The Ballerina & The Fighter (Book 1)

by Ursula Sinclair

  “Right now waiting for you. To make sure you’re all right.”

  “Yeah.” I turned to look at the nurse who had been pushing my wheel chair. “Since the door’s right there is it okay if I get out of this now?”

  “All right,” she agreed. Dante moved to give me the crutches he held, but it was Maze who took my arm and helped me out of the wheel chair. For a nano-second I felt the shock that never ceased to happen when he touched me. Dante practically shoved the crutch into my hand so Maze had to step out of my way. I looked up at him after I had the crutches situated to my liking. The nurse wished us luck and walked away wheeling the chair before her.

  “Seriously, why are you here?” I asked. My eyes roamed over him, trying to determine if perhaps I hadn’t seen or heard from him in the last few weeks because he’d been in a coma or something, and maybe had amnesia and couldn’t remember who he was or who I was. Those were the stupid thoughts spiking through my brain.

  Instead of answering me, his gaze lifted to Dante. They silently stared at each other, it was clear Maze wouldn’t volunteer any information unless Dante gave us some privacy. But I could tell Dante refused to take the hint so I spoke up. “Dante, why don’t you go outside and see if there are any cabs. If not, you might have to call one.”

  He finally broke the staring contest with Maze to look at me. “You sure?”

  I understood his question, if I really wanted to be alone even surrounded by people with Maze. There was really only one answer to that, “Yes.”

  He gave Maze a hard stare, which Maze narrowed his eyes and returned, he relaxed once Dante left in search of a cab.

  “I know you think that guy is bi but I’m telling you you’re lying to yourself if you don’t think he’s into you. Have you ever seen him with a dude?”

  “Yes.” Come to think of it only once after I’d first met him, and they’d only been hugging, but I’d never hung out with him and his friend. We’d started living together a couple of weeks after I met Dante in class and I remember I told him once it was okay with me to bring his friend around, it wouldn’t bother me. But he’d told me they broke up. Since then, I’d only seen him with women. But Dante’s sexuality or attraction to me wasn’t an issue for me right now. Maze and his absence and what he was doing at the hospital were.

  “So are you going to answer that last question or is it going to be as hard for you as the others I texted to you?”

  At least he had the grace to blush and look away before returning his attention to me.

  He sighed. “My step-dad, Joe’s here. He had a heart attack yesterday and had surgery. I was just visiting him.”

  “Oh my god, Maze, I’m so sorry. Is he going to be okay?”

  “He’s stable.”

  I wanted to hug him but the crutches were in the way, and Dante came back through the sliding doors toward me.

  “I’ve got the cab,” Dante said, “let’s go.”

  I turned to leave, then turned my head. “Do you want to share the cab with us?” I had no idea where he stayed while in New York. I didn’t even know if we were headed in the direction he was going, but I didn’t want to walk away from him. In spite of his disappearing on me, and what happened between us, I guess I wasn’t ready to let him go. And I still needed answers.

  “Yeah.”

  I smiled. I hadn’t realized I’d been holding my breath waiting for his answer until I exhaled. He walked over to my left side and Dante swung around and we followed him out to the waiting cab. Dante climbed in first with my crutches and pulled his cell phone out, looked like he read a text. I knew he was angry with me for inviting Maze, but I didn’t care. Maze helped me into the car, which took some maneuvering because of the cast. Good thing I’m flexible.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Maze

  “I want you to fight,” Joe said.

  His words were slurred but I heard him. He’d been in and out of it all day and I’d been sitting with him. The first time he woke up this morning and he saw me, he was pissed I wasn’t training. But my heart was no longer in it. I didn’t give a fuck about the fight any more. I didn’t give a fuck about anything, except Joe.

  Joe grabbed my arm as I leaned forward to get him his cup of water. For a seriously sick dude he still had a good grip. I took that as a good sign or he was just that mad. “Don’t let the bastards win, Maze…I…I don’t know how much longer I have.”

