The Ballerina & The Fighter (Book 1)

by Ursula Sinclair

  “Run,” I said to Ivy not turning to look at her but knowing I could at least keep Jai occupied while she escaped. All I really wanted to do was get her away from this. Jai stepped forward and our blades engaged; the sound of steel upon steel echoed through the alley. “Run, back to the road.”

  “No. I called the police. I’m not leaving you!” she yelled.

  Any other time I’d admire her courage, but not when I put her in danger. I could hear the sirens in the distance. Jai was skilled, but I could beat him, to do so I might have to kill him. I heard footsteps coming behind us and I knew who it probably was, the two I’d spotted on the sidewalk by the alley entrance.

  “Run. Please.” I charged full out at Jai when he looked in her direction. I wanted his entire focus on me. Our blades danced under the watered down light in the alley way just as I noted Ivy race past us toward the crowd and safety.

  I breathed a sigh of relief. “We can continue this here or in the arena, I really don’t care. But the cops are here.” I stepped back and lowered my blades, so did Jai.

  He stared at me for a moment, nodded at whoever stood behind me. They moved forward to help the two men on the ground who just began to stir. “Let’s go. Someone wants to talk to you,” Jai said.

  Jai turned and walked in the opposite direction from where Ivy had gone. Not having much choice in the matter, I followed him. His helpers bringing up the rear. I didn’t look back. I knew Ivy was safe and I’d damn well make sure she stayed that way by staying the hell away from her. My brain knew it was the right thing to do, my heart, however, hurt like a bitch.

  Chapter Twelve

  Ivy

  I had no idea what the hell was going on, all of a sudden, Maze acted so strange. He kept looking around; his body had tensed up on me and not in a good way. When we broke out of the crowd and he led me down an alley I knew something was up. I didn’t understand, one minute we’re going through the alley, I could see the street up ahead when Maze stopped, turned us around and we walked back the way we’d just come. But when those three guys appeared blocking our way out, other than the night of Shelly’s death, I’d never been so scared in my life. Who the hell were these guys, they knew Maze. What the fuck? Big ass knives, they pulled out big ass knives and holy shit, Maze pulled a pair of wicked-looking blades, too. What the hell was going on, because they began to fight like something from a martial arts movie. And Maze could fight. I remembered that night at the beach so long ago. What was it about this man that everywhere he went violence followed? Granted it was not of his doing but trouble seemed to find him. But why was I always with him?

  I pulled out my phone and called 911 but no one seemed to care. Instead, Maze told me to run. Like hell! I didn’t know what to do but I was not leaving him here on his own. But I knew it wasn’t safe there and if he had to worry about me, well, I would not distract him. I heard the sirens and ran toward the crowd. I glanced to my left where the sound came from. I saw people moving, trying to get out of the way of the car with the flashing lights. But it could only go so far. The food booths were in the way. I ran toward help. I saw uniformed men running in my direction. I began to scream, “Help, please help him!” Two cops got to me first. I couldn’t believe I still held the damn pizza in my hand. I think I was glued to it, my fingers were so numb. I wasn’t sure I could release it on my own.

  “What happened? Who needs help?” One of the officers asked.

  “Maze, he’s back there.” I turned and lifted my head in the direction of the alley. “In the alley…we…we were mugged by three men with knives.” I wasn’t about to tell them Maze fought with knives, too. They raced past me to the alley when I turned to follow them but another female police office held my arm.

  “Whoa stay here, miss. Let us do our jobs.”

  “Please, I need to know he’s all right.”

  Her radio crackled and I heard a voice say a bunch of numbers but they were meaningless to me, and then something about in pursuit of suspects. I wrenched out of her grasp, but she stayed with me as I ran toward the alley through the crowds that had gathered at the edge, to see what was going on. I made my way past them but the alley was empty. There wasn’t even any sign of the two officers. The female officer shined her light around the alley and her light flashed over something wet on the ground. She walked over to it and I went with her. I hadn’t noticed the spot before. She didn’t have to tell me what it was, blood. But whose?

