Page 149 of Dance of Devils

Oddly enough, she smiles back. “Ivan Yelchin would be a fool not to take you. But, I will say, we’ll miss you here when you’re gone.”

When my eyes go wide with shock, she just smiles quietly.

“The ballet world is a small world, Brooklyn.”

“Madame, I was going to tell?—”

“You don’t owe me anything,” she says with an arch of her brow. “And I take nothing personal about you auditioning with averyfine company.”

I smile wryly. “I appreciate that. Really. And look, Ilovethe Zakharova?—”

“You really don’t need to explain it to me, of all people,” she says with a stern, knowing look. “Ivan and theImperiya Koronawould be lucky to get you.”

My smile twists. “I…thank you, Madame,” I say quietly.

She nods her chin. “Make sure the door locks behind you when you leave.”

She drifts off into the shadows, and I hear the door to the backstage area open and shut.

I’m alone.

Withhim.

I take a shaky breath, biting my lip as I slowly turn to where he’s still sitting in the third row, dead center. I’m suddenly aware that Val, Evie and I weren’t exactly talkingquietly, and I’m wondering exactly how much he heard from over there.

“BDE, hmm?”

Well, there's my answer.

He draws in a slow breath, not moving from his seat as he raises his hand andbeckonswith two fingers.

“Come here.”

Heat pools between my legs, my insides tightening with hunger and need.

Yeah, this isexactlywhat BDE is: the fact that this man can just sit there looking like fucking sin andbeckonme with two fingers.

…And the fact that I do as I’m told when he does it.

I crouch down and slide off the lip of the stage into the auditorium. Arousal slithers and snakes through my body, pebbling my nipples against my leotard and making my thighs rub together as I walk up the aisle to the third row, then slip down it, until I’m standing in front of him.

“Hi,” I say quietly, biting my lip.

Kir cocks a brow, leveling a dark look at me.

“Mysocks…” he growls.

I grin in spite of myself, feeling my face heat. “In my underwear drawer back at the house,” I say. “How did your meeting?—”

I gasp as his hand slides to the back of my thigh, gripping tightly before it drags higher to my ass.

“I didn’t realize that I hadsuch a little bratliving under my roof.”

Fire curls and licks hungrily inside me. My breath catches as I feel his hand grabbing my ass tighter, his fingers sinking deep into my flesh.

“I’m sorry,sir,” I whisper hoarsely. “I don’t know what?—”

“Pull your tights and leotard down.”