The Crescendo (The Musical Interlude) (7 page)

That fatal evening Sergey had rushed out to retrieve his son from the arts center because he didn't want him to get caught up in the crossfire of his dirty work; but he also made the mistake of driving by the accident scene, a moment too early, ensuring the hit had been properly executed no doubt. Alek being the big-hearted man I know him to be immediately hopped out of the car and tried to help Jada by comforting her as she lay dying on the side of the road, promising to stay by her side. With the authorities due to arrive at any moment, Sergey couldn't risk being seen; so he knocked Alek unconscious, took him back to Katerina's house in Texas and fled the country.

“Jada’s death wasn’t your fault,” I remind him as memories of the thing that almost tore us apart last summer fade from inside my head. "Sergey is bat-shit insane and you could never be that way. I know this."

“Of course not, Jaybird.” He touches my chin, a smile teasing his lips but not breaking through. Releasing a long sigh, he continues his disturbing story. "The next day, I woke up and found Ravi gone. My Father... I found Sergey in the grand room sipping Vodka as though I hadn’t been running around the house all morning screaming
my dog’s name.

“‘What did you do to him?’ I yelled.

“He glanced up from the papers he was reading and said, ‘Only one thing in this world deems itself more punishment worthy than fear. And that, Aleksey, would be hesitation. Ravi has served his duty—to motivate my son. I suggest you do the same next time I place a man’s task on your shoulders’. And then he turned back to the papers he was reading, even though I was fucking crying like crazy.”

“What happened to Ravi?” I’m almost afraid to ask.

Alek closes his eyes and swallows hard and then opens them, his hard gaze focused on the dark waters of the Canal. “My older brother, Dmitri, found me the next day and made a point to show me pictures of my little dog’s body lying broken at the base of that same ledge, laughing as he did so. He was a white German Shepherd puppy.”

Shaking his head, Alek’s body begins to tremble as he finishes his horrific story. “I hated the motherfucker. My love for Sergey Dostovsky faltered that day. It was the first of many cruel things I would be subjected to at the hands of my brother and Sergey, but something snapped inside me. It was easy for the Phoenix to seduce me into his group after that day.”

“Alek, I’m so sorry,” I whisper, kissing his shoulder and holding back my own tears.

“I’m still that same little, broken boy, Erin. I don’t want to pull you into my fucked up shit.” Seeing the pain in his eyes hurts worse than trying to restrain the tears inside mine.

“No. You only think you are,” I respond through my tear-laden voice.

Alek stops and makes a sarcastic laugh as he turns, and caught up in his memories, walks away from me to stroll over to the opposite side of the balcony overlooking the Grand Canal, gripping the railing. He is a gorgeous as hell but tortured Phoenix, working out the plans for his rising in his mind.

I walk toward him, stopping beside Alek and kissing the tattoo on his arm, feeling him shudder a bit as I do. “I feel like I’m standing on that ledge again, Erin. Only this time... the sacrifice…” He hesitates and glances away, his jaw muscles working.

“This time, I’m the sacrifice,” I finish for him. “Like Ravi. Newsflash. It won’t ever happen. It takes more than an insane man to keep me away from you.”

We share a nervous laugh. “My little jaybird. You’re like a butterfly,” he says, his voice filled with passion as he traces the outline of the blue butterfly on the necklace I now wear every day, the thing that brought us together so many years ago, a symbol of a love destined to cross all boundaries. “The world tries to catch you inside its dark net, but you fly away every time. You’ve taught me so much. I adore your spirit, your ability to overcome.”

“Alek, I love you.” I wrap my arms around his waist, and in return, he wraps his arms around my body, the strength of the embrace just shy of winding me, his words scaring the crap out of me.

“I love you, too, Jaybird.”

Erin

“Besides captivating audiences over the past few months, what else have you been up to?” Sam inquires, taking a bite of his Baccala Mantecata—a super salty Baltic Codfish dish—and giving me an innocent look. His voice rips my thoughts back to the present situation and away from the image of Alek’s face last night when he told me what his father had done to turn him—the thing that jumpstarted his descent into a life of pain and violence.

Sam and I have decided to eat lunch inside the Boccasini’s restaurant, an extravagant part of the hotel that’s built on a level situated directly over the waters of the Grand Canal. Sitting inside the V.I.P. section the way Sam and I are doing offers a fabulous view of the sun hitting the weathered facades of the buildings on the Piazzas across the water, giving them a golden hue and a dreamy sort of appeal.

He’s wearing a cream colored, polo and brown slacks, the perfect outfit for a balmy March afternoon in Venice; and I’m wearing a short sleeved, brown skaters dress. It’s an outfit that doesn’t keep me very warm on this pre-spring day, but it fits more comfortably than a few of the other pieces I’ve brought along with me. I probably should’ve worn those stockings the way Selene suggested I do because I’m almost certain I’ll regret not doing so at some point this evening when it turns cool.

“Earth calling, Erin. Where are you?” Sam’s accented voice says, fully bringing my mind back to our table.

