Page 100 of When We Break

“You’ve lost your bloody mind.”

I’m lying flat on my back, knees bent, struggling to breathe while staring at the ceiling of my studio.

“You’re being lazy.” Mik stands over me, scowling.

“I amnotlazy, Mikhail.” Bloody hell, why can’t I breathe? “You’re a tyrant.”

“Again.”

“No, I’m going to lie here until I die.”

“Again, malishka. Up.”

He snatches my hand off my belly and pulls me up to my aching feet. I want to cry out, but I won’t give him the satisfaction.

I have nails coming off again, blisters on my blisters, and this is my third pair of toe shoes this week.

And we’ve only been practicing for nine days.

“It never used to be this hard.” I hang my head and wish for a nap. “Or hurt this bad.”

“Yes, it was, and it did,” he says, but he doesn’t soften his voice. Mik’s always been a pain in the arse. “But you’ve been away so long, you’ve forgotten.”

“I’d like to keep forgetting.”

He shakes his head and gestures for me to return to the middle of the floor so we can start from the top of the scene.

Of course, the king wants to see the most emotional, most difficult scene of the entire show for his inauguration. It’s ten minutes of torture.

“I need a break,” I tell him.

“No. You need to keep going.”

“Jesus, babe, give her a break.”

I let the smile come as Mik’s head whips around to the door where Benji’s standing. Beck’s right behind him. I knew Benji was flying in today, and Beck offered to pick him up from the airport and surprise Mik at the studio.

The timing couldn’t be better. I reallydoneed a break.

Mik runs to his man, and they embrace. My romantic heart sighs as they kiss as if they haven’t seen each other in months.

“Okay, tyrant, stand aside. I haven’t seen your man in too long, and I need a hug.”

I push Mik out of the way and am swallowed up in Benji’s hug. He’s a tall, lean man without an ounce of fat on him. He wears glasses, and he has the start of a five o’clock shadow on his handsome face.

“Hey, pretty girl,” he murmurs and kisses my head. “Are you keeping him in line?”

“He’s abusing me. That’s what he’s doing,” I say, giving Mik an evil grin. “He’s really mean to me, Benji. Make him pay. No sex. No cuddles. No murder documentaries.”

“Wow, you’re gonna make me pay too, huh?” Benji gives me one more squeeze before he lets me go, and I’m suddenly surrounded by my man, who’s hugging me from behind.

“Surprise,” I say to Mik, who’s hugging his guy once again. “Nowwill you give me a break?”

“We’ll come back to it tomorrow.” He narrows his eyes at me. “You need to stretch, and you need to soak those feet. You’ve been stumbling and hobbling around here.”

“It’s grateful I am that you’re so good for my ego, Mikhail.” I roll my eyes. “Do you two want to have dinner tonight?”

“No,” they say in unison, making me cackle.

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