  Two hours later, I finally took a cab back to my apartment and entered. Dante stepped out of his room just as I shut the door. He took one look at me; I still held that damn pizza box in my hand. He walked across the rug to me and took it out of my hand. I followed him into the kitchen.

  He rested the pizza box on the counter and looked at me. “What happened?”

  I began to cry. I had no idea what had happened. I’d been texting and calling Maze since he disappeared in the alley but he never replied. I didn’t know if he was hurt or what. Whose blood was that? It was three men against one, although he’d been holding his own more than that, he’d been winning, but they had guns and knives. Who were those people and why hadn’t he at least let me know he was all right? I sat on one of the kitchen chairs and Dante came over and sat beside me, he placed his arm around me.

  “Ivy, you’re scaring me. You look like shit. Did Maze do something? I’ll kick his ass.”

  I smiled, Dante, ever my protector. “No…no Maze didn’t do anything he…he protected me. We got jumped.” Then I told Dante what happened at least what I understood to have happened.

  “Wow, you had quite a night. Still it sounds to me like this dude is involved in some messed up shit I do not want you involved in.”

  I glared at him. “Oh please don’t give me ultimatums.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, I know how stubborn you are, but you know I’m right.”

  “One thing’s clear, Maze knew one of the guys and did not want to go with him. I think they took him someplace with them that he didn’t want to go. But why didn’t he call me by now to let me know he was okay?”

  “I don’t know, babe.” Dante flipped open the pizza box and took a bite of the cold pizza.

  Earlier I’d been hungry but my appetite had fled hours ago and had still not returned. I had questions but no answers, only Maze could provide those for me.

  I went to bed shortly afterward, but my sleep was fitful, so it was no wonder I got up early, or something else had awoken me. At five a.m. in the morning. The ping of my phone, I had a text. I grabbed for my phone. It was from Maze. I breathed a sigh of relief.

  Maze: ‘You ok?’

  Me: ‘ME!!! I’m fine. What the hell about you? Are you all right?’

  Maze: ‘Yeah I’m fine.’

  Me: ‘Who the hell were those guys?’

  Maze: ‘No one.’

  Me: ‘The police want to talk to you. I gave them a description of those men.’

  Maze: ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.’

  Me: ‘Ok. Will I see you today?’

  His reply was a long time in coming, for some reason I felt my stomach knotting and cramping. When the reply finally came it tightened even more.

  Maze: ‘No. Listen this was not a good idea. But I was glad I saw you dance.’

  Me: ‘What’s not a good idea?’

  Maze: ‘Us.’

  What did I say to that? I pushed him away before now he pushed me away. I couldn’t help feel this had something to do with last night.

  Me: ‘Are you in some kind of trouble?’

  Maze: ‘No.’

  Me: ‘Why don’t I believe you?’

  Maze: ‘I gotta go. It was really nice seeing you. Take care.’

  Me: ‘Will I see you again before you leave the country?’

  Maze: ‘Probably not, I’m going to be busy. What do they say in show biz, break a leg.’

  And just like that Maze came into my life and he went out. I sat there for a long time just staring out the window.
It took a minute for me to realize it was raining, because tears fell from my eyes. There was a knock on my door and before I could say come or go, Dante had pushed the door open and poked his head in. The second he saw me sitting on the bed crying he walked into my room. Without a word he sat down with his back to the headboard, he took me in his arms and just held me while I cried over someone else. I didn’t even understand why I shed tears over him. So we kissed a few times in our lives, but Maze didn’t seem interested in doing any more of that, any more of anything. I’d get over it. Meanwhile Dante continued to hold me. Finally, he asked.

  “What happened? Did you hear from Maze?”

  I wrapped my arms around Dante’s waist and spoke into his stomach. I didn’t want to look into his eyes; they weren’t the color of the storm that raged outside this morning. “He’s fine.”

