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My heart was wild in my chest at hearing Nikoli’s voice, but it was more for the fact that Max could have heard him call me his pet name or say he was at the end of the road. As I defiantly held Max’s stern gaze, refusing to look away and refusing to shrink, there was a delicious moment where his face washed blank with confusion, like his brain couldn’t turn fast enough to take in my insolence.
“You think I act like your father?” He whispered.
“No, I don’t think so. I know you do,” I retorted. I felt like a student in class back-chatting the teacher, like I was rebelling against authority and the look on his face was priceless. I walked back into the bedroom and checked the clock, it was now 7.40pm.
“Look about what happened with Shona, she’s been begging me to meet you and I’ve refused. She turned up at that function last week uninvited so when I saw her and she smiled, it was a shock. I panicked and then when you challenged me outside, I lost my temper and took it out on you. I know that doesn’t excuse my behavior at all but…”
Ignoring him, I continued to move around the b
edroom. I had no wishes to stand and listen to the drivel falling from his mouth. He was killing me slowly, bit by bit. Whenever I soared, he would drag me down, he would stir up my anxieties on purpose just to be the one to soothe them away, he would pick fault with everything I said and did. Why was I so stupid not to see it? Was it because I really am stupid? Because I was so far under his spell I couldn’t fight back? Or was I more scared of what would happen if I attempted to leave him than what I would face staying with him?
“Will you meet her?” I caught him ask as I snapped myself out of my thoughts.
Grabbing my dance bag from the floor I slung it over my shoulder and walked past him. “Whatever,” I mumbled.
“Where are you going?” He cried as I raced down the stairs.
“Dance class, Max. No doubt I’ll have to stay later now, to make up the time I’ve lost.”
“You aren’t seriously running out on me? We’ve shit to discuss,” he bellowed as he thundered down the stairs after me.
As I reached the front door I turned to look at him. “I have Ballroom to learn. I’ve three weeks to master this, at your orders. Your discussion will have to wait. God, forbid I should fucking show you up!”
“Raine Peters! Wait!”
Slamming the door behind me I ran as fast as my legs could carry me to the bottom of the road, to Nikoli.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN.
The back door swung open and with a fleeting glance over my shoulder to check that Max hadn’t followed me, I quickly dove in the back to find myself up close to Jared. “What are you doing here?” Nikoli reversed the car and sped off at high speed.
“Nice to see you too, Raine!” He replied sarcastically leaning towards me and tugged the seatbelt over my shoulder.
“I’m not a child,” I chastised. I swatted away his hand and proceeded to buckle myself in the back. My head fell against the seat and I let out a relieved but exasperated sigh.
“Are you okay?” Nikoli asked. I raised my head again and he tilted the rearview mirror to see me. All I could see was his piercing yet questionable eyes glaring back at me.
“I will be,” I muttered. I lowered my gaze and chewed the inside of my cheek. My head snapped towards Jared and I watched him drum his fingers on his knees, he seemed agitated. “Why are you here?” I asked again, this time more sternly.
“I dragged him along,” came Nikoli’s voice from the front seat. “After last night’s events at Latin and then when you didn’t turn up for Ballroom tonight, I became concerned. I knew I couldn’t come here by myself and Petra had to take the class in my absence, so I asked Jared to come,” he answered without giving Jared the chance to speak.
“Under what illusions did he drag you here?” I asked turning back to Jared again.
Jared shook his head and smiled, “No illusions and no questions were asked, Raine. I’m here because I was concerned, too. You and I are bound together, I saved your life, remember?” He chuckled and my lips pulled up into a big smile. I could feel it in my gut, he would be a good friend to have, that we would be good friends. Tonight, his actions had proven that. I needed a friend. With a grateful nod of my head, my hand covered his and I gave a silent but thankful squeeze. He smiled back and nodded his head.
“So, we still on for tomorrow night?” Jared asked as he leant forward in his seat to speak to Nikoli.
My eyes automatically glanced towards the rearview mirror to find his already there waiting to meet with mine. “Yeah, should be,” Nikoli replied casually as he continued to speed towards the studio. I broke away and stared out of the window into the vacuum of darkness.
“You’d better be man, we are all looking forward to birthday drinks,” laughed Jared.
I shifted in my seat and my attention was reverted to their conversation. “Birthday?” I asked.
Jared’s head swung in my direction with his boyish smile present, “Yeah, it’s Niki’s birthday, tomorrow he will be the big 3.0,” he replied bouncing up and down in a child-like manner.
“Really?” I drawled. Inside I felt annoyance seep into my core at not knowing this, but I brushed it away. What did I expect? I’d only known him a week.
“The class is meeting up tomorrow night at Brannigan’s to celebrate before he goes off and does his own thing, no doubt that’s code for pulling some fine female,” smirked Jared as he nodded his head and raised his eyebrows.
