Page 7 of Dancing on Air

For a few short days before Emma left, the three of them acted like a real family, something she’d never really had before.

Then Emma needed to return to California to work on JT’s movie.

JT surprised her by allowing her to stay on the island alone with Bo.

After he left, she spent the night snuggled up with Bo watching television. The following morning, she went through her standard stretching routine in the kitchen, then she showered and made scrambled eggs for her and Bo. After cleaning up the mess in the kitchen, she went into the living room and browsed her brother’s bookshelves. Finding one of his bestselling books, she sat down and read. Bo snored at her feet the entire time.

She had to admit, her brother knew how to write a spooky story. She lost herself in the pages until her feet felt numb.

Then she and Bo went outside and walked the island, taking some milk and leftover eggs from breakfast out to the cats. She’d worked with them enough that they finally felt comfortable sitting on her lap, even with Bo sitting beside her.

Being alone on the island, she felt like she was pretending to be an adult. As if this was her home. She wanted—no, needed—to prove to JT and herself that she could do life right.

She’d never been treated like this before. She could tell that JT cared for her, which threw her off. No one ever had before. Her mother basically stalked her, but Cora was sure it wasn’t because she cared. It was more like she was obsessed with her.

Her father just ignored her. He seemed to despise her for some reason.

Looking out over the water that surrounded JT’s private island, she wished more than anything that she could just stay here. New York had always been a dream of hers, but for this place, she could see herself giving it up.

But she knew that soon she’d feel the urge to dance. She always did. Could she go directly to New York instead of heading back to school? She called the school and told them she had a family emergency. She still had time until she was due back.

There was only a little money left in her aunt’s trust fund to pay for her classes. Could she get a job and save up enough money to pay for them herself?

These questions ate at her while she filled her time alone on the island.

Finally, when she grew hungry again, she and Bo headed back to the house.

The moment they stepped inside the back door,

someone grabbed her from behind. She was so shocked at first that she froze. Then, her instincts kicked in and she did everything she could to defend herself and break free.

In the end, it was Bo who had finally helped her escape. The dog sank his teeth into the person’s leg, and they loosened their grip. She rushed into the laundry room and barred the door as she listened to Bo fight for his life. When it grew quiet, she heard Bo whimper at the door. She opened it and grabbed the dog and locked them in there together until she heard JT’s boat returning to the island.

Bo and she rushed from the house, down the pathway that led to the private dock area and watched JT tie off the boat. Then she noticed who else was with him.

Kayla. Cora couldn’t help feeling odd and a little scared at seeing her half-sister looking back at her. She’d never had a sister before. She’d never had a brother either, but being around JT was a whole lot easier than she’d expected.

Kayla was blonde and quite possibly the most beautiful woman she’d ever seen. Cora instantly felt awkward and odd.

“You must be Cora, ” Kayla said when JT helped her onto the dock. She surprised Cora by rushing forward and hugging her. “I’m Kayla. We’re sisters.”

Tears filled Cora’s eyes, which surprised her. Maybe the kindness Emma and JT had shown her over the past few days had softened her up. She wiped her eyes and blurted out, “Someone was in the house.”

“What?” JT jerked around and looked at her.

“Bo bit them.” She knelt down and hugged the dog. “It was a man. He tried…” She closed her eyes and tried to get herself under control. It had been hours since the attack. She should have recovered by now. Instead, tears streamed down her face at the memory. At the fear. All the time locked in the laundry room, she’d tried to convince herself that it hadn’t been her father. Could it have been?

Didn’t she now believe that her dad had done something to her mother?

“Stay here.” JT quickly walked past the pair.

“He’s gone. I locked myself in the laundry room,” she said to his back. “JT,” she called after him.

“Stay here.” He pointed to her. “Kayla, if I don’t come back in ten minutes, head to the mainland.”

Kayla nodded and put her hands on Cora’s shoulders, as if protecting her. Once they were alone, Kayla turned to her, her eyes running over her face. “You look so much like Lori.”

Cora’s heart sank. JT had filled her in on his other sister’s death when she’d been sixteen. How, shortly after Lori’s mysterious death, their dad had gone to live with Cora and her mother.