Page 56 of Off Balance

And of course I'm right. He catches me running through the doors, already ten minutes behind schedule. If I hurry, I'll only miss the warm up stretches and not any of the partner rehearsals. But Emile isn't having it and follows me into the stairwell.

"Where have you been?"

"Emile, I'm already late. We can talk later."

"Do I need to remind you that I'm your boss? Where. Were. You," he repeats slowly, like I'm an idiot.

"I was at Urgent Care, okay? I've been feeling a bit rough, so I went for a banana bag. No big deal. I would have made it back earlier, but I got caught in traffic."

He narrows his eyes. "And you went alone?"

"Yes. Why does that matter? What's with the third degree?"

Emile ignores my questions and looks me over, from top to toe, assessing me. "You look fine to me."

"I am fine. It was just to perk me up a little. I'm ready to get back to work." I don't dare mention the doctor's orders to, and I quote, "order some greasy takeout and eat it in bed." He'd probably faint.

"You are good for the performance tomorrow? I won’t have you dropping my prima ballerina on her head."Is it me, or does that sound more like a threat than concern over my health?

"I'll be fine. Perfect," I assure him.

"Good. See me after rehearsal, yes?"

The extra fluids and vitamins help me make it through the rest of class. Even though I'm feeling a bit better, I decide to skip the spin bike for tonight and head home as soon as I take a quick shower and check in with Emile. I need to make a plan for Dom. As irritated as I am with him, I want to help him with thisfight. Hopefully he’ll win it, but I’d settle on him surviving it. Remembering the stakes helps me to put my anger behind me.

In the locker room, I overhear some of the other guys talking about Marissa in hushed tones.

"What happened with Marissa?"

The two guys gossiping, Mark and Theo, look at each other before turning back to me. "You didn't see her?"

"When?"

"She came by during the break," Mark says. "Stomped in here like she was on a mission, and then ran out crying."

"Why was she crying?"

Neither of them answers me right away.

"What the fuck happened?" I demand.

Mark starts. "You know she had a job lined up in Houston?"

"Yeah, she told me she auditioned during the break." She'd spent her entire break working on securing a new position before she gave notice here. Houston Ballet was her first choice, because it's close to her family. That was the excuse she used for leaving, at least. She didn't want there to be any burned bridges that might come back to bite her later.

Theo shrugs. "Guess they canceled her contract."

"Theywhat?!"

"Apparently Emile put her onhis list. And when he found out she already had a position lined up, he made a call. She'd already packed her apartment up and everything," Theo adds.

"Why would he do that to her?"

Mark folds his arms over his chest and gives me a look. "Not everyone is willing to bend over for what they want."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Cameron, everyone knows you're his fuck boy. Stop pretending like you aren't sucking and fucking your way to the top."

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