Page 61 of Dance of Devils

14

BROOKLYN

There’s an anxious,nervous feeling hovering in the back of my mind all day. Every second, every minute, every hour brings me a bit closer to the end of the rehearsal day, and a bit closer to myprivatecoaching with Kir.

That’s the cause of not just the nervous feeling but also a tingle lingering just under my skin, humming like a dark secret in my core.

I tried to snoop out last night just how a Bratvapakhanturns out to be a ballet instructor who might even rival Madame Kuzmina. But all I found were press releases and magazine articles about fundraising galas the Zakharova has thrown.

Actually, that’s about the only thing I found online about Kir at all. For all intents and purposes, when it comes to a digital footprint, the man is a ghost—if a ghost who occasionally throws lavish, exclusive fundraising galas that are the talk of the high society circles in New York.

I’m chatting with Val and Evie after rehearsal when my phone dings with a text, pulling my attention from Val’s story abouthis brother—anothercriminal kingpin with no social media presence—buying aplaneor something.

Maya

holy fuck, are you done with practice yet?! VIP!!

My pulse quickens. VIP is our code for “911, emergency, we need to talk asap”.

“Are you okay?!” I blurt when she answers my frantic call.

“Me?” She groans. “I'm fine. Shit, didn’t mean to scare you.”

“Maya!” I huff. “You said VIP!!”

“I'm sorry,” she exhales. “But you have to hear this—wait, have you talked to anyone else from the club today?”

“No.”

I’m friendly enough with most of the girls at The Mirage. But Maya’s really the only one there that I talk to outside of work.

She whistles. “Shit. Okay… Are you sitting down?”

My brows knit. “Should I be? Can you just get to the point already?”

She laughs. “Okay, get this: last night, someone beat the livingfuckout of Zak in the men’s room at work.”

My jaw drops. “Seriously?!”

“Yup!” Maya crows. “I mean, fucked his shitup. He’s in the hospital with a broken face—like, whoever did it literallybroke his face. I didn’t know you coulddothat.”

My pulse quickens, and there’s no stopping the grin that creeps over my face.

“Broken nose, some fractured ribs, shattered eye socket, a couple of missing teeth—including one that he half swallowed, which I guess cut up his throat a little bit.” She giggles. “Oh, and you’ll love this last part: he burst a testicle.”

My face scrunches up. “Fuck.”

“Right?” She sighs happily. “Honestly, it couldn’t have happened to a nicer shithead. Well, except Lou, I guess. Also…” Her voice drops a little, the excitement leaving her tone.

“What?” I press.

“You know what? Forget it,” she says. “I don’t want to freak you out.”

I frown. “Maya…”

“Just, I was in Lou’s office when he was going over the security tape from last night, trying to see if he could spot whoever fucked Zak up. I’ve been telling him for fuckingeverthat we need more cameras in the place, meanwhile the fucker always jokes about putting the first one in our locker room.” She snorts. “Anyway, there’s like one second on the VIP hallway camera that has any footage of the guy who followed Zak into the men's room, and that's it, and…”

My brow puzzles when she trails off. “And…? Just tell me!”