Page 56 of Wicked Ends
“You home? How’d it go?” my brother shouted. There was no creeping out before he heard us. He heard everything.
With a sigh, I headed through the house to the sitting room. My brother and his friend were sitting and watching a hockeygame. There were about fifteen empty beer bottles on the table in front of them.
“It went well,” I muttered and carried the flowers into the kitchen.
“Auntie A is going to teach me,” Lulu announced, following me into the open-plan space.
“Yeah, right. Don’t waste your time with that, honey,” my brother called to his daughter dismissively. “The rest of us have more important things to do than go around playing little songs at night, for free, might I add.”
“It was a great honor for Arianna to be featured tonight,” Claire protested.
I shot her a quick look, shaking my head again. I didn’t want her to get involved.
I put the flowers on the table and turned, smacking right into Dale. He’d come up behind me. His beer-soaked breath sprayed across my face, and I flinched.
“I’m not sure I like men giving my sister flowers,” he muttered.
“They were a present from the conservatory.”
“Still. Don’t go getting ideas above your station. I’m not sure you need a bigger head about music than you already have.”
I put the stems in a vase.
“Can you play for me now?” Lulu asked. “Can we have a first lesson?”
“Sure.” I set the beautiful flowers back on the table and went to the piano with Lulu. It was my most prized possession,gifted to me by my former college. After Dale had sold my grandmother’s antique piano, I’d had to practice at the music school until late every night. Now, finally, I had my own again.
“You play first.” Lulu eyed the piano like it was a monster who might bite her hand off.
I smiled and nodded, sitting and bringing my hands to C position and talking Lulu through my finger placement.
“Don’t you think I can see how much better you think you are than everyone else? So, what—now you deign to teach my daughter, like I can’t afford lessons for her?” Dale sneered, appearing at my side.
I tensed, but I knew better than to show fear.
I continued to play for Lulu.
Dale kicked my stool, moving it an inch. “I’m talking to you, Arianna.”
“I’m busy, Dale,” I muttered.
“Hmm, always busy, aren’t you, superstar? Let’s see how busy you’ll be now.”
I saw his hand move, but I had no idea of what he was about to do.
I stared up at him in time to see his malicious smirk… and then he slammed the fallboard shut on my hands.
“Ms. Moore?” Dean Eastwood’s voice sank through my daydream. I stared at the music rack in front of me and the unopened sheet music booklet, unseeing.
I was aware of people watching, and waiting, but I couldn’t seem to move my hands. The memory of pain had frozen them stiff.
The sound of footsteps climbing the stage stairs sounded, and then, a tall, broad presence loomed over me.
“Allow me to turn pages for you, Professor.” Marcus’ deep voice wound around me.
It carried out over the microphone and gave me an excuse for acting strangely.
He leaned over me to open the sheet music, bringing his mouth close to my ear.