“I started off in design. I was very good at it, too. Major houses called on Black Butterfly, asking my opinion on their final lines. Do you know how good that felt?” I pick at my calamari, wondering why I chose this particular dish. Just the smell of it has always made me feel nauseous in the past, but for some reason, I really wanted a bowl of fried octopus today, which is Alek’s favorite dish. Spending so much time with my maestro seems to even be affecting my taste buds. Nevertheless, glancing at my plate hides the way I feel each time my chest tightens when I talk about my old employer and friends that I miss terribly.

“Forgive me if I’m wrong, but listening to you and watching the way your face lights up when discussing fashion makes me think you have regrets.”

“You’re wrong,” I say too quickly, shrugging so Sam won’t figure out how good his observation really is. “What if I do? Will you fire me now, Boss Swansea?” I tease.

“Of course not. What sort of brute do you mistake me for being?”

I want to say,
“You’re the kind who not only finds a way to wiggle back into my life after six years, but who has all but taken control of my fiancé’s affairs since Katerina’s business dealings keep her preoccupied and absent from our lives more often than not.”
Instead, I reply, “I think you’re the clever kind.”

“You don’t trust me,” he states, tilting his head to the side without losing too much of his smile.

“I trust no one.” Especially after what happened with my life coach, the man who I confessed all my innermost fears to no less than twice a week. The same man who’s responsible for getting both Alek and Nikolai involved with a gang that he won’t let them forget or leave, obviously, even after almost ten years.

“I won’t hurt you again, Erin. That much I promise.” His deep green eyes are sincere, however I can still remember the way I felt the day he left me standing on my porch.

Men like Sam—no wait, Mitch or whatever the hell his name is—leave and expect the world to freeze until they decide to return, but when they do come back and find out this old globe waits on no one, then it’s game time.

“This is a business arrangement, Sam. Nothing more,” I remind him, meaning every word.

“I understand.”

“Do you really?” I ask. Our gazes lock and the sounds of chatter and laughter fade into the background around us.

“Erin, we have to work together. Should I be worried about any anger issues?” he asks in a serious tone.

I raise my eyebrows and scoff. “Anger issues? Did six years teach you how to grow an ass on your face while you’ve been away doing whatever?”

Even Sam has to smile. “I apologize. I’m simply trying to avoid… difficult situations.”

When my phone vibrates, I snatch it up hoping to find a text from Alek. He’s on yet another one of his mysterious trips inside the city. After everything we’ve been through, I guess these disappearances of Alek’s should bother me more, yet they really don’t. Deep down, I know he loves me with all his heart. I just hope it’s going to be enough for us in the end.

However, there’s no luck with the text. It’s from Selene. She has been texting me off and on all morning, asking about how the makeup sex between Alek and me went, and telling me the details of her new assignment with Dolce & Gabbana. I almost fall out of my chair because I’m that excited for her.

“Sorry, I need to respond to this.” I say as I quickly shoot back a reply.

After coming to a truce regarding my anger issues—as in, Sam knows that I’ll get up and leave his ass sitting at the table if he says something like that again—I listen to him tell me about a few things he has gone through since leaving Lafayette. This includes how he came to be a super successful road manager, and how he’s been following my career progression, which once again brings out the defensive part of me.

“Could you be kind enough to do the subject-change thing when it comes to my personal life? Better even, let’s just avoid talking about Alek and me altogether. How about we discuss the way you met Katerina.” I beam a sarcastic smile.

“She found me, actually,” he corrects. “My reputation precedes me, Erin. I’m sure you know this.”

“You don’t fool around with that humble thing much at all, do you?”

“Why should I? I’m successful, good looking, well endowed. What’s there to be humble about? You admired all that about me once.” He shrugs.

“Sam, things are different now. I’ve found the man I want to spend the rest of my life with.”

“Then tell me something, love, why haven’t the two of you been able to settle on a wedding date?” He asks as though it’s his right to do so. Honestly, it’s no secret that Alek and I have been dawdling around setting an actual date for a long time. It’s all over the tabloids, in the streets, everywhere we go.

“I don’t think that’s any of your business,” I answer, checking my watch so I’ll have an excuse to look away. “I think we should probably finish up now. I’m sure you have lots of calls to make.” Plus, this conversation has started to make me feel weird.

“Time is of no value to me, especially not at this moment,” he answers, keeping his gaze locked on mine. He hasn’t lost one bit of that arrogance I once found intriguing in him.

“Alek bought something for me and I need to go pick it up,” I explain, thinking of Alek’s note he left in my rehearsal room for me this morning. I'm supposed to go retrieve my mystery gift from Cherella's Exotic Pets, a little shop located in the newer part of Venice; and I couldn't be more excited about doing so. Even though he disappeared before leaving this note and saying goodbye, he’d sent me a text explaining something about needing to handle a situation with Mikhail—Nikolai’s lead dancer.

“Avoidance. That much about you hasn’t changed over the years,” he says, smiling as he studies my face.

“But many other things
have
changed, Sam.”

“If you say so. My God, you’re stubborn.” He motions for the waiter, pays him, and then we stand before heading out of the restaurant and back into the hotel lobby.

“Thanks for lunch, Mitchell Swansea,” I tease.

