Page 66 of Darkest Sin

“She won’t get hurt. She’s a ballerina for goodness sakes. She can do it.” Cillian tilts his head. “And don’t you want to make a good impression on me, Mikhail? You were the one who reached out to me to make a deal. You’re the one who wants this more. If you want to cement our alliance, then your wife will do this for me.”

“My wife will not do anything for you,” Mikhail warns. “I will not put her in danger. And I’m not some pathetic, desperate boy in need of your help Cillian. I thought working together benefited both of us but if you don’t want to respect my wife, then you can leave.”

Oh no. This isn’t going well. I have to do something.

“I can do it,” I blurt out. “I can stand on my toes.”

“Natalya, no,” Mikhail says.

“It’s fine. I can do it. But then I need a break from dancing. All right?”

Cillian considers it for a moment before he shrugs. “All right.”

“He doesn’t have a say over you,” Mikhail tells me.

“I know. But I want to do right by you. Impressing your guests is the way to do it. I’m fine with doing this. Trust me.”

Mikhail hesitates before he sighs and sits back in his seat. “All right.”

I try to make it as fast as possible. I stand up on the very tip of my toes. It’s torture without my pointe shoes on and the padding within them.

I feel my feet give up and I stumble right to the floor, landing hard on my knees. The room falls quiet.

Then everything is in motion.

Mikhail rushes to my side. “Natalya?”

“I’m fine,” I grit out, even though there’s so much pain running up my legs and ankles and toes.

“You’re not fine. I can see the pain on your face.” He whirls around to face Cillian. “You demanded she do this. Leave.”

“Your wife is fine.” Cillian stands up, smoothing his tie down. “I look forward to working with you more in the future, Mikhail. I had a lovely evening.”

“What makes you think I want to work with you after this?”

I grip Mikhail’s arm, drawing his attention to me. He needs to stop talking before he says something he’ll regret. “Help me up. I need help.”

“Of course.” Mikhail scoops me into his arms like I weigh nothing.

“We’ll still work together,” Cillian says as if Mikhail never spoke at all. “Your wife is a beautiful dancer. I must say.”

“Get out,” Mikhail growls.

“Mikhail, it’s fine,” I say to him. “Cillian, it was nice to meet you. And I know my husband will appreciate your support.”

“Listen to your wife, Mikhail. She knows what she’s talking about.”

Mikhail grits his teeth. I can tell from the way his jaw completely clenches.

Cillian smirks. “We’ll meet up again soon.” He motions for his men to leave and they all follow him out the door.

“Leave,” Mikhail snaps at his own men.

“But Mikhail,” one of them says. “Are you sure you want to work with Cillian after… everything?” He nods at me.

“Aaron, just go. The rest of you, go.”

They listen to their boss and leave me and Mikhail alone. He sets me down on the sofa.