10. Opening Night
CHAPTER 10
OPENING NIGHT
Paloma
I run my thumb over the smooth skin inside my wrist, fighting the urge to scratch it. Tonight is opening night; I can’t show up bleeding. It would ruin the costumes, the white feathered one in particular.
“I’m glad this crazy diet of yours will be over soon.” Sole picks up my plate and pretends not to notice that Dad never showed for our usual breakfast together.
But I know what she’s thinking. He needs time to process what happened at the Crucible. He feels guilty for putting me in such a dire position.
“Yes, I’ll be able to eat some of your famous quiche soon.” I smile at her. “Did you see him before he left?”
“Yes, he was in hurry. He said he had a mountain of work to do.” She touches my chin gently. “Big day. How do you feel?”
“A little numb.” I laugh. “But that’s good. Better than to be a bundle of nerves.”
“You’ve been working hard for four whole months. You’ll be perfect.” She beams at me.
“You’re coming, right? I left a couple of tickets for you. Front row. And don’t worry you don’t have to sit with Dad or Chuck. Dad prefers his box.” I hug her.
“I wouldn’t miss it for the world.” She kisses my forehead. “If your mother could see you. She would be so proud. She was the Swan Queen a few years before you were born. I still remember her opening night. Your dad bought her a huge bouquet of roses.”
“I know.” I picture her in my mind dressed as Odette, the white swan. “That’s when she met Dad, right?”
I don’t really remember her, but I’ve seen enough pictures of her to know that I look just like her.
“Do you think Dad will show?” I glance down at my hands.
“Of course he will.” She takes my hands in hers. “He did a terrible thing. Let him beat up himself over it. You focus on you today.”
Dad asked me not to tell anyone about the deal we signed at the Crucible. He wanted absolute discretion. A public figure like him can’t be exposed to any scandal. But I had to tell Sole. I knew she wouldn’t judge me for my decision. And also, I just had to say the words aloud to make them feel real. The whole arrangement is a bit insane. I still don’t believe Dad when he says I’ll be able to fetch over five million dollars. That’s a lot of money just for my virginity.
But I have to trust Dad and believe that all our problems will be resolved soon.
“I volunteered, remember?” I smile at her. “I just want things to go back to the way they were. Dad doesn’t need to worry about me.”
“You’re a brave girl. And a dutiful daughter.” Sole pinches my cheek the way she used to do when I was little.
“I’m going to miss you.” Sadness pricks my heart.
“Me too, sweet girl. You’ll be home in no time.” She smiles. “Now get your things, Nico is waiting in the car to drive you to the Centre.”
“I’ll see you tonight.” I give her a quick hug and head upstairs to grab my gym bag.
I meet Nico outside. As soon as he sees me, he rushes to open the car door for me. “Good morning, Miss Davis.”
“Good morning.” I smile and climb in the back seat. “Big day.”
“So I hear.” He winks at me then shuts the door.
During the ride into the city, I try to write in my journal, but every thought I have isn’t something I can put down on paper. I can’t stop thinking about the pending auction. Dad said I shouldn’t worry about it for now since he asked them to let me finish the commitment I made to my ballet company.I do worry about it because in a few weeks, I’m going to be required to have sex with a complete stranger. I never imagined my first time would be with someone I just met.
My pulse quickens, and I glance out the window, chasing all those scary thoughts out of my mind. I focus on the wintry landscape instead and smile. February always brings a lot of snow. It’s my favorite because it makes the woods behind our house feel so peaceful. I lean my head on the car window and close my eyes, feeling myself doze off.
“We’re here.” Nico shifts his body to look at me.
“Thank you.” I rub my eyes. “I didn’t realize I was so tired.”
“I’m glad you were able to get some rest. Good luck.” He dips his head.
“Thank you.” I climb out of the car and head for the side door.
Inside, the place is a mad house. Several dancers are on the floor along the cinder-block wall stretching while others rush down the corridor to the practice rooms in the back. The excitement of opening night is palpable.
“You.” Paul points a finger at me. “Hair and makeup now.”
“Am I late?” I fish my phone out of my gym bag. When I see it’s not even call time yet, I show him my phone. “I’m on time.”
“Just go get ready so we can do one more run-through before showtime.” He beams at me.
