Maze (The Ballerina Series #2) (14 page)

“What?
Are you sure?”

“Yes.
He put aside a room for us. He’s got it all set up like a mini ballet studio.
Complete with wood floors for pointe, a ballet bar, and mirrors.” Just the
thought of those mirrors caused my stomach muscles to clench in memory of how
we christened that room.

“No,
shit?”

I
grinned. “Yeah. I’ll let him know when to expect us next week. I’ll give him
the sheets the nurse gave me so he’ll know what not to do.”

Dante
shook his head. “Are you sure about this, Ivy? Being around him like that?”

Something
told me going to the gym was the only way he’d let me near him. And as pathetic
as it might be, if that was the only way to get near Maze, then that’s the way
it had to be.

“Yes.
I’ll be fine.”

Chapter Fourteen

Maze

The
base of my neck tingled. I glanced over at the front doors and my gaze locked
onto Ivy.

“Run
through that set two more times,” I said to the young fighter I’d been working
with. I made a straight line to Ivy and Dante. They hadn’t moved from near the
entrance. I didn’t stop until I stood in front of them. It had been more than a
week since I’d seen her. All I wanted to do was pull her into my arms and then
take her upstairs and make love to her until neither one of us could walk. But
it wasn’t going to happen. Too many eyes were on us. I didn’t know how much
longer this stalemate between the Tong and the Triad would last. Tsang found
out the Triad sent the assassin and he was doing all he could to extract us,
but it would take time. Meanwhile, we wait. As long as the Triad thought they
couldn’t hurt me or get to me we remained in limbo. All I cared about was
clearing Ivy off their radar. I made it a point to greet Dante and not touch
Ivy. I saw her body leaning toward me, already expecting and anticipating my
touch.
Fuck...

“Hey,
man,” I said to Dante, holding out my hand to shake his. We grasped hands in
greeting. He grabbed mine a little on the tight side.

Dante’s
gazed at me with narrowed eyes, making it clear he wasn’t sure if they should
be there. He said, “Thanks for letting us use your place.”

I
smiled trying to put him and myself at ease. “Hey, no worries. It’s already set
up for you.”

I
led them to the room I had designed for Ivy and opened the door, moving farther
into the space. The first thing I saw was the image of Ivy in the mirror and
memories hit me like a freight train. Ivy under me, me inside her, our bodies
merged, blending, no beginning and no ending as we made love on the mat, on the
floor, against the ballet bar. My gaze snapped to hers and I saw her watching
me in the mirror. I knew her thoughts reflected mine. She seemed to freeze in
the doorway. Dante stood next to her and placed his hand on her back, giving
her a little push forward. She stepped across the threshold and came in, Dante
behind her.

“Close
the door, will ya, man?” I requested. My voice took on a cadence I didn’t
recognize. One of sadness.

As
soon as he did I took three steps to reach Ivy and pulled her into my arms. I
couldn’t stand it anymore. My mouth covered hers, our bodies curled into each
other and she clung to me. Finally, at last, my heart beat, my blood flowed. I
could breathe again.

“I’ve
missed you,” I whispered moving my lips to her ear, her neck.

I
had my hands on her ass and picked her up. She wrapped her legs around my waist
in response. I wanted to strip her, put her on the floor, and be buried inside
her in seconds. I was moments away from my heaven when the sound of a loud
cough caught my attention.

“FUCK!”
I roared.

“Do
you two need to be alone?” Dante asked.

“No,”
I growled. Putting Ivy down, I stepped back. I took a couple of deep breaths to
get my shit together.

Ivy
continued to stare at me, a mixture of lust and deep sadness in her gaze. I
couldn’t stare at her for long I’d take her back into my arms. Not sure I’d be
able to let her go again if I did.

Dante
glanced back and forth between us. “So everything cool between you two now?”

