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“Vari, be smart,” Brutus says. It makes my skin prickle for him to act as if he’s better than me. He most certainly is not. “No man ever truly leaves the mob behind. I’m concerned that Hector knows too much about the main players, both within his own circles and that of his enemies. I fear he’ll expose some of the mafia’s inner workings to the general public. It’d be to his advantage to do so, regardless of whether he is or isn’t still affiliated.”
“Like I told the others,” I reiterate, “I assure you I will keep a close eye on things at the theatre. I won’t let anything get too close to sensitive information.”
Brutus sighs. “I had hoped to be able to change your mind and convince you to remove your financial backing. Without your money, Hector wouldn’t be able to put on the production at all, and all of this trouble could be avoided.”
“I see no need for crippling the theatre,” I say, digging my heels into my position. “I’m a supporter of the arts, Brutus, and shouldn’t need to give you my word a second time. If I said that I’ll keep it under control, then I will.”
He shakes his head and mumbles something about how he “doesn’t understand my obsession with the theatre.” I obviously don’t tell him that my current obsession has nothing to do with this particular play itself, but rather with Dahlia and ensuring she gets her shot at Broadway stardom.
Tensions remain high even after Brutus leaves, and I have a strong feeling this is all far from being over. Which is exactly what prompts me to decide to send a special gift to Dahlia. If I’m going to make the promise to Brutus and the othercaposthat I’ll keep their secrets safe, and keep my promise to Hector that his show can go on, I’m also going to make a promise to myself that I’ll keep Dahlia safe from harm as she stars in this highly controversial and highly visible role on stage. In addition to watching over her personally during the rehearsals and performances, what better way to ensure her physical safety than a bit of armor?
5
DAHLIA
The next morning, I find a mysterious package outside my door, with no return address but simply my name on it. When I sit down on the couch with it, I see there’s an unsigned note attached to the top that reads “For rehearsals.” First guess makes me think it’s from the director. After all, who else would be sending me something to use during rehearsals? Although it’s admittedly a bit odd that Hector would send something in the middle of the night, if indeed it’s from him.
I pull the giant red ribbon and then lift the top off the box. Inside, there is a sea of red tissue paper that I reach through until my fingers land on something. When I pull my hands out, they’re holding a gorgeous leather bustier top and a leather jacket. It looks perfect for playing the part of a mafiaprincipessa, and it also looks extremely high quality and expensive. It must’ve come from the costuming department, and Hector must want me to wear it during rehearsals in order to really embody the role I’ll be playing.
I set it back inside the box for now and grab a few more hours of sleep. When I wake up later to get ready, I might as well be a kid in a candy shop, I’m so excited to try it on. I take a few minutes to stare at myself in the mirror and admire how well it fits me and how sexy it looks with my jeans and short-heeled black boots. Now I do really feel the part of a beautiful, dangerous woman in the mafia. I practically run to the subway to get to morning rehearsals, eager to jump into my role and start what will hopefully be the first day of a very successful Broadway career. I’ve been waiting so long for this.
There’s still my mother’s lingering disappointment that I’m going through with this show, and also the substantial distraction that seeing Vari again has ignited. But overall, I use the subway ride to go over my lines and try to focus on what I’ll be doing at the theatre today. But as soon as I walk into the performance hall, I’m stunned to see Vari there. “What are you doing here?” I blurt out, sounding ruder than I had intended. “Did you reschedule your meeting?”
“No.” He smiles with a calm demeanor that makes me unexpectedly nervous. “I’m going to be co-directingBlood Rose.”
Instantly, I feel myself getting irrationally angry and upset at this surprising news. Vari has no theatre experience at all. He’s never acted, never directed, never even so much as built a set or a single prop. So, what in the world makes Vari think he can waltz in here and put on a director’s cap? “Is this some sort of ploy you’re using to try and weasel your way back into my life?” I snap at him without thinking. Honestly, my accusation doesn’t even make sense, since he’s the one who left me. But I’m feeling too emotionally conflicted right now to think straight. I don’t want Vari to interfere with my chance to hit it big as a Broadway actress. But in the back of my head, I also know that I still am, and always have been, in love with him. I need a clean break from this man in order to concentrate on my life and move on. Having him here co-directing my first major production is going to make that very hard. How am I supposed to focus on my part under these conditions?
“I think you’re flattering yourself,” Vari says coldly. “I have other reasons for being here that don’t have anything to do with you.”