Unlike me, this is his second year playing Prince Siegfried’s role. In the last three months, he has been a great mentor and friend. I go to hug him tight.
“What’s that for?” He narrows his eyes at me.
“Just feeling grateful.” I’m going to miss him so much.
I still haven’t told anyone that after Swan Lake finishes this weekend, I’m not coming back for a whole six months. Who knows if my ballet company will take me back after such a long break. But there’s no way around that. It’s what Dad agreed to.
“I’ll see you out there.” I wave and push open the door to my dressing room.
A giggle escapes my lips when I’m greeted by an array of bouquets, covering half the floor space. For a second, I take it all in, then set my gym bag on my vanity counter. That’s when I see it. The crystal swan Hunter gifted me when Pierre announced I would be taking the lead at this year’s presentation of Swan Lake. I pick it up and put it against the light to see the kaleidoscope of colors. I hadn’t thought about his gift in months. Did he leave it here for me to find?
When I glance up at the mirror, I see Archer standing behind me. “I hate you.” I rise to my feet to hate on him properly. I haven’t seen him since Chuck’s birthday. I figured his friend would tell him Dad went to the Crucible and made a deal with them, where both he and I agreed to an auction. He has to know about the auction. How could he not? A part of me wants Archer to reach out to me and tell me not to go through with it. But his silence has proven that he doesn’t care.
I turn around and lean on the vanity counter. Closing my eyes, I clearly see Archer cupping my sex the way he did that night in my bedroom. I place my hand over his, feeling the hard crystal jam into my tights and my pussy lips. A moan escapes my lips. Why does Archer have this effect on me? Even in my dreams, he makes me ache for him. I hate him and want him at the same time.
“You want me?” he whispers in my ear.
I shake my head, squeezing my eyes shut and ramming the head of the swan down my slit. My head falls back. I run my hand over my breast and up around my neck. It lands right on the spot where he sucked on my skin so long ago.
“Archer,” I whisper his name as the crystal sparks waves of pleasure at my core.
I can’t stop myself from falling for the memory of his touch and the desire that’s always there lurking in the darkest recesses of my mind. Archer is always there. I turn to face the mirror, anchoring the swan at the edge of the vanity so I can rub against it.
“Oh.” My cheeks flush red, and my pupils dilate making the room seem brighter. “Archer.” I let his name play on my lips freely. “I still hate you.”
I glance up, rolling my hips, getting myself to the edge of my desire. The heat swirls around my needy bud, and I know I’m almost there. My taut nipples press against my leotard with each labored breath. I lick a bead of sweat off my upper lip. So good. He’s so good. I make to soothe my aching nipples, but I fall forward instead and brace my hand on the smooth surface, so I don’t lose contact with the swan.
“Paloma, fifteen minutes.” Paul knocks three times on my door.
“Yeah.” I step away from the vanity, panting, while my clit swells and pulses in frustration. “I’m…I’ll be there shortly,” I call out.
When I peek at the mirror again, Archer is gone. “What the fuck is wrong with you?” I say to my reflection, half expecting her to answer. To tell me why I can’t stop thinking about someone I’ll never see again.
I drop my gaze to the crystal still in my hand. I make a fist and then shove it in my gym bag before I plop myself down on the stool and get started on my makeup. I tend to my knee next. At this point, the pain is there constantly. I rub it, wincing when I swipe over the joint.
After I leave my dressing room, the day goes by in a flash of warm-ups, more practicing, wardrobe changes, and re-touching my hair and makeup. Before I know it, I’m standing next to Pierre at the side of the stage waiting to make my first appearance as the Swan Queen.
I peek around the curtain and immediately spot Sole. She’s beaming, practically bouncing in her seat as she admires the other dancers’ flawless performance across the stage. To the left, up high, Dad’s box is empty. Where is he? My gaze falls back to the first row, and that’s when I see him. Archer is here, front and center. He’s wearing a dark, three-piece suit, looking more beautiful than I remember.
“Ready?” Pierre squeezes my fingers. When I nod, he gestures for me to go on.
The euphoria is like nothing else. I hit every turn just right, every leap to perfection. I don’t look up, but I hope Dad is watching me. This dream has been long coming. I’m finally here. And it’s perfect. I’m perfect, and Dad’s not here to see it.
