The ballerina

"This place is crazy, Aleksander." When I tugged her hand and she turned to face me again there was a frown on her lips stressed by her furrowed brow. "I shouldn't be here."
"No, you should." I yanked her hand and pulled her against my side. "You're with me, and this is where I am. We're just going in for dinner. It's nothing big."

"Easy enough for you to say." She grumbled under her breath and the front door opened.
"Aleksander, my boy!", Nikolai's booming voice pulled my eyes back to the front door. I draped my arm over Rhea's shoulders and turned her away from the fountain.

When Nikolai saw the woman under my arm, his eyes went as wide as dinner plates. He froze and after a beat he narrowed his gaze on me. It was only for a second, but long enough for me to know he had something he would say later.
"Well, don't just stand there! Come on in! Don't leave your lady friend in this chill!" My uncle opened his arms and welcomed us into the gigantic house.

It looked exactly as I remembered it. White marble and gold at every turn. At the top of the grand staircase in the entry way my aunt was standing Frozen in place.
"Is that my nephew who has finally come home for a visit?" Her red silk dress swept around her legs as she descended the stairs in all her glory.

Annika Makalov knew how to make an entrance.

"Yes, Tetya, I am here at your behest." I let go of Rhea and took my aunt's hand as she descended the stairs. "How could I stay away when uncle promised pelmeni?"
"Yes, Nikolai loves to make promises to get his way." She poked her finger into my chest. "Is lucky for you he is good at keeping promises."

Then her eyes snapped around me. Annika stopped moving and I watched as her brows flew into her forehead. "Aleksander brought a girl home." She swept around me and turned into a statue as she paused in front of Rhea.
"Yes," I reached out for Rhea's hand again and stood by her side, "Tetya, this is Rhea Martinez. You might recognize her from.."

"From the ballet." Annika lifted her hand to her mouth in awe. "You brought home the swan Queen."
I threw my head back to laugh and Rhea's cheeks flushed with a lovely pink tint. "Rhea is the prima Ballerina of New York."

"It's a pleasure to meet you." Rhea spoke up, putting out her hand for Annika. My aunt looked down at her hand and frowned.
Rhea's hand wavered.

"No, pretty girl, we don't shake hands!", Rhea's hand slipped from mine as Annika pulled her into a tight bear hug.
Rhea squeaked in surprise and gaped at me over my aunt's shoulder. It was a silent cry for help, but I couldn't stop this from happening.

I didn't want to. Seeing my aunt fawn over Rhea and get swept up in talk of dance and ballet made me feel at ease. Nikolai fell into step at my side as we followed the women through the house. Noise coming from the kitchen as we passed told me someone else was in there making dinner.

Annika had her arm wrapped around Rhea's and led her through the house to the formal sitting room closest to the dinning room. My aunt now had her claws hooked in my little dancer.
"Have you ever performed the nutcracker?" Annika asked as soon as all started to settle into the massive sectional. Nikolai slung his arm over the back of the couch behind my aunt, giving me a side eye the entire time.

I willfully ignored him and held Rhea's hand , tangling my fingers with her dainty ones and pulling it into my lap.
"Yes, it was my last performance actually, for the season last year." Those blue eyes had a light dancing behind them with the opportunity to talk about her passion.

"I performed the nutcracker as well but as a young girl in Russia long time ago." Annika leaned forward on the couch as she engaged in the conversation. "Alexander took me to your show few weeks ago. You perform beautifully."

"Oh, wow. I'm so happy to hear you enjoyed the show!", Rhea blushed, trying not to focus on the compliment. "Let me know any time you want to see a show at the theater. I can get you tickets in the best seats."
"Sweet girl," my aunt beamed at me. "I love her already!"

"Aleksander," Nikolai interrupted, "A word." He looked towards the door.

"Go a head, I'll be fine," Rhea whispered when l turned my attention to her. I loved that she was showing me that she was okay to be alone with my aunt, but she didn't see the look in Nikolai's eyes. I wish she had given me a reason to stay.
"Of course." I gave her a soft pat on the thigh and rose to follow my uncle out.

He didn't look at me as we walked down the hallway in silence. The tension was coming off him in waves and my jaw was already clenched tight. He opened a door to the back garden and chilly air whipped around us.
We stood silently for a moment. Nikolai kept his back to me as he surveyed Annika's impressive garden. Out of the corner of my eye I saw a guard briefly flicker into view before disappearing behind a tall hedge.

"The woman you brought to dinner is the fucking ballerina?" He whirled around, shoulders tight as he glared at me.
"Yes," I smirked and placed my hands in my pockets. "After all, I've paid enough to have her."
"Are you out of your mind?" He jerked his hand to point at me.

"Look, it's alright to have your fun for one night every now and then this is out of line Aleksander."

"What are you worried about? Dax and his silly little family." I scoffed. "They're not threat to me. To us, for fucks sake, you're the one who introduced me and got me the connection to Rhea in the first place", l went on.