Variation: A Novel

CassidyFairchilde1: They’re both incredible dancers. I hope they figure out their family issues.

“Have I told you how incredible you look tonight?” Hudson’s hand warmed my lower back through the thin green silk of my asymmetrical dress as we made our way through the packed marina. We needed to be on board in the next ten minutes, or we’d miss departure.

“Have I told you the same?” I glanced over at his suit, more than admiring how it hung on the broad lines of his shoulders.

“You guys are nauseating,” Eva remarked from behind us as we stepped onto the wooden pier.

“You nauseate me,” Gavin countered from her side. I’d figured two pieces of backup were better than one, and he’d agreed to tag along as Eva’s date.

Hudson shot his brother a warning look, and I concentrated on not catching my heels in the gaps between the boards of the pier. I spotted members of at least four different companies from around the US as we walked toward the slip with the yacht MBC had rented for the reception tonight.

“Alessandra!” someone called out, rushing at us off a boat to the right.

I clutched the manila envelope Anne had given me like my life depended on its contents, and shifted so Eva wouldn’t be hit head on by the energetic blonde. An eerie sense of recognition tickled the back of my brain.

“Hi!” She grinned and waved. “I’m Lila Morris from the Los Angeles Metropolitan Ballet. I was sent out to help judge the Classic, and just had to tell you that your performance was exceptional.”

“Thank you, that’s very kind of you to say.” I blinked at the name, and my throat tightened as it hit me. “You’re WestCoastPointe.”

“You’ve seen my content?” Her smile dazzled, only slipping when her gaze momentarily darted to Eva. “I just wanted to say that I think you’re one of the best of our generation, and I hope we get the chance to work together.”

“Funny, I could have sworn you said she was pretentious and haughty,” Eva said, straight faced, staring Lila down.

Gavin stifled a snort, and Lila flushed crimson as we walked away.

“That wasn’t nice,” I chided my sister.

“I know.” Eva shrugged as we reached the slip with the MBC logo and found the yacht’s engines already purring. “This must be us.”

“Holy fuck,” Gavin muttered. “Seventy footer?”

“I bet it’s over ninety,” Hudson responded. “You sure about this?” His hand moved to my waist.

“I’m never sure about anything.” My heart started pounding as we approached the ramp. “I usually leave that part to you.” The staff was too busy readying the boat for launch, so no one checked names, and we walked right onto the enormous party yacht and into the bustling gathering that started on the back deck by the small dinghy, and continued both inside and upstairs.

“Where do you think he is?” Hudson asked.

“Usually in a private room toward the bow.” I nodded toward the front of the boat and started moving.

Hudson wrapped his arm around my waist and tugged me out of the path of a group of kids racing through the crowd in ties and summer dresses, scurrying for the steps that led to the upper deck.

“Thanks.” I lifted my hand to my chest to calm my racing heart.

“You guys have kids on this thing?” Hudson asked as we moved forward into the cabin.

“Some attend the school,” I answered, nodding and smiling to colleagues as we passed by. “Most are the ones who placed in the top five or so in their category today.”

“Juniper came in seventeenth,” Gavin announced proudly.

“She did,” I agreed with a smile. Best text I’d gotten all day, considering I’d had to chase down Eva.

“Allie!” Everett stepped away from Michael and the group of soloists they’d been standing with at the bar. “Are you ready to celebrate? They’re pouring excellent martinis.” His face puckered when he saw Eva. “Guess they let anyone on.”

“Go easy on her,” I said. “She’s having a rough day.”

“As she deserves.” He offered Eva a sharp smile as the boat’s horn blew. “Ooh, we’re sailing.” He leaned in and kissed my cheek. “You know he’s waiting for you. Get that contract and come party.”

“I have something to take care of first, but I will.” I nodded. “Do me a favor and let Hudson and Gavin hang with you for a minute?”

Hudson stiffened. “That was not the deal.”

“Relax,” Everett said. “Boyfriends don’t go to contract meetings. Let her handle business, and then you two can sneak off after we toast.” He lifted his eyebrows at me.

“We’ll toast as soon as I actually have an offer,” I promised.

“Of course you will.” Everett rolled his eyes. “And if it’s anything like mine, well, we’re sitting pretty. I think Jacob is in there right now, but I’m sure he’ll be out in a second. They’ve been locked away for a hot minute. You should head back.”

Perfect timing. I turned to Hudson.

“I don’t like this,” he grumbled as I straightened his tie.

“I think you look quite sexy in it.” I tugged on the fabric, and he leaned down, his face inches from mine. “If we’re not back in twenty, come looking.”

“You want me to wait twenty minutes?” His brows lowered, and he bracketed my waist with his hands as the boat began to move, pulling out of the slip. “Anything can happen in twenty minutes.”

“Count it out in five-minute intervals, if that helps.” I clutched the manila folder between us and pressed a quick kiss to his mouth. This wasn’t how I wanted to spend our last night together, but I was glad he was here with me. “I’ll be right back.”

