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If he thought I needed more sex, then he should see my husband. Sex was not my problem.
Walsh let go of my hips and I believed he wanted to help lift me up, but instead, I was flipped on my back on the floor before I had a moment to realize what was happening. Franklin Walsh was on top of me, forcing my legs open with his.
“Professor Walsh, this is not… let me go.”
“There are things you have to understand, Grazia. I intend to offer you a sponsorship at the next auditions for the Academy. I can’t afford you to fail because if you make a fool of yourself, it’s embarrassing to me. If you need to get fucked to take that audition, you’ll damn well listen to me. I know better.”
Not once did he raise his voice and that was the most disturbing thing.
“Get off of me.”
“We all need to make sacrifices for the great art of ballet. Three times a week in my office, and I’ll loosen you up in no time. I’ll be quick and if you ask nice, we can make it about pleasure too, not just business. I know how to make a woman come.” His voice turned hoarse, almost like he was attempting to be seductive. “You’re not ugly. It’s not going to be half bad for me.”
Finally, the shock wore off and I could react again. The paralysis in my limbs washed away and I pushed his chest back.
“I said get off of me.”
“You sound stressed. Should I start now?”
I felt his cold hand going down on my leg and his touch was too much even through the dancing tights. Remembering every lesson my brothers and Salvatore ever gave me, I reacted. I used one of my legs to push him to the side and break free from his clutch and punched him in the throat. Walsh lost his breath and started choking and before he had a chance to regain his strength, I launched my fist again, this time connecting it with his nose. His blood burst and stained my hand.
“Ah, damn you! You stupid cow!”
I ran to the other side of the room, grabbed my stuff and ran for the door.
“Grazia!” Walsh barked like a wounded dog.
“Don’t you ever lay a finger on me again.”
“You broke my nose.”
“You’re lucky it wasn’t my husband who got to you first.”
He growled, trying to push himself up with one hand while holding on to his nose with the other, so I started running, but Walsh was already on my heel. I heard the door of the studio slamming shut and him calling for me and I hurried down the stairs. As soon as I made it out in the open, I felt a sweet release washing down on me. It didn’t last long because two steps on the sidewalk, one of the ribbons of my pointe shoes got loose and I stepped on it, falling down in a clutter of limbs, hair, and pink tulle.
Walsh stumbled through the main entrance too, going down the stairs to come to me.
“People are watching, you stupid woman.” His words were practically spit on me. “What are you trying to do? Ruin my career?”
His hand tried to grab mine, but before he could, a mountain of muscle and anger grabbed him by the throat and lifted him in the air, and his eyes were screaming bloody murder. I’ve never seen Yannis fight, but I knew there was a reason why Adrian Fiori chose him to be his son’s protector, and why everyone in Palermo was terrified of him.
“Grazia, get up. Get behind me.” I did exactly what he asked. “He hurt you.”
“Yes.” My response came like a reflex.
Walsh started struggling, trying to break free. “No. She’s my student. She broke my bloody nose.”
“Don’t talk.” Yannis tightened his grip. “What did he do, Grazia?”
“He… he touched me. He wanted to…” I couldn’t finish. Mostly because of the shock.
Yannis threw Franklin Walsh to the pavement hard enough to turn his organs into scrambled eggs and the professor moaned.
“You,” he pointed at me, “I’m going to call the police. I’m going to…”
Yannis stopped his rant. “No more dancing for you, stupid fuck.”
Two stomps on Walsh’s knees, that was all it took for his bones to shatter and for the man to let out a scream loud enough to draw attention. Two people stopped on the other side of the street and faces started to show in the windows of the ballet studio. One belonged to Rita Aurore, but I couldn’t care less. Walsh deserved to be screaming in pain.
