20. Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty
Nikolai
“Gregory, this is Maxim,” I introduce. Maxim sits across from me in the back booth at my restaurant, looking completely relaxed with his arms spread wide over the seat and a large smile on his face.
Gregory, on the other hand, looks pissed. But then again, he always looks pissed. He refuses to sit down. “Why are you introducing me to this man? Didn’t he play a role in kidnapping my daughter?”
Maxim waves a dismissive hand. “That was a onetime thing and I never hurt your daughter. I was just doing a favor for Lev. He once helped me out in a tough spot and I returned the favor. That was it. Nothing personal. We don’t have to hate each other.”
“Why is he here?” Gregory grumbles.
“Because I like to work with my enemies instead of killing them,” I reply.
“It’s what I did with you, Gregory. I made a deal instead of going to war.
I’m extending the same courtesy to Maxim.
He has a lot of sway with mafia men, I have discovered.
He has a lot of his own money. A lot of power.
It could be beneficial for us. Don’t you want to be more powerful, Gregory? ”
“Of course I do. But I don’t like the way he’s smiling.”
Maxim instantly stops smiling. “I don’t have to smile, old man. In fact, I can be quite scary when I want to be.”
“Are you threatening me?” Gregory asks.
“I don’t have to threaten you to get what I want.
And what I want is more power, just like Nikolai.
And I’m assuming you too. We could be enemies.
All of us. Or we could be friends. Nikolai has expressed interest in being friends but I know you two are allies.
So you need to be on board as well. Let’s all be friends here. ”
“What’s the catch?” Gregory grumbles. “There’s always a catch.”
“No catch. I just want us to agree to be allies. All I want in return is money and power. And people I know I can trust.”
“The question is,” I cut in, “is how we establish that trust.”
“How?” Gregory snaps. “I don’t trust him. Not one bit.”
Maxim smirks. “And I don’t really trust you, old man.”
Gregory’s hands clench into fists. “Stop calling me that.”
“Sorry.” But Maxim doesn’t sound sorry at all.
I sigh. This isn’t going to be easy. “I suggest a marriage alliance. It’s what you and I did. I married Lana to ensure peace between us. Because of this marriage, you and I trust each other. We do the same with Maxim.”
“Who do you suggest he marries?” I stare at Gregory and he huffs, backing away. “You’re not suggesting one of my daughters again, are you?”
“Elena is eighteen. Soon to be nineteen. She’s old enough to be married. And besides, I don’t think you like her very much. Wouldn’t you prefer getting her out of the house?”
“You’re going to trust my daughter with this man you barely know?”
“That’s why I’m suggesting this,” I say. “A marriage is how Maxim can show we can trust him.”
“Has he agreed to this?”
Maxim calmly takes a drink of his beer before setting it back on the table.
“I’m open to most things in life. And I love fucking women.
I’m fine being married if it means more power and money for me.
Just as long as I get to still have fun.
No offense, old man, but I don’t even know what your daughter looks like. She could be ugly for all I know.”
“My daughters are beautiful,” Gregory hisses.
“Fair enough. I’m just saying. I’m all right with this deal since it gets me what I want: more money and more power. If this builds trust between us, I’m fine with it.”
“Are you?” I ask Gregory. “Fine with this? Because I can’t force your hand, Gregory. You have to agree to do this. They are your daughters. I don’t control them.”
He unclenches his fists. “You forced me to give up my oldest daughter. I can’t do it again. I will not be made a fool of. Find someone else for this fucker to marry. I get to find the man my daughter will marry. No one else.” He storms out of the restaurant.
It’s admirable but I know he’s not doing this out of love for his daughters. He’s doing this because of his pride.
“Where do we go from here?” Maxim asks.
“I’ll figure something out. You have to prove your trust to us and we have to do the same. It’s the only way an alliance works.”
Maxim stands up and stretches. “I feel bad for you. Having to deal with that old man as a partner.” He pats me on the shoulder. “If I were you, I’d get rid of him and make me your ally instead. I’m much more fun.” He winks and strolls out of the restaurant.
Something in my gut tightens. Maxim is going to be a problem if he’s not controlled. He’s too comfortable. Too all right going with the flow. That means if any other deal – any better deal – comes his way, he’s taking it.
Gregory and I could end up with a war on our hands. And frankly, I don’t want to go to war with Gregory at my side. Not when he’s so prideful and uptight.
I sigh and take a sip of my beer.