I feel myself flush with embarrassment. I shouldn’t have said any of that, and I should now pick up what is left of my pride and drop the issue entirely. But I can’t. I’m in it too deep to backpedal now. Besides, I’m going to be forced to work in a very near proximity with the man who broke my heart, and I simply can’t do that.
I march straight up to Hector. “I need to bring a complaint to your attention,” I say.
“Already?” Hector asks. “We haven’t even started rehearsals yet. Please tell me you’re not going to be one of those highly dramatic and overly needy actresses. I don’t have the patience for divas.”
This is already starting off on the wrong foot and I need to tread lightly. “I thought I’d only be working for you as the director,” I continue. “Not Vari Roberto as a co-director as well.”
“Is that what he’s calling himself?” Hector chuckles as he shoots a glance over at Vari. Vari meets his gaze and instantly Hector backs down and falls in line. “Look, Vari will be here throughout the entire production, and no exceptions are being made for anyone, including you. It’s his money funding this show, and that makes him a lot more valuable to me than you are.” I swallow hard and feel a lump in my throat. “If you don’t like it, you’re free to leave. I can easily find a replacement.”
“No, no, that won’t be necessary,” I say quickly. Literally all of this is backfiring in my face miserably. As disgruntled as I am, I have no other choice but to concede and resign myself to ignoring everything else and just doing what I came here to do—act. As I walk to the backstage area, I catch a glimpse of Vari’s satisfied, smug face. Sometimes, I don’t know whether I love or hate that man.
During rehearsals, Hector starts us off with one of the big love scenes. I have no idea why he would want to start anywhere other than the beginning of the play, but I can be sure that this directorial decision wasn’t Vari’s. Every so often during the rehearsal, I look out into the audience seating and see Hector and Vari sitting in the very front row with eyes staring intently at me. Vari looks uncomfortable in his seat during all the romantic parts, and it makes me glad. It’s hard to make a man as powerful and arrogant as Vari Roberto uncomfortable, and I find great pleasure in being able to do it. Although, I’m still not sure why he even cares. What is it to him if I’m acting opposite a super-hot, super-sexy young male counterpart cast as the lead love interest in the play?
“Okay, I think it’s time for a coffee break,” Vari calls out in the middle of a scene just as the hot actor is about to put his lips on mine for an epic kiss. The way Vari’s abrupt voice cuts through the otherwise silent performance hall is startling.
“Already?” Hector says. “But we’ve barely gotten through this scene. Why don’t you take a coffee break, and we’ll keep going.” Even in the darkened theatre, I can see Vari glare at him, and Hector says immediately in response, “Okay, that’s five, everyone.”
I’m furious at how much Vari is already interfering in what would otherwise be a smoothly flowing rehearsal. And since I don’t feel like taking a break, I go to find and confront Vari as soon as I see him walking alone backstage. “What the hell?” I ask, unsure whether my mother would be proud of the streaks of courage that I seem to be finding lately or worried about the fact that I keep mouthing off to a mafiacapo. “We were literally right in the middle of a scene. What gives you the right to—”
Before I can finish my sentence, Vari whips around in one swift motion and nearly pins my body against the wall with his. “You aren’t really mad that you were in the middle of a scene, Dahlia, are you? You’re more upset that you were in the middle of getting kissed by a guy who looks like he stepped out of beat poetry night and lives in a hostel with his two sisters and cat.”
“You’re just jealous,” I hiss at him, not even sure I believe that to be true.
“Am I?”
I stand there frozen inside the angst-ridden moment and feel as if palpable sexual chemistry is crawling around in the air between us. “I don’t know why you’re suddenly back in my life,” I say, trying to talk through the breath catching in my chest. “But I wish you’d stop meddling in it.”
Vari looks as if he’s fighting against himself as his eyes drop down to graze the top of my breasts which are just peering above the black leather corset. If I didn’t know better, I might think he’s tempted. He takes a step back, separating some space between his body and mine, and seems to regain his composure. “I think that maybe you should be more careful before you speak,” he says in a low and predatorial growl. “Because if I were jealous of the male actor you’re sucking face with onstage, I probably wouldn’t be having half the understudies invited into my bed tonight.” I can feel an indignant and awful wave of warmth blush my cheeks. “I think maybe you’ve forgotten who left who,” he concludes with narrowed eyes before he turns and walks away.
