Pointe Noire (The Noire House Book 1)

by Lacie Thorne

  As the company’s primary benefactor, Martin liked to keep Garret informed. After all, they were mostly using his donations to fund the production.

  “You don’t mind?” I asked, my tone accusatory.

  “No. Sam wants your help, and Martin is pleased the fancy New York choreographer is going to grace his company.”

  There was a tiny hint of scorn in his voice, but I was too involved in my own issues to give it more than a passing thought. “And what about me? Don’t I get a choice in all this? He’s messing with my career, Garret.”

  “He’s not messing with anything. It’s one night a week, Emmy. Who knows, it might be good for you. Give you a break. I still think you went back too soon after your injury.”

  “You don’t know anything,” I hissed. “They’re trying to push me out, Garret. Now, it’s one night a week. Then Constance will take the lead in next season’s ballet. I’ll become redundant. Old and sent to re-retirement long before I even reach fucking thirty.”

  I stumbled over the word I hated, my sobs already building up in my chest. I covered my face and broke down right there in the middle of the café, in front of at least fifty people. My shoulders shook with the force of my tears, and I was glad I’d chosen to go make-up free. It would lessen the mess when I had to pull myself together.

  Muscular arms banded around my waist and pulled me to an equally hard chest. I cried against Garret, soaking as much comfort from him as I could. He mumbled soothing words, one arm holding me tight as the other brushed over my hair, travelling down my back. The motion calmed me, like a lullaby rocking a child to sleep.

  Or the soothing caress of a lover.

  When the tears faded, and I glanced up to meet Garret’s gaze, I finally saw the truth staring back at me. Sam was right. Garret loved me. Far more than the deep friendship I’d convinced myself we shared. How had I been so oblivious all these years? How had I not realized there was absolutely nothing platonic about the intensity in his eyes? How had I missed the mixture of heat and affection?

  I blinked, trying to regain some semblance of composure while the weight of my revelation settled in my chest. Garret cupped my cheek and swiped at the moisture with his thumb. His skin was smooth for a man, no hard calluses. Hell, it was in better condition than my own. Years of hard work had taken a serious toll on my body, stealing bits of me that should have been soft and feminine.

  The sacrifice was worth it for the end result. I didn’t care that my feet looked like a train wreck most days, nor did the flat chest concern me. Or even the pain of aching joints and muscles. I welcomed the trade off, understanding the price that had to be paid in order to achieve what I did.

  In a lot of ways, ballet was my master, and I was its willing submissive, enduring untold suffering for that which I loved. The cost to myself no longer mattered. I would endure it out of devotion.

  What I couldn’t forgive was my aging body’s betrayal.

  “What will I do, Garret?” I whispered, pretending not to notice the love shining in his blue eyes. “If they force me to leave, what will I do?”

  He gave me a sad smile and brushed my hair from my face. “Whatever you want to do, Emmy.” He leaned forward and kissed the top of my head, lingering too long for a friendly peck. “But you’re not there yet. Sam wants your help putting his company together, that’s all. You don’t worry about the rest. Not now.”

  His words hung in the air between us, part comfort and part command. I recognized it and by the look on his face, so did he. Garret might not have been my Dom, but he never failed to issue the odd instruction. After a moment, he cleared his throat and set me back on my chair. It was only then that I realized he’d swooped me into his arms and cradled me on the seat beside mine.

  I took a nervous glance around, wondering how many people had watched while I bawled on Garret’s lap. A few gazes drifted in our direction, but most people had their own crap to deal with and they soon returned to their own lives. If the stares bothered my best friend, he didn’t show it.

  Back opposite me, Garret sipped his coffee and picked up his menu. The silence between us turned awkward, and I studied the menu despite already knowing every item on it. When the waitress returned a few minutes later, she brought a much needed distraction. We ordered our respective choices, along with coffee refills since ours had gone cold while I fell to pieces.

