Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 54522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 54522 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 273(@200wpm)___ 218(@250wpm)___ 182(@300wpm)
The ground is rough on my point shoes, but I don’t care. The minor pain of the block against my toes feels good. I close my eyes and let the concerto fill me as I visualize being back on stage inside the theatre again. And even after the violin stops playing, I still continue to dance as if someone has wound me up and I can’t stop until my clockwork gear runs out.
When I finally stop dancing and open my eyes, I’m stunned to see that a crowd has gathered around us. Several people clap, and several more are snapping pictures with their phones. Suddenly, I realize that my hoodie and sunglasses disguise won’t be enough to protect me if any photos go viral. I take off my shoes quickly and thank the street musician for that lovely moment of feeling so free dancing in the square.
“Are you sure you don’t want to hang around?” he asks, happy about all the bills and coins that were dropped into his violin case while we were performing together. “We could be a team and eat well for a few nights.”
“I’m sure,” I say apologetically. “I’m sorry, but I really can’t stay here any longer. Thank you, though. It was truly lovely.”
He smiles, and I pull my hoodie down a bit more over my head as I walk away. But I only make it a few steps before I see Marco’s car pull up alongside the sidewalk and Vincent step out.
“Get in,” he says calmly.
CHAPTER 18
VINCENT
When Isla gets into the car, she says nothing. She knows she can’t run from me. But what she doesn’t know is that I have decided not to force her to stay.
I’ve never felt like this before—never even thought of allowing someone to defy me in order to save their happiness. I’ve never loved in the way that I love Isla. But before I give her a choice, I want to show her something that I’ve been working on behind the scenes for a while now.
Marco drives us back to the house in silence. He gives us the occasional glance through the rearview mirror because he knows what I’ve been working on building for Isla during the chaos surrounding us. He’s been my middleman with the contractors and the one funneling questions to Madame Durant behind the scenes to ensure that the choices pertaining to the requirements of a dance space are well-informed. With an endless supply of money and resources, it didn’t take long, and perhaps I should have mentioned what I was doing to Isla before I allowed her to run away from me for a little while. But I didn’t want to show her anything half-completed. And I wanted to see what she’d do and if she would really run from me.
Of course, I only let her think she was flying alone and free on the city streets for a few hours. As soon as she left my home, I saw her on the cameras and alerted Marco, who followed her from afar to keep a safe eye on her. But once cameras started snapping pictures of Isla dancing, it was time to intervene.
Now, I give Isla something that I have given no one else in my life before. I will give her a choice—even if it kills me.
She doesn’t say a single word to me during the ride, and not even when we walk back into the house. I’m sure she thinks she’s going to get punished for running away.
“Thank you, Marco,” I say as I dismiss him.
I catch the look of helplessness that Isla gives him, and Marco’s reassuring, returns a quick smile in return. If it were any of the rest of my men smiling at her like that, I might take issue with it. But I know Marco means nothing other than a kind, protective friendship at most, which is why he’s the only one I trusted with the knowledge about my little secret project.
“Wait,” I say as Isla goes to put her pointe shoes away in her room. “Keep those with you and come with me, please.”
“If you’re going to force me to train here, you might as well save your breath,” she sighs sadly. “Eventually, all caged birds stop singing, Vincent.”
“I want to show you something,” I say gently as I hold out my hand to her. “If you’ll let me.”
Isla looks surprised to hear my choice of words. Admittedly, I’m surprised at myself, too. Softness, kindness, and permission are all things that have never been part of my repertoire before. But with her, I’m different.
She takes my hand and comes along to the back of the house with me.
“I’ve never been back here,” she says as I unlock a door that leads to the recent addition.
“I know. That’s because this part of the house is new.”