by Lisa Kessler
A smile played on her lips. Gavin was the sexiest matador she’d ever Pasoed with. Although he was new to dancing, his athletic background gave him a good grasp of the space around him and control of his limbs within it. And his sense of rhythm was surprisingly spot-on. He was still mastering his frame and keeping his shoulders down, but he’d caught on to the choreography and took to the aggression of the dance like a natural.
She could teach anyone the steps, but the character of a Paso Doble was another animal. Gavin had the heart for it; all he lacked was the confidence. She hoped the costume might give him the final push he needed.
Satisfied with her ensemble, she exited the women’s dressing room. And then she froze.
Gavin was standing alone at center stage in the black pants and long, black, fitted coat. She couldn’t stop the smile that tugged at her lips. The coat fit perfectly, accentuating his broad shoulders and slender waist.
He turned around as she approached, and he grinned. “Wow. You look amazing.”
So did he—except for one thing. The white T-shirt he had on under the coat had to go.
She tugged at the tee. “This wasn’t part of the costume.”
He chuckled. “I thought they forgot the shirt, so I improvised.”
“Nope.” She shook her head, sliding her hands under the cotton fabric. “It’s gotta go.”
He started to take off the coat. “I’m dancing shirtless? Aren’t there going to be women and children present?”
She rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh. “Oh please. Every mom there will be thanking me.”
He pulled off the shirt and slid the jacket back into place. The cut was perfect on him. It showed just enough of his chiseled abs to tease and tantalize, but covered his back and shoulders, maintaining a somewhat formal ballroom appearance.
He lifted his hands as if he were in the hold position, his chest taut. “Better?”
“Much.” She nodded and struck the opening pose.
He moved behind her, his arms sliding around her waist. The heat from his bare chest singed her skin through the thin fabric of the dress.
“Ready?” she whispered.
His breath warmed her ear. “Always.”
Damn, he made it tough to concentrate.
She clicked the remote, and the music came to life. He spun her around, taking her hand to lead her in the first steps.
“Frame,” she coached as they moved as one unit.
They broke hold, facing off, and she grabbed her skirt to promenade across the stage. He matched her passion, his chin high, his body tight and controlled, hitting every Spanish line.
“That’s it,” she said. He came at her again, catching her and bringing her into hold, and then pulled her even closer. “Dance space,” she called out.
His wicked grin stole her heart even while he ignored her coaching and closed the distance between them, his lips claiming hers as he slowly dipped her.
When he finally lifted her back up and rested his forehead against hers, she smiled. “I don’t remember that part of the choreography.”
He chuckled. “You inspired me.”
“Maybe a little too much.” She raised a brow, trying not to laugh.
He opened one side of his coat. “You were right about the costumes making the dance more intense.”
She nodded slowly. “You look really sexy.”
“I’m nothing compared to my partner.”
Somehow she got them back on track to finish the dance. The final pose had his arm over his head with her sitting at his feet, gripping his leg as she looked up at him. She slid her fingers higher up his inner thigh until he looked down at her. His chest was heaving with exertion, and sweat beaded on his brow. He’d surpassed sexy and moved on to irresistible. If they didn’t get out of the theater soon, she was going to jump him right there on the stage.
CHAPTER 17
Ted waited for Kevin’s sedan to pull through the mansion’s security gate and drive down the street before rifling through the god’s desk. Kronos had walked into the twenty-first century without a cell phone or computer. He didn’t have an e-mail address or a Facebook page. To call him “old-school” would be an understatement.
Note cards, pens, pencils, and stamps filled the center drawer of the desk. Ted kept searching. For almost two weeks Kevin had stayed shuttered in his mansion. What the Father of the Gods had been doing was anyone’s guess. If Rhea was right, maybe he’d been recharging his power. But today everything had changed. Kevin had called Ted just after sunrise and demanded he come to the mansion to watch over Doris Muldoon.
And Ted wanted to know why.