“No,”
I said, not glancing at either one of them but I felt Ivy’s gaze boring into
me, willing me to look at her. I did and saw the misery tearing in her eyes.
Misery I also felt. I shook my head. “No. Let’s just do this.”

She
didn’t say a word, just wiped her hand over her eyes.

I
pulled out the mats I kept in there for their use and gave them each one. They
stripped down to their workout gear and Ivy took off the new walking boot. She
handed me the sheet the nurse had given her and I scanned it. “This is fine.
The stuff I have in mind for you for the next couple of weeks should be okay.
I’ll go over the exercises with you now but some of them you’ll be able to do
at home and Dante can help you. So, Dante, I need you to pay attention to what
I’m doing.”

After
they both nodded, I spent the next forty minutes showing them some exercises.
Then I spent more time watching both Ivy and Dante repeat what they’d learned.
Once I was satisfied, I left them to work on their own. I spent the next hour
doing everything but going anywhere near the door to the ballet room. Yet, the
minute the door opened and Ivy walked out into the main area, I knew it. Even
though I was on the other side of the room. Dante saw me and waved. I waved
back but stayed right where I was. By sheer force of will, I kept myself from
crossing the room. Refusing to respond to the pull of Ivy’s silent plea. Oh,
she was calling me. I could hear her as clear as day even if no one else could.
After what felt like forever, she and Dante moved toward the exit. I continued to
stand there, holding the punching bag and aching in every part of my soul.

For
the last few days, I stayed at the gym until late. I’d see Ivy and Dante come
in and then leave. I’d spend twenty minutes with them and leave them alone. I
didn’t even really need to do that, but I needed to touch her if only for a
minute while I worked her ankle. I was slowly going crazy.

After
they left this evening, I got into the center ring and took on anyone who
wanted to fight. At the end of the night, I was the last man standing. Even
though drenched in sweat, and my body ached, nothing dulled the pain of knowing
I’d go up those stairs to my apartment and Ivy won’t be there.

I
closed up the place and took the elevator from the gym up to the apartment to
take a shower. Tonight instead of passing out from exhaustion, as I’d done
other nights, I was wired. I couldn’t relax, couldn’t sleep. I’d gotten a text
earlier from Vin to hang out with him again. I’d done it a couple of times when
Ivy was in Philly. But this time, I really just needed to get out of the
apartment. I was too alone here. I missed Ivy so much, and I feared I’d cave in
and go get her if I stayed. I texted Will and he brought the car around and we
headed downtown.

The
club was packed but most people were on the dance floor. I headed straight for
the bar and found a seat at the very end. I pulled out my phone and texted Vin
I was there, sitting at the end of the bar. When the bar maid came over to my
end I flagged her and placed an order.

“And
when you see that one low don’t bother to wait to ask I want a refill,” I said.

She
nodded. I glanced around to see if I saw any familiar faces, I didn’t. But
everything was a blur really. I was only there because I figured it was better
to be alone in a crowded room than in an empty apartment. A strong odor of
citrus and clover assailed my senses before I felt her touch on my shoulder.
The bartender laid my drink on the counter in front of me at the same time the
woman behind me came around to stand at my side. I didn’t bother to even glance
at her. I just reached for my drink.

“What’s
that?” she asked, a sexy breathiness to her voice.

“My
drink,” I said, and took a gulp.

“Wanna
buy me one?”

“No.”

“Bastard!”

I
didn’t bother to respond. I finished my first drink and was lifting the second
when Vin finally showed up.

“Hey,
man,” he said, grabbing my shoulders. “Looks like you started this party
without me.” He glanced over at the bar maid and got her attention. “I’ll have
the same thing.”

I
stood so he wasn’t standing over me, and besides, I was tired of sitting.

Once
he got his drink, we moved over to one of the high tables that became available
and placed our drinks on it. It was a better position to check out the crowd.
Not that I really paid much attention to anything, but Vin was. He kept
commenting on the women checking us out. I couldn’t even pretend interest. No
surprise when two of them approached us. Vin made them feel welcome. I didn’t
give a fuck.