  “That’s good. So why are you crying?”

  I hiccupped, wiped my face with the edge of the sheet then pushed away from him. Shifting until I sat up in bed. I leaned my head against his shoulder.

  “Hell if I know,” I said and let my lips curl into a half smile.

  He rubbed his head against mine. “Are you seeing him again?”

  “No. I don’t think so. He…he doesn’t want to see me.”

  He squeezed my hand on top of the cover near his hip. “Then he’s an ass.”

  Dante jumped out of bed and walked to the door. “Take a shower. I’m making breakfast; we have classes for a few hours then you and I are going out.”

  I sat up and swung my legs over the side. “What about Christy?”

  He opened the door, stopped and turned back to look at me. “What about her?”

  “Is she coming with us?”

  “Three’s a crowd?” he said, and smiled as he closed the door behind him.

  I got up and quickly got dressed washing my tears away in the shower. I wasn’t even sure why I cried yet again over Maze. Yes we’d had this incredible connection, but apparently, maybe, it didn’t mean as much to him as it did to me. After I changed and got my ballet bag with all my gear ready to go, I walked into the kitchen. The smell of whatever Dante fixed permeated the air and had my stomach growling. The man could cook and I hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday, the way my stomach growled I’d be able to eat my share of breakfast. I realized he was alone in the kitchen. “Where’s Christy?” After I asked I realized Christy hadn’t been here with Dante last night. That was interesting; they’d been going hot and heavy for a couple of months now.

  “At her apartment I assume,” Dante shrugged.

  “What’s up with that?” I took a seat at the counter, Dante put a plate in front of me with a bacon and cheese omelet on it.

  “Nothing. Just needed a little space. Eat up,” he said, waving his spatula in my direction. “You need protein. I’m going to work your ass off today.” And he meant every word of it.

  After classes, which the entire cast took Christy tried to get my roommate to go back to her place. He told her he’d catch her tomorrow. A few of us hung around after classes chatting, but I was close enough to hear her question and his reply, that he had a few things he needed to do. She raised her head, stared right at me, and narrowed her eyes. It was not a friendly look. I frowned at her. Damnit. I wish she wouldn’t hold me responsible because he blew her off. After she stormed out of the room, I turned to Dante.

  “You know you could have invited her to come hang out with us.”

  He frowned. “Why?”

  “Cause now she’s pissed at me.”

  He shrugged. “Too bad. Things haven’t been so great lately, we need to step back a little and I told her so last night along with the reminder that we were just chilling together for now. I’m not looking for permanency.”

  This was typical Dante. He didn’t do long relationships. Since I’d known him, the longest he ever dated was all of three months and the guy didn’t live in New York, he visited on business trips. Come to think of it I never met him. Dante had never been monogamous, he saw at least three other people at the time, all female. But in truth I believe he told Christy what he did because it’s not what he wanted from her. The truth was, I guess when it came to commitments and relationships, he and I weren’t so different. We knew what we wanted we just couldn’t find it, and were not about to settle. Although once I thought I did.

  Dante and I were the last to leave the studio. We headed back to our condo to drop our stuff off, take quick showers and changed. Of all places he took me to a movie, I think we both slept through most of it; so I have no idea if it was good or bad. We grabbed a couple of burgers afterward but I wasn’t ready to go home. I was determined not to take my phone out of my purse to see if Maze had tried to text me. He never called. I’d already checked before we left the studio, he hadn’t.

  “Let’s try that new club over on the West side,” Dante suggested.

  “All right.” The funny thing about dancers even after dancing all day, we still loved to dance all night. We took a cab and there was a line to get into the place. Folks stood behind red velvet rails. But it looked like the door guard was being selective, because two of them walked the line and pulled people out sending them inside. One of them got to Dante and me, who had his arm around my neck. The guard unhooked the rail by us and said, “You two front of the line.”