“Ready to become Odile?” Paul holds my wrist and picks me up over his head. When I come down with grace, I never thought I had in me, he says, “Go then.”
I leave the stage and change into the black swan. When I return, I allow myself a single glance at Archer before I focus on seducing my prince. The entire ballet is over too quickly. Everything hurts by the time the curtain drops, but I couldn’t be happier. Tears stream down my cheek when Pierre meets me halfway and hugs me.
“Perfect,” he says over the applause beyond the heavy curtains. “Listen to them.”
I take the stage one last time with Paul and Pierre to soak in our standing ovation. “Thank you.” I place my hand on my chest then dash backstage.
On my way to the dressing room, other cast members stop to congratulate me. I thank them and keep going before my knee completely craps out on me. I can’t stop smiling, even though my body is screaming in agony. Once I’m in my room, I take a seat to get off my knee.
A knock makes me look up from my leg.
“Come in,” I sit back and dip my palm against my rib cage to ease the cramp there.
Dad enters carrying a huge bouquet of roses. “You were beautiful. Absolutely beautiful.”
“Thank you.” I get up and rush to hug him. “I didn’t see you out there.”
“I was a bit late taking care of business. But I wouldn’t have missed this for the world.” He squeezes me tight. “These are for you.” He hands me the flowers.
I put them on the floor with the others and turn to face him. “Where should we go to celebrate?” I beam at him.
His smile fades and then he gestures to the vanity stool. “Sit down, Paloma. There’s something you should know.”
“You’re scaring me, Dad.” I do as he asked. “What is it?”
“I didn’t have the heart to tell you earlier. You don’t know how much it pains me to let you go.” The space between his eyebrows wrinkles. “The auction cannot be postponed any longer. It has to be tonight.”
“Tonight?” I glance up at him. “But it’s opening night. I mean, I have another show tomorrow morning. And the next day. I can’t leave.”
“You have to. I already spoke with Pierre. He understands.” He clears his throat. “I explained to him that your body can’t take daily rhythm, the abuse is taking a toll on you.”
“Dad, you shouldn’t have told him that. It’s a lie. My body can handle it.” I rise to my feet, swallowing hard to hide the pain that shoots up my hip.
“What’s done is done.” He offers me his hand. “We must go now.”
“Okay. I guess.” I glance around the room, making a quick inventory of all that needs to be loaded in the car. “Can you call Nico?”
“We’re not leaving the theatre yet.” He takes my hand and pulls me to his side. “The auction will take place here.”
“Here?” I let out a chuckle in disbelief. “In front of my friends?”
“No. The theater is being cleared out as we speak. It should be ready soon. But we need you back on stage.” He gestures toward the door. “I will escort you. I will be with you every step of the way.”
“What will I tell Hunter?” I meet Dad’s gaze. It’s so full of regret, and it completely guts me.
“I will deal with him.” He opens the door and ushers me out into the corridor.
Just as Dad said, the hall is empty. Not a single soul from before remains. I use Dad for support, leaning on his frame more than I want to. My mind goes blank. I can’t get myself to fully process what’s happening to me right now. When I try to look ahead into my future, and think about what tomorrow will be, I come back empty. I have no idea who will buy me. And worst of all, I have no idea what they intend to do with me.
“Go on.” Dad stops at the side of the stage where merely four hours ago, I stood next to Pierre ready to give the performance of my life. I had no idea my world would change this much, this fast. I went from being the Swan Queen to now awaiting my own auction. Then it finally clicks.
I’m being sold to the highest bidder. The performance of my life ends with an auction where men will bid for my virginity. Suddenly, the gravity of the entire day crushes down on me and I crumble to my knees. Dad catches my elbow, but not before I hit the wooden planks. Pain shoots up my leg, and I see stars.
“I can’t breathe.” I claw at his sleeve.
“I got you.” He holds me tight. “One breath at a time.”
Why does it have to be this way? Why did Archer choose not to help us? I don’t want to live with a stranger for six months. I don’t want to be owned by someone I didn’t choose. I feel naked and dirty.
“Paloma,” Dad whispers. “It’s time.” He helps me up, then walks off.
I lift my gaze to ask him to stay with me, but he’s gone.