  Garret launched into a discussion about the gala, praising me again for my performance. “I want to see it again, but I’ll need to work late every night this week. Friday might work or maybe Saturday. Do you want to do dinner afterwards? I should know later this week which night.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I’d like that.”

  It was the truth, of course, but my guilt over Sam fueled my enthusiasm.

  “You won’t be going to The Noire House?” His question threw me off guard. “To see the pussy again?”

  “Don’t call him that,” I said automatically, though not daring to let slip a name to replace it. “And no, I have other things to worry about.”

  Another truth, though I didn’t tell him there was no longer a need to go to The Noire House to see Sam. We’d moved way past that. So many secrets. How would I keep this up? Garret knew me too well, and he’d soon figure out that I was hiding something from him. It was a miracle he hadn’t suspected anything yet, and I figured that was only because of my paranoia about my early retirement.

  “You know Sam’s brother owns the place.”

  I glanced at him with wide eyes, earning a laugh from Garret.

  “Yeah, Ian started the house as a way to level the playing field, so to speak. It seems ludicrous now, but with his lack of sight, he had trouble finding a submissive to take him seriously. Sam came up with the idea of meeting prospective partners in the dark, and Ian ran with the idea full speed.”

  “And Rebecca?” I asked.

  Garret smiled. “They met a few months after Ian opened the doors. They married less than a year later and are now trying for their first child.”

  “Wow.”

  It sounded like a kinky fairy tale, complete with happily ever after for the couple. Garret glanced up at me, a strange look on his face as he devoured his meat-filled po-boy. I caught a trace of longing and guessed he was envious of Ian and Rebecca. Like me.

  When we’d finished our lunch, Garret paid and walked me to my car. We stood on the street, musicians busking several feet away with a familiar Dixieland tune. I reached for my purse, but Garret stopped me with a curt shake of his head and a frown. He pulled his wallet out of his pocket as he walked over to the trio, placing a few bills into the tin before them.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” I said when he returned to me. “I’m perfectly capable of supporting other art forms.”

  He smiled. “Of course you are. But this way you get to keep your hard-earned money.”

  I shook my head in amused exasperation, moving to unlock my car. Garret placed his palm on the door, preventing me from opening it. I sent him a questioning frown as I pulled back.

  “Do me a favor and go easy on Sam. Trust me when I say he’s not trying to interfere with your career or send you into retirement. I know him, and he’s not the scheming kind. More like he saw something in you and truly wants your help.”

  I stared at Garret, wondering if his opinion of Sam would change if he knew that he was the pussy from The Noire House. “I’m having dinner with him tonight,” I said, unable to keep any secrets I didn’t have to hide from Garret. “To discuss our—arrangement.”

  It was true enough, though it left Garret to assume I meant our working situation.

  He smiled and nodded, making me feel about ten times shittier than I already did. “Call if you get lost. There’s too many damn one-ways and dead-ends around his place. You know there’s only access through the back—”

  “Yes, Garret.” I laughed at his concern even though it warmed my heart. “I know, and I promise I’ve got Sam’s number if I need to call.”
/>
  Garret frowned. “You can call me rather, if you want.”

  With a smile, I leaned up on my toes and pressed my lips to Garret’s cheek in a chaste kiss. “Thank you for lunch. And for letting me fall apart on your shoulder.”

  “Anytime, Emmy. You know that.”

  I left Garret with a heavy heart, hating myself for the secrets I kept from him. It wasn’t that I thought he had a right to judge or choose my partners, but the fact it was Sam—his best friend—caused a problem.

  ***

  As Garret expected, I struggled to find my way through the maze near Audubon Park but finally located the one-way street that led to Sam’s home. I cast a fleeting look at the surrounding houses, suspecting they cost a small fortune, and took a few deep breaths before exiting my car.

  My nerves churned in my stomach as I walked up the driveway to his home. While I was angry at what happened at the theatre, I was anxious for this—meeting? Date? What was I supposed to call it? In truth, my frustration with him had kept my unease at bay until this moment. Perhaps I’d even let it overshadow everything else, holding onto that fury in an effort to hide my fear.