He flipped through a few pieces of loose paper in the next drawer and found a familiar list of names and phone numbers. The membership list for the Order of the Titans. There were underground chapters of the Order all over the world, but Ted had grown up in the Crystal City sector and he recognized every name on the list. Mark Gibb’s name was crossed out and the word FAILED had been scribbled beside it. Another line ran through Curtis Christos’s name with DEAD notated next to it.
God, that night seemed like years ago. Curtis had been the historian of the Order, a professor specializing in Greek history, and Ted’s father had shot him while trying to kill Callie O’Connor.
Ted shoved the memories aside. There wasn’t time to think about the losses they’d suffered. He scanned the list. Two other names had check marks beside them, but his eyes fell to Lewis Gold. His name was circled.
Lewis had worked for Belkin Oil for over twenty years. He was a geologist with a healthy interest in mind control. When Ted’s father had decided that the muses should be silenced forever, Ted had utilized Lewis to mold an Enforcer for the Order, a man who would follow orders even when they involved killing a woman. Lewis had planted strong beliefs in the men, convincing them that they were heroes for sacrificing the women for the greater good. He’d also made them obedient, even to death. And now Kevin had to be planning to use Lewis similarly…
Ted’s gaze wandered back up to the two names with check marks beside them: Simon Jones and Leroy Biggs. They were newer members of the Order whose families hadn’t raised them with the vision of freeing Kronos to bring back the Golden Age of Man. These two men had been recruited by Professor Christos not long before his death. They’d shown a deep fascination in Greek mythology, and Curtis had groomed them to join the Order. They were devoted, young, and strong—perfect candidates for brainwashing.
And suddenly, Ted was pretty sure he knew where Kevin was heading. Belkin Oil. Lewis Gold still had a workroom in the basement.
“Fuck.” Ted pulled out his cell and called Mikolas. “It’s me.”
“Are you at Kevin’s?”
“Yeah, and I think I know where he was going.” He told Mikolas about the list and Lewis Gold.
“Why brainwash them?” Mikolas’s voice hitched like he was walking and talking. “There’s no reason for it. Everyone in the Order is terrified. They’ll do whatever he tells them to.”
Ted raked his fingers through his hair. “Because if the police ever show up, their fear of the police could be greater than their fear of Kronos. If they can’t think for themselves, only the mission will matter.”
“Any guesses what the current mission might be?”
Ted’s pulse raced. “I don’t think it’s changed. He still wants Tera or Trinity to be brought to be alive—for now.” That was the only thing keeping Ted from losing it.
“Okay, I’ll meet you at Belkin Oil. Maybe we can find Lewis before he does.”
Ted pulled his hair back from his forehead. “If I leave and he comes back here, we’ll lose my position on the inside.”
“True. Okay, I’m on my way to get Rhea. Maybe we can corner him at the Belkin high-rise.” A car door slammed. “I’ll text you later.”
Ted hung up and quickly fired off an e-mail to Trinity.
Call me. It’s important.
He included his number and hit “Send.”
She probably wouldn’t call, but he could hope. If not, he’d get in touch with Malone. Someone needed to keep her safe.
Tera lined up groups of young dancers backstage at the Crystal City High School auditorium. She had hoped their theater would be open in time to host the annual recital, but they hadn’t passed the final building inspection yet, so their insurance company wouldn’t allow a performance there.
Next time.
“Tera you look pretty!” Maggie shouted as she ran toward her, Mel close behind.
Tera gave the little girl a tight hug. “You look like a fairy princess.”
Maggie grinned and looked back at her mom. “Is Daddy in the audience?”
Mel nodded. “Yes, and so are Reed and Erica, and Callie and Hunter, and Cooper and Lia, and Mason and Clio.” Mel chuckled. “I’m pretty sure half the audience is out there to cheer for you.”
Mel straightened and gave Tera a hug. “Can I help with anything?” she offered, keeping her voice low.