“Not a problem, Erin Angelo.” The expression on his face changes suddenly. “I think I should maybe accompany you on this mission Aleksandr has sent you on, if you don’t mind,” he offers. Okay, now he’s starting to grow some really huge balls. He might be the one who calls the shots for us now, but Alek won’t take kindly to knowing my ex-boyfriend went with me to pick up his gift.

“That’s probably not a good idea.” As I head toward the doorway leading to the piers, Sam follows until we’re standing just outside the entrance to the hotel. I turn and face him. “Are you stalking me?”

“Erin, I know this city better than you do, love. Let me be your guide.” He makes begging hands and gives me a mock sad face, reminding me of the playful, little boy with the funny accent who stole my heart so long ago. Plus, he has a point. “It’s my duty to make sure the star of my show remains unharmed while mulling about her daily interactions. Venice, as any other city, can be somewhat tricky when dealing with the locals.”

I click my tongue. “Have you forgotten that I was the girl who used a lightsaber to beat the crap out of Tank Riley?” I ask, thinking back on the day when the school bully decided it was time to pick on the flat-chested, younger sister of the prom queen—me.

I’d had enough of his taunts and teasing and everyone knew that, if Jada didn’t send her Special Forces unit that consisted of football and basketball players after anyone who screwed around with her baby sister, Selene would be waiting in the wings for a chance to beat the crap out of my tormentors as well.

One uneventful day, Jada happened to be on a trip to Washington with the travel club and Selene had gone back home to Brooklyn for her aunt’s funeral, leaving me all alone with Tank. I’d already anticipated he’d make a move, and when he did that afternoon while Tank, Sam and I were in art class, I was prepared. Sam’s mock-lightsaber he’d designed for a project was my saving grace when I decided to use Tank’s head to test out its effectiveness. Needless to say, no one ever had a problem with him anymore after he lost face that day, and I became known as Lafayette High’s Joan of Arc for humbling a bully who was three times my size.

“How could I ever forget?” He shakes his head, smiling as the longish, curly, brown hair on top of his head blows in the wind. “However, we’re in a different world now, Erin. I’m afraid I must insist on accompanying you.”

What the heck can it hurt? Yeah, keep asking yourself that, my friend.
“Persistent as ever, I see. That much about you hasn’t changed. Fine. Tag along, if you want. But don’t start griping if I have to use your fancy cell phone or something to fight off any agents of the dark side we meet along the way.”

“I will consider myself warned,” he says then offers to hold my hand as I step into our private water taxi.

We ride out to a group of buildings in a lightly populated area. Following the directions Alek has given me, we make our way to a Cherella's shop inside the newest part of Venice, a unique establishment that has a sign out front boasting about its collection of rare and exotic species that we’ll find inside. I’m so giddy inside I almost start skipping toward the building.

I recognize the girl unlocking the shop’s door as soon as we walk toward it. She works as a waitress from
Arnie’s Due
, yet another one of Alek’s worshippers. Turning toward us, she cradles her chest. “Mi Dio, you scared me. You must be Signorina Angelo.” Her gaze drifts toward Sam, lingering a short moment. “Your fiancé, Signore Dostov, said you love Bengals.”

“I sure do,” I confirm, following her, feeling happy that Alek has taken the first step toward giving in to my wishes. I mean, a Bengal is nowhere close to being the same thing as a wedding or a baby, but it’s the thought that counts. I’m so excited I can barely contain myself, even though Sam’s face has turned as hard as stone.

She opens the shop’s door and heads inside where a medley of bells jingle as she walks through the doorway. Inside the shop, she heads toward a large group of fish aquariums built into the left wall. I head in behind her.

“Erin, I don’t know,” Sam says, still standing outside and eyeing the weathered building.

“Are you coming in? Or do you intend to keep on studying the architecture?” I ask. When he doesn’t move or answer me, I get a little irritated because I’m excited and want to see my gift, yet my uninvited guest seems to be on a mission to spoil my fun.

“Trust me; this is a huge thing for Alek.” I follow behind the girl, leaving Sam standing
outside. Nothing can kill my giddiness now.

Inside the building, I study the shop’s interior. Two large rooms have been joined together by a counter separating the room with the parrots, guinea pigs, rabbits and other small animals from the aquariums in back of the room behind the counter. It reminds me of the old-fashioned pet shops we used to have back home in Lafayette. A large, black door to the left of the counter leads into the back. There’s another door in the very back of the second room, the place where the waitress steps out from inside and heads our way with a smile plastered across her round face, her dark eyes beaming as she approaches me.

Although Sam has gone stoic on me, I can’t wait to see the pet Alek has chosen. Exotic animals fascinate me. Mom used to watch all the shows on National Geographic and I would sit by the television all day long trying to understand how much it would cost to visit all these places. Now, I have one of the richest men in the world buying me one of those same creatures.

“Are you ready for your surprise?” she asks, beaming at me.

“I’ve been ready for a long time now,” I answer and follow the girl toward the door in back of the shop. Sam, who has finally decided to come inside the building, starts to follow me.

“Mi spiace, Signor. Only one patron at a time is allowed inside the petting room,” she says to Sam.