  We smiled and walked to the entrance, after paying an outrageous fee we were in. I was glad I was with Dante cause I’d never spend that much money on a club. But it did have a nice vibe and the music was danceable, Get Up (Rattle) by Bingo Players rent the air. We made our way over to the bar but only grabbed a couple of beers. Oh we drank harder stuff than that, but not when we’re performing the way we were and taking classes to keep in shape. The last thing either of us needed was a hangover the next day when we had master dance classes.

  Made for an accident on point or when Dante had to do a complicated lift, I didn’t want either of us breaking our necks. But a couple of beers would be fine. We clinked our bottles together and Dante grinned as he glanced around the club.

  “Ten o’ clock,” I said, tilting my head slightly toward the girls I noticed checking him out.

  He took a sip and nodded his head in time to the music as he turned around to check out the babes ogling him.

  “Not bad,” he replied, and turned back to me. “Maybe later. Let’s dance.”

  He placed his beer on the counter and took my beer out of my hand and placed it next to his. Then taking my hand he led me to the dance floor. We joined the jumping bodies and head banged to the music, having a blast. After a couple of dances I noticed the two girls who’d been eyeballing him from the bar had made their way near us dancing together, with their arms wrapped around each other.

  I moved closer to him and yelled into his ear so he could hear over the music, “You’re being stalked.”

  He turned and saw the girls, moving closer to them, they must have said something to him, I couldn’t hear over the music because he leaned in to them. Then he raised his arms and placed them over both their shoulders. He’s such a pig I thought grinning. I didn’t mind. I closed my eyes, immersed myself in the beat and kept right on dancing. Suddenly, some instinct had me opening my eyes and I stared into the center of a storm.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Maze

  I should have turned my ass around as soon as I saw her on the dance floor with that dude. But I couldn’t take my eyes off her. Today was a shitty day. After my meeting last night, deciding to leave Ivy alone, my concentration was crap and this morning Joe handed me my head on a platter because of my inattention during training.

  I bore the bruises on my ass to prove it. I thought about Ivy all night. Also, what was the point of training so long and hard for something I would not be allowed to claim. Like her.

  Last night I was reminded about the fight and the enforcer, who happened to be Jai’s older brother, wanted to work out the details, right down to how I would take the fall. There were no ro
unds, like most regular fights, for this fight, we fought until somebody went down. Nor was it the kinda shit most associated with MMA leagues, there wasn’t a lot of boxing or rolling around on the floor. This was a purer form of the arts. But they wanted me to make sure I dragged it out and the last few minutes get my ass good and truly kicked. Then I had to fucking do it again during the blade part of the match, and let the dick head draw first blood.

  They reminded me of all of this while Joe sat at the conference table with four of the heads of the Triads, and the fucker I had to fight stood behind Joe’s chair, his hands on the back of it. The implication was clear. I’d watched him fight. I was better. I had to fucking let this piece of shit take me down with the flat of a blade. I could not bring myself to look at anyone else in the room but Joe, otherwise I would have given them the finger and walked out. I had to agree. I had no choice but to be a fucking pin cushion. Joe needed me to do this. After everything he’d done for my mom before she died, for me. I owed that man everything. I owed him my life. So if I had to bruise and bleed a little for him, so be it. I didn’t have to like it though.

  Yet there was one thing I wanted, more than anything in this world, one night with Ivy. Just one night. I had planned to stay away and I would have, I swear I would have. Except I saw her at a weak moment and I needed her so badly. So I stood in the club like an ass and watched her dance. The way her body moved as she turned in a circle was a feast for the senses. Her eyes had been closed but when she opened them again they were wide open and staring right at me. I raised one hand and extended a finger back and forth in her direction. Calling her to me, and wonders of wonders, she came.

  I took her hand and turned to go. I needed. I wanted. Now. But she tugged on my hand stopping me cold. Taking me out of whatever the fucking universe I thought we lived in that I could just walk right outta there with her, find the nearest room and fuck each other’s brains out.