Page 169 of Knot For A Moment

“Is he okay?”

“He needs a couple days.” Not an answer to the question, but correct nonetheless.

“Sure,” he said. “I can do that.”

“Thank you.”

Rehearsal went fine for the first block. We had lunch and came back, Ian walking us through the choreo for an hour—including thefouettés,which we all marked without doing them—making sure all four cohorts had a handle on it.

The Corps didn’t really need to be here for this. They were basically standing on the sideline while the principals learned it. It wasn’t the first time it happened, but generally they weren’t forced into it until closer to the production.

I should have known better than to expect anything normal from Ian.

Listening to my bonds, everyone seemed alright. Normal ranges of emotions, even from Ash, though I still felt the sadness and pain.

“Let’s test your memory and technique,” Ian called, gesturing his assistant to the side. “No worries if you haven’t got it yet. I just want to see where we’re at in terms of fast retention. And I would likefullchoreo, please.”

“Fucking hell,” I grumbled under my breath. Of course he would have us go full out on one of the hardest moves in all of ballet the first day of rehearsal.

“Glass, you’re up.”

Schooling my face before I turned around, I moved to the center of the space, and Dion came with me, filling in for Ash. Ian looked between the two of us.

“Where’s your Alpha, Glass?”

“He couldn’t make it today. Dion agreed to fill in.” I went back to my bag to grab a sip of water before we started.

“Why not? You fuck him so hard he couldn’t walk straight? Or do you only do that when you’re alone here in the studios?”

Gasps sounded around the studio, and the air went taut and silent. I turned back to him. “What did you just say to me?”

“I think you heard me. Would you like me to repeat it? Or should I tell everyone how I found the two of you? What I scented when I went to Gabriel’s office yesterday?”

It wasn’t anger I felt right now, the emotion going far beyond that. “Feel fucking free. You didn’t catch Ash and me doing anything but lying on the floor. Fully clothed. Really scandalous. As for Gabriel’s office? It’s an enclosed room. I’m an Omega. Welcome to ventilation one-oh-one.”

Some people laughed, but he sneered and looked like he was about to say something else, so I kept going.

“And as for where he is? He was in a motorcycle accident last night, and his best friend was killed. So maybe it’s not out of the question that he takes a couple of days to recover. I was going to let him tell everyone, since it’s none of yourfucking business, but here we are.”

The company reacted exactly the way I knew they would. With shock and horror. Claire and Dion looked at me with sudden understanding, and the room came alive with chatter and whispers.

Ian at least had the grace to look a little shocked. It didn’t last long. His eyes grew cold. “Better dance then, so you can get back to him.”

I shook my head and went to the center of the floor. Dion tried to ask me something, and I didn’t answer. Now wasn’t the time. When this was over, I’d be pestered with questions, and gladly. I’d take the questions for Ash so he didn’t have to.

First, I had to show this asshole he couldn’t break me.

The pianist began, and I danced. With Dion and without. Was it perfect? No. Did I really care? Also no. It would be perfect eventually.

Thefouettésarrived, and I went into them with as much energy as I could. I had planned—and still did plan—to train specifically for this sequence.Fuckit hurt. Thirty-two whip turns on one leg, on pointe? Without building up to it? Jace would be massaging me tonight.

I lost it on the twentiethfouetté, stumbling out of it. Dion moved to help me get ready to move on, but Ian held up his hand to stop the music. “Back it up to the beginning of the sequence, please.”

Gritting my teeth, I started again, bracing through the pain. I made it, but barely, my leg like jelly when I came out of the final turn, still stumbling a little.

“No. Again. You traveled far too much.”

“We can switch out and let her take a breather,” Skylar called, coming over to me.

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