Tera pulled back and shrugged. “I think we’re good.” Across the way, one of the parent volunteers was fixing hair and another one was checking shoes. “I’ve got plenty of help. You should go enjoy the show.”
Mel was the Muse of Tragic Poetry, and she tended to be a worrier. Worst-case scenarios of every situation plagued her most of the time. Tera could usually relate, but not this time, not here. The stage was her refuge, the one place she found peace. And today it was filled with the energy of dancers.
“Have a great show.” Mel knelt in front of Maggie. “Have fun, Sweetheart.”
Mel vanished into the wings, and Gavin came around the corner in his Paso Doble costume. His eyes locked on hers. Gods, he was way too sexy for his own good. As if he could hear her thoughts, he grabbed one edge of the long coat and flashed her his chest.
Tera laughed, rolling her eyes, and she suddenly realized the stage wasn’t her only refuge in the world anymore. Gavin was. With him, she could speak her mind and share her struggles. He made her laugh, swoon, and best of all, she seemed to do the same for him.
I love him.
“Miss Tera, my shoe broke!” Maggie whined, jolting Tera from her thoughts.
There wasn’t time to reflect on her realization right now.
The show must go on.
Tera knelt down, took off Maggie’s pink ballet slipper, and inspected it. The elastic had broken free from the stitching inside the shoe.
Maggie’s eyes brimmed with tears. “I didn’t mean to do it. I was just practicing.”
Tera gripped Maggie’s shoulders and stared right into her eyes. “You didn’t do anything wrong, sweetie. We can fix this, okay? No tears.”
Maggie nodded, sucking in her trembling lower lip. Gods, Tera adored this little girl. She took her hand and walked her over to one of the volunteers. “Stacy, do you have the sewing kit?”
“Sure do.” Stacy patted her pocket. “Is there a casualty?”
Tera held out Maggie’s shoe. “Can you fix this elastic for Maggie? She’s dancing in the third number.”
Stacy was already threading a needle. “Sure thing.”
“Thanks.” Tera smiled at Maggie. “See? Everything’s going to be fine.”
Maggie gave her a tight hug. “Thanks, Tera.”
Seeing Tera hugging Maggie had Gavin’s heart melting in his chest. She might be shy in some situations, but with these kids, she truly was a goddess of dance, and she wore the title with grace. He shadowed her as she made her rounds to each group of dancers, coaxing smiles from the nervous kids and giggles from the eager ones. She was magic.
Tera finally walked out of the wings and onstage to address the crowd. Gavin took that moment to open the backstage exit and scan the parking lot. His birthmark wasn’t burning, but his protective instincts were whispering warnings. They hadn’t heard from Kevin or the Order in almost two weeks. Were they waiting for the recital to make their move in a public place?
The parking lot was quiet, no movement. But he couldn’t shake the worry. He went back into the men’s dressing room to the locker he had padlocked earlier to keep his gun out of reach. Unlocking it, he double checked over his shoulder for any curious little ones, but they were all too busy trying to peek through the side curtains to notice him.
He quickly took off his coat and hung it on the door. His leather shoulder holster was cold against his bare skin when he put it on. He chuckled, shaking his head as he donned the coat once more. Never in a million years would he have imagined he’d be armed, without a shirt, and about to perform in a kids’ dance recital. His life had taken so many weird turns recently, but dammit, he’d never been happier.
Once he had the coat on, he stood in front of the mirror to see how visible his weapon would be. He practiced some of the poses and steps. A few of them exposed the black handle of his Glock, but from in the audience, hopefully it wouldn’t be too noticeable.
He’d warn Tera it was there, but if Kronos and the Order showed up, there was no way he was going to be caught unarmed.
During the past couple of weeks, he’d come to realize that beyond wanting a future with Tera, his biggest fear wasn’t that he might not get it. No, the more he memorized her daily routine and spent hours not only watching her dance but learning from her, the more he realized that the world was a better place because Tera was in it. And the one thing that woke him at night was the nightmare in which he failed her.
