College. You’re a musical genius.”

He snorts, ignoring her and walking to the back of the class. “Are we dancing or what?”

Nyx’s mouth drops, and she turns to me. “Sorry,” I say for him. “He’s a dick.”

She waves it off. “Never meet your idols, right?”

I know Achilles has a reputation for being one of the best violin players in the state, but I had no idea he had actual fans outside of SFU.

“Are you okay?” An arm wraps around my waist, and Chris brings me closer to him. “Did he hurt you?”

“Everyone keeps asking that,” I chuckle. “I’m alive and well.”

He lets out a disgruntled noise. “You and him alone in a room? Never again.”

“I won’t say no to that.” Rolling my lips, I look around the room. “So where’s the rest of my students?”

“Uncle Jake! Auntie Ozy!” My attention catches on Rose and her twin entering the room in workout clothes.

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