  “Don’t say that.” I gritted out.

  “No, son. You are my son by choice, and I don’t want you to throw the fight. It was wrong of me to even let them raise it with you. To trade my soul for yours. Because I…I knew what they would do afterward.”

  I shook my head not wanting to hear this. “I just have to lose the fight, Joe. It’s fine, no big deal. I’ll have a shot again next year.”

  “Listen to me. We both know you won’t and if you throw the fight they’d own you, Maze. I can’t do that to you. I love you too much. It’s why I’ve kept most of the things I did away from you. My past is not a clean one. However, ever since your mom died, even before, I have changed. I want you to know everything since then has been the legitimate side of the Triad business. I refused to touch the other; the Tong I started is clean. I made the Triad enough money that I was allowed to go my own way. I paid for that with the money I put into the other four heads. I don’t owe them, my son. We owe them nothing.”

  I shook my head. He knew it wasn’t just a matter of me throwing the fight; it was about them bringing me into the fold. But there was still too much at stake, and they’d take it out on Joe. Joe who lay in a hospital bed vulnerable.

  “Do not throw this fight. Now get your ass in that gym and train like I taught you, then go rip that ass a new one and screw the Triad and their plans. It’s time for the Tong to rise.”

  I smiled. The machines he was hooked up to began to go haywire, and a nurse rushed in saving me from responding.

  “I’m sorry, Maze,” she said, “but your step-father needs his rest.” She did something to one of the tubes attached to the poll and I saw liquid rushing down into his veins, pushing more meds into his system. Joe visibly relaxed in moments.

  “I’ll be back later tonight,” I said to him.

  “Training,” he whispered, then his eyes closed.

  “He’ll probably sleep through the night,” the nurse said. “It’ll be good for him, come back in the morning.”

  “Okay, thanks, if he does wake up, can you let him know?”

  “Sure.”

  As I walked down the hall of the ICU and to the elevator I thought about all that Joe said. He was stable but still needed to stay in ICU, if he continued to improve by morning, they’d move him. I prayed that was the case. But Joe was wrong; I had to throw the fight. The Tong Joe created wasn’t strong enough yet. It was hard to say no to the Triad before he was hospitalized, but it was impossible now. I wanted Joe out. They were trying to drag him back into the other side of their activities and he’d have no choice. It would kill Joe to take that step back.

  When the elevator doors opened and I spotted a familiar face being wheeled into emergency care I thought I was seeing things. Then I saw another familiar head of dark blond hair. I was right. The one on the gurney was Ivy. What was she doing here? My heart began to bang against my chest. Something was wrong. I walked over to the front desk and gave them her name but they couldn’t give me any information. So I waited a bit and I saw two emergency personnel guys in blue uniforms come out with an empty gurney. I stopped them.

  “Hey, excuse me. Can you tell me if that was Ivy Deene you just took back there? I’m a close friend.”

  They glanced at each other then the taller of the two replied. “Yeah, she hurt her ankle. She’s going to be here awhile.”

  “Thanks.”

  I went over to the waiting area and stayed near the door she’d gone through so I would see when she left, or if Dante came out. I wasn’t budging until I found out she was going to be okay. Damn a spra
ined ankle for a dancer could not be a good thing. My phone vibrated signaling a text. I pulled it out and looked at it. It was from Uncle Tsang, he was at the gym. I didn’t give a shit. I wasn’t budging until I saw Ivy. I put the phone back in my pocket.

  It wasn’t long after that the door pushed open and Dante walked through, he paused when he spotted me but came right over to me. All sorts of pissed off written all over his face.

  “What the fuck are you doing here?”

  So it was going to be like that was it? Fine. I didn’t bother to stand up, but responded in kind. “What the fuck do you think?”

  “She doesn’t need you or your shit right now.”

  I swallowed my urge to put this dude down so I could get my answers. “Look, I just want to know what happened? Is she okay?”