  I stopped when I rounded the side of the garage, faced with a small patio and a set of open glass doors. Music and clanging sounds drifted from inside, followed by a bang and a sharp curse. I smiled despite the tension in my muscles and stepped up to the threshold of Sam’s home. I knew I had the right house when I caught sight of him moving around a kitchen beyond an open-plan living room.

  I rapped my knuckles against the glass door to announce my presence.

  Sam spun around with a wide smile. “Emily.”

  Before I got the chance to greet him in return, a flash of white and grey caught my eye, bounding right for me. I grunted as I caught the weight against me, warm breath panting in my face.

  “Blue,” Sam chastised, rushing over to pull the dog off me. I laughed as he wrestled with the huge bulk, his face etched in a deep frown. “I’m sorry, he’s normally so well behaved. Come on, buddy, let’s get you somewhere you can’t molest my date.”

  Well, I guess that answered my question.

  “Sam, its fine. You don’t need to banish him.”

  He stopped, hunched over as he palmed Blue’s collar. “You sure?”

  I nodded. “He’s beautiful. Siberian Husky?”

  “Mostly, I think.”

  “You think?”

  “Why don’t you come inside before I give you Blue’s life story? He shouldn’t pounce like that again. Honestly, I have no idea what came over him.”

  I followed Sam as he led the way inside, his hold on Blue unrelenting as he watched me study his home. My gaze travelled over masculine and elegant finishes, dark furniture and light walls. Beyond the living room, the kitchen shared a large space with an informal breakfast area, the table and benches framed by expanses of windows.

  “You can take a seat at the breakfast nook if you don’t mind keeping me company while I finish dinner.”

  While I would never describe a table capable of seating at least eight people as a nook, I nodded and took a seat. Sam released Blue with a stern warning not to bother me and ventured back to the stove. With obvious excitement, Blue turned and headed straight in my direction, demanding my attention as he sniffed my legs and hands.

  “Well, there’s something special about you because Blue’s usually the strong silent type. I’ve never seen him take to someone like that. Not even my family gets that kind of attention.”

  I smiled and dug my fingers into his dense coat, scratching his chest as a glazed expression crossed over his ice blue eyes. “Not very creative with his name, were you?”

  Sam scoffed, his back to me as he stirred something on the stove. His white shirt highlighted the strong muscles beneath the fabric, shifting as he moved. He gifted me with a glorious view of his ass in dark denim as he bent to place a dish in the oven.

  “It’s actually a longer story than you’d think.” He sent a smile over his shoulder. “Can I offer you a glass of wine?”

  Under normal circumstances, I abstained from alcohol, but I needed some to steel my nerves. “Yes, please.”

  Sam’s jaw tightened, giving me the impression he liked that answer for more reasons than the wine. He stepped through a doorway and reappeared two minutes later. Blue had since taken to resting his head on my thigh while I stroked behind his ears, earning a laugh from Sam as he handed me a glass of white wine.

  “Blue was given away when he was about a little over a year old—one of those families who decided too late they didn’t want a big dog. Poor guy went into a state of depression. Wouldn’t eat or play. He lay around the kennels and huddled away from people when they walked by.”

  I glanced down at Blue, his eyes closed as though he’d gone to sleep on my lap even while he sat upright.

  Sam walked into the kitchen, gathering two plates and sets of cutlery as he spoke. “The animal shelter called me and asked if I was willing to give him a temporary home—”

  “Why?” I interrupted to ask. “I mean, why did they call you specifically?”

  He smiled and fished around in one of the drawers. “I know the shelter owners. They also run a guide dog training facility, and I’ve helped out on occasion.” Sam turned to meet my eyes. “Ian’s my brother, if Garret hasn’t already told you.”

  I nodded. “A few hours ago.”

  Sam’s features tightened before he went back to gathering serving utensils. “Well, I went with Ian about ten years ago to partner him with a guide dog after his first retired.”