Lana
There’s one last thing I have to do before I can fully say goodbye to being a ballerina. I’ll always dance but I’m not going to have a career in it anymore. I just can’t.
I stop by the studio one last time. Eliza is in the large space by herself, dancing away. She reminds me a little bit of Claudia in the way she moves. A pang hits my chest before I make it go away. No more worries. The past is in the past.
I approach her and Eliza stops, staring at me warily. “I’m not here to fight with you. I just wanted to let you know that I watched your performance as Juliet.”
“You were there?”
“I was there.”
She crosses her arms. “Are you here to berate me or make me feel bad? Criticize me in some way?”
“Actually, the opposite. I wanted to let you know that you did a great job. Honestly. It was beautiful. I just thought you should know.”
“Why would you think I’d care what you think of my performance?”
“It’s ok if you don’t want the compliment. I’m doing it more for myself anyway. I just wanted to let you know. You did a good job, Eliza. You should be proud of yourself.”
The defensiveness on her face wears off. “Well… thank you.” She nods at my leg. “You’re not limping. You seem to be walking better. Why don’t you come back?”
“Because… I don’t want to. I could try to get as good as I once was and maybe I’d get there.
But I realized something: I was dancing so hard to impress the people in my life.
I wasn’t dancing for myself. But after the accident, I learned to dance for myself.
I had no other choice and I realized that it was the better option.
I feel… more happy. Less pressure on my shoulders.
And who doesn’t want to be happy in life? ”
“Well, I’m happy for you, Lana. I saw how much some of the other girls bullied you. I saw how hard you had to be. I saw how much you worked. You really were a beautiful dancer.”
“I still am a beautiful dancer. It’s just different now. Good luck, Eliza. You’ll need it in this competitive world.”
“Who knew ballerinas could be so bitchy.”
We share a laugh before I wave goodbye to her. Before I leave the studio, I pass by another practice room. It’s for much younger girls – ones who are only between the ages of ten and twelve. I stop to watch them.
Their teacher is putting them through practice rounds of plié.
One of the girls ends ups smacking another girl in the face. The other girl glares. There’s tension there.
I watch the whole practice which comes to an end ten minutes later. The two girls who glared at each other are still doing so even after they walk out of the room.
When they pass me by, I step forward. “You two should be nice to each other.”
“Who are you?” one of them asks with so much attitude. It reminds me of Adriana.
“That’s Lana Karetov,” the other one says. “She’s famous around here. How do you not know?”
The other one shrugs. Both little blonde girls with their hair in tight buns. Just like me when I was their age.
“It doesn’t matter who I am,” I say. “What matters is that you’re nice to each other. I had to deal with so many ballerinas who were rude to me and I was rude in return. Don’t be like us. Be better. You’ll be much more happy. I promise.”
“What are you going on about?” They link their arms together. “We’re best friends.”
“I… oh.”
They share a laugh together and walk away, still connected.
I leave the studio feeling a weight lifted off my shoulders.
“Where to next, Mrs. Smirnoff?” Boris asks me.
“To my parents’ house. They don’t know I quit dance. I should let them know.” And make sure my sisters are doing all right.
My mother answers the door, telling me my father is at work. “Why did you come by?” she asks.
“To let you know that I’m no longer dancing at the company.”
“I figured. With your leg.” She sighs and shakes her head. “Such a shame that happened. You had so much potential, Lana.”
I can’t help but flinch. That will always be the case with my mother. “Well… I just wanted to let you know that. And I wanted to see how Elena and Adriana are doing.”
“They’re both at school right now.”
“Elena’s birthday is coming up. We should celebrate.”
Mother’s lips curl into a thin line. “I’m not sure she’s done anything to warrant a celebration. I know your father won’t approve.”
“So Elena doesn’t even get a birthday party? Not even a cake?”
“Cake makes you fat. You should know that, Lana. I never let you eat cake.”
And I always resented my mother for it. “Right. Well, just let them know I stopped by and I’m always here for them.”
“I’ll relay the message.” She shoos me towards the door but before I can leave, my father storms inside, an angry look on his face.
“What are you doing here?” he asks when his eyes register me.
“I’m quitting the dance company.”
He huffs. “Of course you are. You can’t even make us proud, can you? But I have no more say in your life. You’re on your own with that husband of yours.” The way he says ‘husband’ you’d think it was a dirty word.
“What’s wrong?” Mother asks.
“He wants to make an alliance with some other asshole and wants me to give Elena to that man as a sign of trust.”