Mindlessly, I take the stage for one last time tonight. When I reach the center, I look up to the first row, wishing Sole was still there. But she’s gone. So is Archer. Instead, row after row is filled with men clad in dark suits. To my horror, I recognize a lot of the faces. Some of them have even attended parties at my father’s house. I’m shocked that they think of me, their friend’s only daughter, in a sexual way. That they’re here because they know I’ve never been touched by another man, and they want to be the first.
Whatever you do , I tell myself, don’t fall . Don’t show them you’re scared. They can own your body, but never your soul. That’s for me to keep locked away, where no one can sully it with their money and their desires .
“Gentlemen.” A man I’ve never seen in my life walks on stage holding a microphone up to his lips. “As promised. The Swan Queen.”
My body sways, threatening to collapse again. But I lift my head high and choose a spot on the ceiling, so I don’t have to look at the audience.
“Isn’t she beautiful?” the man asks, giving me a lewd glance. He clears his throat, putting the microphone behind him. “Do you want to take off any layers?”
I’m still wearing the white swan costume with the feather shawl over my shoulders and a tutu that, at least, covers my crotch. Even removing my headpiece feels degrading at this point. I shake my head without looking at him.
“The bid will start at one million,” the man says.
In my peripheral, I see several paddles go up. Without meaning to, I peek down and spot Dad’s friend who lives a few miles from our house. He’s in his late seventies. His daughter has a kid who’s just a few years younger than me. I fist my hands and hide them in the feathers of my tutu.
“Do we have one point five?” the man on stage with me asks. “Ah, thank you. How about two million? Remember the winner tonight will earn the privilege of marrying a virgin.” He pauses for effect. “You’re going to have to take the Senator’s word for it on that one. I was not allowed to check for myself. Trust me I asked.” He laughs at his own joke. The man is gross with greasy hair and a cheap suit. For whatever reason, he’s enjoying this. Why? He doesn’t even know me. “Do we have two point five?”
Still several paddles go up in the air.
Then it hits me. His words. Did he say marry? My eyes widen in horror as I scan the crowd looking for Dad. I find him up in his box with Chuck and Hunter by his side. He lied to me. He said the deal was for only six months. The lights get brighter and make it hard for me to focus. I blink several times, but it’s no use. Everything is blurry. I make the effort to inhale, but the air doesn’t touch my lungs.
“I think she’s getting excited.” The man laughs again. “Do I have?—”
“Five million,” Archer calls from the back of the house. “End this ridiculous farce already.”
“Five point five.” Dad’s friend raises his paddle.
The man next to me is finally rendered speechless as his gaze darts between Dad’s friend and Archer. Archer takes his time reaching the front row, then turns to face the man with the winning bid. “Six million.” He bares his teeth. “If you say another word, I will cut out your tongue, old man.”
Red blotches creep up the old man’s face. He shoots Archer a furious glare, but he has to know he’s no match for Archer. Archer stands his ground, hands balled into fists. Dad’s friend looks my way as if to decide whether or not I’m worth him losing his tongue over. After what feels like hours, he finally concedes with a curt nod.
Archer turns to the rest of the men. “Get the fuck out. All of you.” When all they do is look at each other in confusion, Archer raises his voice. “Get. The. Fuck. Out. NOW.”
Next to me, the man with the microphone stands there looking at Archer with sheer terror in his eyes. Yeah, Archer looks like he’s ready to murder anyone who stands in his way.
“You should go,” I say to the man.
He hesitates but then scampers off the second Archer jumps up on stage. His chest rises and falls as he comes to stand in front of me. Tears pelt down my cheek, my lip trembling. He’s still fuming, and I have no idea why. Is he mad at me for choosing this route to help Dad? He can’t judge me like that. I came to him for help first and he refused me. I offered myself to him first. He’s the one who turned me away.
“I’m sorry,” he murmurs. “It wasn’t supposed to happen this way.”
I slap him across the face with all the strength I can muster. I bite my lower lip to keep my anger under control, tasting blood. He could’ve stopped this. He could’ve stopped this months ago and he chose not to.
“Not you. Anyone but you,” I say through gritted teeth. “Do you understand? I will never marry you. I will never spend any amount of time with you.” My voice quavers.
“I’m afraid you don’t have a choice in the matter, Miss Davis. I placed the winning bid. I’m here to collect my prize.” In one fluid motion, he reaches for the back of my knees and lifts me over his shoulder then walks off the stage.