  I tensed at the word but hoped Sam didn’t notice.

  “I’ve been involved ever since, though not as much as I’d like. You understand. Ballet doesn’t leave enough time to devote to fostering a pup. Anyway, they called about Blue when I was ass-deep in rehearsals for Sleeping Beauty. I didn’t have time to foster him, but I agreed because it was either that or—”

  Sam broke off, but I understood. My fingers tightened in Blue’s fur, thankful for whatever happened that led him to being here, nuzzling at my wrist with his cold nose to get closer to me.

  Sam cleared his throat and grabbed his own glass of wine before drifting toward me. “I took one look at him and caved. He was a miserable mess, but I couldn’t leave him there. Of course, with rehearsals and a show, I was barely ever at home so he spent his days with me at the theatre. The company director wasn’t thrilled, but he allowed it.”

  I smiled, imagining a smaller version of Blue curled up back stage or buried under layers of tulle.

  “Blue didn’t budge from my side. He followed me everywhere like a silent shadow with his head tilted down like he wanted to be invisible. Even when I tried to get his attention, he didn’t lift his head. When people greeted him, he shied away, sometimes cowering into me.”

  I frowned, hating the visual his words created.

  A smile crept over Sam’s face as he knelt in front of me, running a hand down Blue’s back. “I can’t remember who I was talking to—probably one of the dancers—when I mentioned the Bluebird. There was an issue with the costume or some shit like that, but the moment I said Bluebird, this guy’s ear perked, and he glanced up at me. I’ve called him Blue ever since.”

  Blue shifted in my lap, his head angled toward Sam so he could lick at Sam’s hand, his tail beating against the tiled floor. I swiped a tear off my cheek as I watched them, realizing that Garret was right. A man who would rescue a dog in Blue’s condition was unlikely to be conniving with Martin to force me into retirement.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Sam

  “Well, then I guess I take it back.”

  I glanced up at Emily’s words. Moisture pooled in her sea-toned eyes, one tear spilling over to fall down her cheek. She sniffled and wiped it away with the back of one knuckle, using the same hand to tuck a few stray hairs behind her ear. Instead of the staid ballet bun I’d expected, she’d gathered her hair into a thick braid that curled around one shoul
der.

  I’d never seen anything more beautiful.

  She gave me a watery smile, her fingers still buried in Blue’s coat as he nuzzled into her lap. “His name’s far more creative than I thought.”

  Since I was on my haunches in front of her, we were almost at eye level, close enough it took little effort to reach out and palm the back of her neck. Her eyes went impossibly wide as I leaned closer, Blue shuffling to move out from between us. “I realize now I never gave you a proper greeting.”

  She stared at me but said nothing as I closed the distance between us, sealing my lips against hers. They were soft beneath mine, yielding as I deepened the kiss and tasted her tongue. A faint little moan left her when I tightened my grip on her nape, fingers digging into the slender column of her throat.

  Her glass clinking into mine had me pulling back before one of us dropped the damn things and made a huge mess. I cared only because it would take time away from the evening I had planned with Emily. “As much as I want to forget about dinner and take you upstairs right now, we have a few things to discuss first.”

  She nodded, licking her lips in an innocent gesture that nearly killed my resolve. Her full mouth was already tinted red from our kiss, skin blushing with so much ease. I imagined what her ass looked like after a few swats the other night. Crimson. I fought a smile as she gulped several sips of the wine, enough for me to retrieve her glass and carry it with me back to the kitchen.

  Emily remained silent as I set the table for two. It would have been more romantic if I’d arranged it before her arrival and added a few candles. Truth was, the only candles I owned were still packed up in a box upstairs, and I hadn’t thought to buy any for our dinner. Romantic seductions weren’t usually on my agenda, but I was trying for Emily’s sake. She was new and innocent, and I wanted her badly enough to make exceptions. To gentle myself in order to have her.

  “Can I help with anything?” she asked a few moments later.