He
bought them both drinks. He carried on most of the conversation, and I only
grunted. I finished my forth drink and still felt as miserable as I did before
I left the house. Before the redhead could drag my friend off to the dance
floor I tapped his arm.

“I’m
gonna bounce, man.

“No,
don’t go. Fuck, man, it’s barely eleven.” He turned to grin at the blonde who’d
been trying to get my attention all night. “At least if you go you don’t have
to go alone.” He grinned.

I
didn’t even bother to glance in the woman’s direction he kept staring at.

“Laters.”
I fist bumped him and made my way through the horde toward the exit. I pulled
out my phone and texted Will. But the place was crowded and loud and I just
wanted out. When I got outside, I texted him to meet me at the corner. I walked
out into the warm evening air and it cleared my head a little. I turned and
headed in the direction where I told Will to pick me up. It wasn’t all that
late, but this was New York, the city that never sleeps, and it was more than
making up for that rep. I leaned against the building at the cross street but I
didn’t have long to wait before Will pulled up on the road.

I
pushed myself off the wall and approached the car, not giving Will a chance to
get out and open the door for me. I opened it myself and got in. “Take me
home.”

I
lay my head back against the soft leather and shut my eyes, trying to clear my
thoughts when my phone rang. I checked the phone and saw it was Dante. Ivy had
put his number in my phone before they’d taken their trip.

I
answered. “Hey, man, what’s up? Everything okay?”

“Maze.”

Something
in his voice sent a chill down my spine.

“Is
Ivy with you?” Dante asked.

“Fuck,
no. What the hell is going on?”

“Oh,
Jesus. Don’t panic. I dropped her off at the theatre earlier tonight. She
wanted to stop in and talk to Davis, one of the director’s of the company who
was working late. She told me she’d catch a cab home. There are always cars in
the area so I knew it wouldn’t be a problem. We were supposed to go to dinner.”

I
pulled the phone away to yell. “Will, head for the place we dropped Ivy off.”
When he nodded, I placed the phone back to my ear. “When was she supposed to be
back?”

“She’s
running a couple hours late. I called Davis. She left over an hour ago.”

The
blood in my veins froze. “I’m on my way to your place. Have you tried calling her?”

“Yeah.
Goes straight to voicemail. Like the phone is turned off.”

“Fuck!
Be there in five.” I hung up.

Leaning
forward I spoke to my driver again. “Will, can you hurry? Ivy’s missing.” I
called Ivy’s number, but my call got treated no differently from Dante’s,
straight to voicemail. I sent her a text telling her to call or text. Then I
called Tsang.

“Ivy’s
missing.”

“I’ll
make a few calls. I’ll also have someone check to see if she’s back at the
gym.”

“I
doubt she’s there. She’s not answering her phone.”

“I’ll
find her, Maze,” Tsang said. “Hang tight. I’ll call you back after I talk to a
few folks.”

“We’re
here.”

The
sound of Will’s voice had me looking out the window. I didn’t even realize we’d
arrived at Dante’s condo. I was out of the car before he’d fully pulled to a
stop. The doorman opened the door for me and I moved past him and headed
straight for the elevator then the condo. I only had to knock once before Dante
pulled the door open. I walked in and stopped before turning to face him.

“What
the fuck happened?” I yelled.

“You
fucking tell me!” Dante yelled back, getting right up in my face. “I know
whatever is going on has to do with whatever fucked up shit you’re involved in.
And whatever that is you’ve dragged Ivy into it.”

“Shit,”
I said, turning aside.

It
was either that or take the motherfucker down. But my anger was wasted on him.
He was right. This shit was on my head. If she was missing only one person
would have dared to take her. I spun around and headed for the door without a
word. But Dante wasn’t letting me leave that easily. He moved in front of me
and grabbed my arm pulling me to a stop.