Total pages in book: 166
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 157273 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 786(@200wpm)___ 629(@250wpm)___ 524(@300wpm)
“They’re beautiful.” Her smile beamed brighter than the stage lights as she took them, lifting the peonies to her nose and breathing in deeply. “And I love them just as much as the last ones you brought me. Thank you.”
“How fucking could you?” Eva snapped, storming into the hallway with wild eyes, my siblings walking out behind her, trailed by a few of the MBC soloists wearing big grins.
My hands fell from Allie as she turned toward her sister. “How could I what, Eva? Dance the role that was created for me?”
“You did it just to upstage me!” Eva’s face flushed the same scarlet as her blouse. “You did the same thing to Lina, showcasing the Giselle variation before she was supposed to perform it.”
Allie’s eyes widened. “Lina told me to dance the variation from Giselle. We never competed with each other, and we sure as hell never stole each other’s roles.”
“So this is your retribution? Making a fool out of me in front of Vasily? God, Allie, for once, can’t you just get the fuck out of the way so I can maybe see the sun?” Eva shook her fists.
Everett leaned against the wall to my left, tapping on his phone—no, wait, that was Allie’s phone—as if none of this was happening.
“Is that what you were doing when you secretly filmed me, then posted some of my most vulnerable moments for the world to see? That you were getting me out of the way because you can’t find a patch of sunlight anywhere but New York?” She took a step toward Eva, who retreated. “You fed me to the internet and let them brand me a liar. Mom would be so very proud.”
Eva’s mouth snapped shut, and music started in the theater. The first beginner was performing.
“The worst part is, I would have given it to you.” Allie’s voice broke, and she clutched the bouquet tight. “If you’d told me how you felt, I would have had Isaac work with you, craft the perfect part to highlight your talent so you would have shined on your own and risen through the ranks, instead of fueling the incessant gossips wondering exactly what you did to leap over every other dancer at MBC. I would have taken care of you the same way I’ve done since the day you were born. Upstage you with that pas de deux? You’re so damned lucky I didn’t perform the variation.”
“That would have been something to see,” Vasily said, walking past Gavin and Caroline in his open-collared gray suit, and lifting his brow at the other company members before turning to Allie. He took her hand and kissed the back of it. “I am, as always, completely stunned by you, Alessandra.” He grinned, flashing a set of dimples at the corner of his mouth. “I daresay that you surpassed your mother today on that stage. Naturally, your part is yours.”
Allie’s shoulders straightened and she dipped into a curtsy. “Thank you, Vasily.”
I held back a fist pump. She’d done it—climbed back from an injury that would have retired most dancers and reclaimed her place as the best.
“But it’s announced!” Eva argued.
Vasily’s eyes hardened, and he looked past her to the other company members. “Find your seats, now.” They scattered, throwing looks of pity Eva’s way, and I saw more than one fumbled phone. “Eva, I gave you that part as a kindness to your mother, and you lied to me about Alessandra in return. Tell me, what else have you been lying about?”
The blood rushed from Eva’s face. “Nothing. I’m good enough for the part. I can hit every element of the choreography—”
“Good enough pales in comparison to perfection. We’ll speak about this after the competition. I need some air.” He straightened his tie and walked out the glass double doors.
“Please, Allie.” Eva turned and clasped Allie’s shoulders. “Please don’t do this to me. Tell him I should have the part. He’ll listen to you. It’s not like you just performed at the Met—we’re in Haven Cove, for crying out loud. This can all be undone. Just tell him you don’t want it.” Her face fell when Allie remained silent. “Oh my God. You don’t want it, do you?”
My eyes narrowed slightly, catching the faint purse of Allie’s lips as the music faded from the auditorium.
“She may not have performed at the Met, but one point four million followers are watching her kick your ass on that stage right now,” Everett said, flipping Allie’s phone around to display the screen, where a video played on Seconds.
Chapter Thirty
Hudson
“No,” Eva whispered, her hands flying to her mouth, her eyes bulging as she stared at the screen, where Allie and Everett danced.
“What?” Everett shrugged. “Could have sworn you were the one bitching that Allie never helped you with content creation. Even Anne did her part by texting that video over as soon as the performance ended, and it wasn’t hard to guess your new password, especially when you used Equinox and your birthday.”