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“I think so. Valium, in her bag. Get one out,” he said. He smiled and kissed my forehead as Petra grabbed my water bottle and passed it me along with the pill. I closed my eyes again and rested my head against the wall. I continued to breathe and exhale deeply.
“It’s him, isn’t it? He triggers these panic attacks,” Nikoli asked lowly.
I sighed and shoved the pill in my mouth washing it into my system with the water. “Mainly,” I whispered. My body felt weak and drained and the thought of crawling back into my bed and sleeping for the next couple of hours seemed very appealing.
“Why, Raine? Do you fear him, is that it?” He asked taking my hand and rubbing his thumb across it.
I swallowed hard as I tried to weigh up how much I felt comfortable to disclose to him. Then I remembered that Max was waiting and I would need to show my face before his suspicions were aroused. “I’ll tell you, just not now, not here,” I croaked. I pulled my hand from his and tried to push up on my feet, seeing me struggle, he helped me and pulled me in to his arms. “Promise me, if things get out of hand when you go home later, you will call me,” he whispered in my ear.
I pulled away from him and narrowed my eyes, “What do you mean by that?”
He diverted his eyes to the floor and shook his head casually. “Nothing. I’m just saying if you need me later, you promise to call me.”
“Right, here’s what’s going to happen,” said Petra breezing back into the office with a wide smile. Funnily enough she was the only one in the room smiling. Nikoli looked like he wanted to commit murder as his dark eyes intensified and I was left with a scowl whilst I minced over his words. Did he know something about my life with Max?
Before I had chance to dwell on the meaning behind his words, I felt a cold, dainty hand take mine and slowly pull me from the room. I felt like I was being led to my death and everyone in the studio was the firing squad as the hushed whispers suddenly silenced. Unable to look up, I concentrated on putting one foot in front of the other.
“Nothing to see here, please carry on,” snapped Petra loudly.
I felt two rough hands grasp my shoulders tightly and I completely froze when I became aware of Max in front of me. “Are you okay? She said you weren’t feeling well?” Boomed his voice, loudly and slowly as though I was hard of hearing.
I felt myself automatically surrender to fake Raine. I painted on a smile and raised my head, “Of course. I’ve just been pushing myself with this dancing malarkey and I felt faint.”
His expression wasn’t one of concern like Nikoli’s was moments ago but one of relief as he let out a laugh, “Trust you, Raine. You always have to take things to the extreme.”
I felt Petra’s grip on my hand flex slightly. “Why don’t you sit down for the last ten minutes of the class?” she suggested.
I went to express my thanks and as I opened my mouth to speak, he cut me off. “No need, she’s completely fine. I don’t pay for these lessons for her to sit on her backside.”
I felt my cheeks ignite in embarrassment and I glared at him silently. “What are you doing here?” I asked through gritted teeth.
He balked and his eyebrows furrowed, “Is it so wrong for a husband to want to take his wife to a late lunch?” He asked me. He glanced towards Petra then back to me again. Lunch? He never has time to leave work, even on a weekend.
I pulled my hand from Petra’s and stepped closer to him, “You want to take me to lunch, why?” I asked quietly.
He grinned at Petra then excused us from her glaring gaze. He hooked his hand under my arm and pulled me to the side of the studio. “Why are you questioning me, Raine? Surely if I want to take you to lunch when your Ballroom lesson is over, then I can.”
Instantaneously, bile found its way in to the back of my mouth, I hadn’t mentioned to him that I’d also taken up Latin. When I tried to broach the subject with him a few nights previous he assumed I was talking about Ballroom and I never bothered to correct him. I felt the tiny hairs on the back of my neck bristle and a tingle rippled down my spine, I knew that Nikoli’s eyes on were on me, but I didn’t want to turn around. “This is Latin, not Ballroom,” I told him in a
harsh whisper.
He took a step back from me, I noticed his facial muscles twitched and the veins in his neck protruded, “You never told me you were taking Latin!” I dropped my head to the floor like a child.
I took a deep breath, raised my chin again and attempted to challenge him, “I tried to tell you a few nights ago, but as usual, you refused to listen to me. You never listen to me, Max.”
He scoffed, “When you have something of worth to say, then I’ll listen to you.” He turned away and muttered something under his breath.
“Excuse me, Mr. Peters, but it was my idea that Raine take up Latin, to help her with her posture and balance. I apologize but I’ve not had a chance to formally introduce myself, I’m Niki, Niki Chenkov,” smiled Petra.
I watched Max rake his eyes up and down over her body and his whole demeanor changed, his eyebrows raised, his face relaxed and then his lips formed an over-bearing smile as he took her hand. “So, you’re her dance instructor?” He asked. I felt Nikoli’s presence right behind me, he wasn’t too close to cause suspicion, but close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him and I broke out into a cold sweat.
“Yes, she is a good dancer and those with potential we encourage to take up lessons in other styles,” she continued with a sweet smile.
Max grabbed my hand and pulled me towards his side as a raucous laugh flew from his mouth, “Well that is a surprise. Raine has two left feet and moves with all the grace of an elephant. Still, you’re the expert, not me.”
My fingers of my left hand were curling into my palm in sheer humiliation at Max’s presence. As I watched him, I envisioned myself wedging my finger into the corner of his eye and popping his eyeball straight from his skull while he screamed in agony.
“Class dismissed!” Nikoli shouted, walking from behind me. He pulled the plug on the music and ushered the other students from the room, then slammed the door behind them. “I don’t think we’ve met, I’m Gleb Chenkov,” Nikoli said sternly and placed his arms around Petra, “Niki’s husband.”