  Dante narrowed his eyes and folded his arms across his chest. “Why the fuck do you care?”

  I met him stare for stare. “I care.”

  He exhaled then finally said, “She tore a couple tendons in her ankle.”

  Something about the way his shoulders deflated had me worried. “But she’s going to be okay, right. It will heal.”

  He glanced down then back up at me before replying, “Yeah, she’ll heal.”

  “Thanks.”

  Dante’s eyes narrowed again. “Now you know, so leave, she does not need to see you right now.”

  He walked past me and I relaxed back into the seat. I didn’t give a shit what Dante said or thought, even though I knew he was right, but I had to see her. I was barely holding out staying away from her. I needed her, and once before, when I knew she needed me I stayed away. Even that night after Joe’s surgery I didn’t call her. I needed her then but I managed not to call. She needs me now and I’m too weak to resist any more. Dante walked past me again with a cup of coffee in his hands, we just eyed each other like two dogs in a fight. He went through the doors again without stopping or saying another word. The fact my ass was still planted on the seat told him all he needed to know. He might be at Ivy’s side for now, but I was not leaving until I’d seen her.

  I stopped checking the time after an hour had gone by, I knew it appeared I was watching the television screen on the wall in front of me, but in reality my thoughts were about Joe and Ivy. The door opened and it grabbed my attention, it wasn’t the first time it had opened since Dante had returned to Ivy’s side, but this time it was Ivy. In a frigging wheelchair. Her foot was in a bright pink cast and Dante walked beside her holding crutches while a nurse pushed the wheelchair.

  I read the look of surprise in her features when she saw me, obviously the bastard didn’t bother to tell her I was there. I stood up and she raised her hand for the nurse to stop when they reached me. Her smile for me was one of pure pleasure. I didn’t have to glance at Dante to know he was pissed at the look on her face at the sight of me waiting for her.

  While we talked all I could think of was that I didn’t want to let her go. I wanted to keep her with me for as long as I could. As long as she wanted to be with me, until she found out the truth. God help me she never found out about my involvement with the Triads.

  When she offered for us to share a cab I didn’t give a shit we were headed in different directions if it meant we’d be together a little longer.

  “Where to?” the driver asked.

  Dante spoke up first and gave him two addresses. I recognized them both, one was the theater where I’d seen them perform and the other was their condo.

  “What’s going on, why are you going to the theater?” Ivy asked.

  “I just got a text from Chloe and Davis. They’re calling an emergency meeting. I called them earlier to let them know you were okay.”

  “You told them I’m in a cast,” Ivy stated.

  Dante turned to look at her. “Yes. That’s why the meeting I’m sure.”

  “Oh.”

  “It will only be for this one show, you know that. By the time we’re ready to begin rehearsals for the next one you’ll be out of that cast.”

  “Yes, but you and I both know…”

  Dante raised his hands and placed them over her lips.

  What the fuck? Why was he touching her? I found my body tensing, my hands flexing, I was going to break every fucking bone in his fingers. Jealousy the likes of which I’d never known rose from the pit of my stomach and damned near choked me. Have I lost her? He was everything I wasn’t, and he could keep her safe in her world. He was a part of her world. The dude didn’t even have visible ink on him. She could take him home with her and not get narrow-eyed looks from her parents. Shit!

  It took me a second to get my head to surface from the depression I wrapped myself in and realize Dante was speaking. “You can do this Ivy. Don’t go quitting on me now. Partners, remember.”

  She shook her head and took his hand. She fucking took his hand. I turned my head and stared out the window. The cab pulled up in front of the condo first. I got out and then helped Ivy out. She leaned against the side of the car while I took the crutches from Dante and gave them to her. “I’ll take her up, man,” I said to Dante, not waiting to hear anything he had to say by shutting the door in his face. Ivy hopped up onto the curb and the cab pulled off. I walked silently beside her. The doorman opened the door for us nodding at her then asking, “What happened to your foot?”