He’d had the dream more times than he wanted to count. Even with his superspeed, he’d been too late, and she’d died in his arms. Each time the nightmare sucked him in, he tried another tactic to save her, but the outcome never changed.
He rolled his shoulders back and left the dressing room. Tera was standing in the wings again as the first group took the stage. He came up beside her and took her hand, loving the way her fingers twined with his. He brushed a tender kiss to her temple. “I didn’t get a pep talk yet.”
She glanced his way with a playful smile and whispered, “I gave you one last night.”
“Is that what that was?” He raised a brow. “I might need to have dance performances with you more often.”
She nudged him with her hip. “I’d be okay with that.”
The music finished, and she dropped his hand. She began applauding as she walked out to center stage. “Weren’t they fabulous?”
She introduced the next group and then came back to his side. “Are you nervous?” she asked him.
He shrugged. “A little.” He took her hand and placed it inside his coat where his holster was.
Her smile faded. “Why are you armed?”
“Because even though we haven’t heard from Kevin and his gang in a while, that doesn’t mean it’s all over. My first job is still to protect you.” He met her eyes. “I just didn’t want you to be surprised onstage.”
“What if it goes off?” Concern was etched across her entire face.
“Not gonna happen,” he assured her. “Unless you’re going to pull back the slide while it’s still in the holster.”
“She rolled her head slowly back and forth. “Okay, now I’m nervous.”
He placed his hands on her shoulders and turned her toward him. “My birthmark isn’t burning. I’m sure it’s going to be fine. But I’d be the worst bodyguard in history if I wasn’t prepared. That’s all this is—precaution. Okay?”
She searched his eyes and nodded. “Okay.”
The various dance routines went by in a blur, and then Tera suddenly was grabbing his hand and pulling onstage with her. His gut twisted at all the applause.
Holy shit. He was on a stage, in ballroom shoes, and without a shirt. What the hell was he doing?
Tera leaned in close to the mic. “Thanks so much for coming to our annual dance recital. Back in New York, I used to love seeing my dance instructors perform the final number, and I’m thrilled that we have a similar tradition here.” She smiled up at Gavin and back out to the audience. “Today I have a new dance partner, Gavin Thompson
.”
The crowd roared, and Gavin’s stomach roiled with nerves. It was like waiting on the whistle for the tip-off right before a state championship basketball game. He wanted to vomit.
Tera squeezed his hand. “We’ll be dancing a brand-new Paso Doble for you. We hope you enjoy it.”
She walked with him to center stage. He stopped behind her, striking their opening pose. He was tempted to apologize and tell her he couldn’t do this, and then run away. His pulse thundered in his ears as her special cut of “Take Me to Church” started.
He spun her around to face him, her gaze meeting his. Her passion for the dance, for him, and for this moment flooded him, drowning any and all stage fright.
“I love you,” she whispered.
His heart nearly burst, and the rest of the world vanished. He wanted to tell her he loved her, too, but he lost himself in their dance. Every beat, every touch, and every movement had meaning. And for the first time since she’d persuaded him to dance with her, he didn’t have to think about the moves. His muscle memory left him free to be present. His love for her strengthened his frame as they moved across the stage. The turns were sharp, and his connection with her never faltered.
They struck their final pose, and the applause was deafening. He twitched in surprise. He’d forgotten they were there. He looked down at Tera sitting on the floor and clinging to his leg, and reached down for her hand to help her to her feet. They bowed and jogged off the stage.
Once they were in the clear, she jumped up into his arms. He caught her, spinning her around and drinking in her laughter.
She rested her forehead on his. “That was amazing.”
“I have a great teacher.”
She grinned and stole a kiss. “Damn straight you do.”
Oh, she was so sexy when she was confident.
He put her down, and she was quickly mobbed by happy young dancers, and soon after, by parents, too. He’d have to tell her how he felt about her later. Gavin gave her some space to do her thing, all the while keeping an eye on the back door as parents and kids came in and out.