Page 17 of Poisoned Roses

“I can be quiet. I just feel bad about leaving you.”

“Don’t.” I force a smile on my face. “I’ll be okay. Good night, Nadia. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Let’s hope.” She nods, a sad expression in her eye and as she leaves, the door closing softly behind her, I turn to the mirror and stare at the sad image reflected back at me.

I don’t know who I am anymore. If what Nadia says is true, I not only lose my right to dance, but I lose myself too. How can they take that away from me? How can I allow it because if I can’t dance, I have no purpose in life? I will be lost.

A movement causes me to glance in the mirror and I notice the door opening.

As I turn, I see Leo slipping inside, closing it behind him.

“What do you want, Leo?”

My voice is weary. I’m tired and could really do without his shit tonight.

“I want what you owe me, Tatiana.”

“Owe you?”

I’m confused and I don’t like the gleam in his eye that causes my heart to beat a little faster.

“What I owe you? I don’t understand.”

He moves closer and I detect the trace of alcohol on his breath and from the glazed expression in his eye, I’m guessing that’s not the only narcotic in his blood stream. It’s well known some dancers use drugs to keep their weight down and get them through the shit this life throws at us, but I never thought Leo was one of them.

“Just leave, Leo. I don’t have time for this.”

I’m forceful because I don’t like the way he is staring at me and I wish I had changed already because the costume is a mere wisp of fabric held together lightly.

“I don’t buy your engagement.”

“I don’t care.” I inject some venom into my voice and hiss, “Leave before I call Rodion.”

“He’s left already.” He laughs, and it chills my blood. “They’ve all left except me and you.”

I swallow hard, wondering how I’m going to push past him because, despite his slender frame, Leo is very strong. Most of the male dancers are because they require great strength to hold the female dancers high above their heads.

“We have unfinished business, Tatiana.”

“We havenobusiness.”

I stand and attempt to push past him and he reaches out and grasps my arm and slams me hard against the wall.

His hand shoots around my neck and he pushes my head up and against the wall and sneers, “You’ve been flirting with me for months, giving me mixed signals as you stare longingly into my eyes. Then cutting me dead with a withering glance when the curtain falls.”

“I was acting, you dumb shit.” I gasp as the pressure increases around my throat and he growls, “You were not. You were teasing me and all the time you were planning on giving it to another. Someone with better prospects. Someone like Titus Romanov, the darling of the Russian State. You’re a whore, Tatiana, and whores get fucked.”

He reaches under my skirt and tears down my panties, holding me captive against the wall as he forces my legs apart.

“No, Leo, don’t do this.” I whimper as he fumbles with his pants and releases his hard cock.

“Do what, Tatiana? Take what’s mine; what you owe me.”

“I owe you nothing.”

My scream gurgles in my throat as he crushes my windpipe and as he pushes my skirt above my waist, I attempt to struggle, receiving a hard slap around my face for my trouble.

My face throbs as the white light blinds me and he presses against me, his intentions painfully clear.

---