  “Hello, Simon, torn tendons.”

  “That’s too bad. You go on up and rest it.”

  We walked over to the elevator and rode it up. Yet we hadn’t exchanged a word between us. Finally it stopped on her floor and I followed her down the hall stopping in front of her door. She leaned against the crutches and opened her purse strapped across her, taking out her key. More than anything I wanted to go in with her, but I knew it would be best for us both if I just turned around and left. When she pushed the door open and walked in, she left it open. Who was I fooling? I stepped over the threshold, shut and locked the door as she hobbled her way over to the couch. She put the crutches on the floor and raised her leg onto the coffee table and took off her jacket. I came over and sat down beside her.

  “Got a pen?” I asked.

  She stared at me for a moment then opened her purse, which she’d taken off and placed on the other side of her on the couch. She took out a black marker. “Here, the nurse gave me this.”

  Grinning, I took it from her and then leaning forward I wrote on her cast. Maze. I drew a heart around my name. I almost added hers too but held myself back, instead I wrote the Chinese characters for always. I saw the ballet shoes drawn on there with Dante’s signature on it. Fucker. I knew he’d be pissed though when he saw the heart on there with my name inside, and the Chinese characters he couldn’t read. The thought satisfied me some.

  I sat back and returned the pen to her.

  She stared at what I’d done and smiled. “What does it say?”

  “Always. I should be going,” I said.

  “No. Don’t go.”

  “What about Dante?” I had to know. Were they together now? When I left her alone did he move in? Get her on the rebound. I knew she cared about me and I knew my silence hurt her. I sighed. “Sorry, not my business.”

  She stared at me for a moment, then ran her hand over her hair. She had it pulled back and into an untidy bun, tendrils of her hair framed her face. So beautiful.

  “You’re right, it’s not. But Dante and I are roommates and he’s my best friend.”

  “What if I told you I wanted to be your best friend?”

  She laughed. “Then you have a funny way of showing it.”

  I took her hand and kissed it. “I’m sorry. So sorry. But please believe me when I say I had no choice.”

  She frowned. “Is this about those guys that jumped us in the alley?”

  I nodded.

  “And you can’t go to the police. I know you’ve told them nothing. I called them.”

  Shit. “No. Please stay out of it.”

  “So why are you here?”

 
Good question, but I didn’t blink. I let her see everything I felt for her in my eyes. I hoped she understood what I couldn’t quite say. “Because I can’t stay away from you. Even though I know I should.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Ivy

  How could I not react to that? I’d be lying if I said Maze hadn’t always scared me a little. Ever since that night I watched him fight on the beach, knowing it’s what he did for a living, and after what happened in Little Italy, I should run away from him. He had that dangerous look going for him as a kid but as a man, if he could bottle those vibes he’d make a fortune. He was nothing like the boys and now men I was used to. And yet…I kept trying to understand him more, looking for answers, wanting to be closer to him. Wanting him to let me into his heart. For a small moment in time when we’d made love, I thought he had. Virgin or not, I knew he held me with tenderness; I caught a glimpse of his soul that night. The fighter in that outer shell was only part of who he was. I wanted all of him and I didn’t want him hiding himself from me. Still he owed me.

  “Are you going to leave me in the morning without so much as a goodbye?”

  He moved closer to me and placed his hand on my thigh. “No. Not this time. Not ever.”

  I looked at his hand rubbing up and down on my thigh, then back up into his beautiful face. “So next time you’ll say goodbye?”

  He didn’t say anything just continued to look at me.

  I sighed. “I don’t know if I can do this again, you hurt me.”

  He never let me finish he leaned forward and placed his hand on my chin and covered my mouth with his. I breathed him in. I think I groaned his name into his mouth. God, I missed him so much. His tongue reached for mine and we tangled them together, both joyous for the reunion after being apart for so long. He stopped kissing me on the lips then moved to kiss my forehead before resting his against mine.