He looked torn, and his hands flexed once before he let go and nodded, reaching into his pocket and retrieving his phone.

“Eva?” I looked over at my sister.

“Let’s go.” She put on a polished smile.

“Hey, Caroline,” Hudson answered. “We just got to the party.”

I gave Hudson another once-over just because he looked too damn good not to, then left him with Gavin and Everett. Company members waved to me as we moved through the cabin, but their hands faltered when they caught sight of Eva.

I looked through the windows that lined the cabin as the sun set and we headed out into open ocean. If this didn’t go well, the next few hours of this cruise were going to be horrifically awkward.

The anxiety I’d been fighting off all afternoon flared to life in the form of a stab of pain behind my sternum as we approached the door to the private cabin. “Tell me one thing,” I said to Eva as I spotted Maxim hovering near the door with a few members of the Company. Here went nothing. “How did you figure it out so quickly? You only saw her for a few minutes.”

“The dimple,” Eva answered, and my brows lifted in surprise. “What? I took biology. I understand enough about genetics to figure that one out. Plus, it made sense when I started lining up dates.”

“Now that, I get.” My heart fluttered at the speed of a hummingbird’s wings as we reached Maxim.

His smile didn’t reach his eyes, but it never quite did. “Well, if it isn’t the topic of the hottest conversations today.” His gaze jumped between Eva and me. “Didn’t expect to see you guys here together.”

“I’m heading in,” I informed him, reaching for the door handle.

“Best of luck.” He raised his glass in salute.

“I’ll let you know when it’s clear,” I whispered to Eva, then opened the door to the private room, and stepped inside.

“There she is!” Vasily smiled and clapped Isaac on the back from where they sat behind the long ebony table, six or seven manila envelopes stacked in front of them. The door on the starboard side was closed, but port was locked in the open position, letting in the ocean breeze from the deck that wrapped toward the bow.

Jacob closed his own folder and stood in front of that open door, then pushed his chair in and ran his fingers through his dark hair. “Alessandra. I was just leaving. Remarkable performance today.”

We hit a rather large wave, and I grabbed the chair in front of me to steady my balance.

Fucking boats.

“Thanks. It’s good to see you, Jacob,” I said.

He nodded, then slipped past me and out the door.

“Alessandra, you’re going to be so pleased with who we’re offering a contract to,” Vasily said with a grin. “He’s the best I’ve seen in years.” He leaned over and grabbed an envelope off the booth to the left. “And of course I had your new contract drawn up.”

My gaze darted to Isaac, and he inclined his head. “Darling.”

“Not your darling,” I reminded him.

“At present,” he acquiesced.

“Would you mind stepping outside? I have some family business to take care of.” My smile could have cut the table in half.

Vasily pushed my envelope across the table, then sat back in the booth. “Go ahead, Isaac. The terms of Alessandra’s contract are always private. A courtesy to her mother, of course.”

“Naturally.” Isaac got out of his chair and walked my way. “Not going to lie and say I wasn’t annoyed to see you decided to debut one of my numbers without telling me, but the execution was superb, and it’s piqued some great interest online.”

“Flawless,” I corrected him, catching his eye as he walked by. “I was flawless. Eva’s waiting out there—would you send her in, please?”

“Flawless.” He nodded with a cocky smirk. “And of course. Though I do hate to miss what’s sure to be a delicious little catfight.”

I opened the envelope I’d brought with me and pulled out the two Anne had put inside as the noise of the party flooded the room. Eva walked in and shut the door, cutting out all the noise except the waves that crashed against the hull.

“Are we negotiating a family rate?” Vasily shifted in his seat, his eyes narrowing as he glanced between us. “Does Eva require an empty seat in her theater as well?”

Eva moved to my side and remained quiet.

“You have a choice to make.” I held up the first envelope in my right hand. “You can accept these signed nondisclosure agreements in return for filling out a nonidentifying medical history form and a release of parental rights—”

He rocked forward and slammed his hands on the table, and my pulse leapt. “Not you. I expected this from your mother and Eva, but not you.”

“Oh. Did Lina catch you off guard?” I asked, tilting my head. “Or did she have Mom do the dirty work for her? Please, do tell me which one of them had the temerity to look you in the eye and blackmail you so you’d offer Lina a contract that year?”

He drummed his fingertips on the table, then sat back.

“He’s not going to answer,” Eva said softly.

“Of course not, he wouldn’t want to admit it. Would you?” I lowered the envelope to the table. “That’s okay. I put it together. Lina came begging for another shot when you didn’t sign her at eighteen. We all know that.”

He didn’t flinch.

“And you don’t give her one, of course. You only accept the best, and you’d already found her lacking. But you did abuse the power dynamic and take her up on what she was offering, didn’t you? Fast-forward a few months and she fakes an injury to get a leave of absence from San Francisco because she’s pregnant, and instead of calling you, she called our mother. Am I close?” Click. Click. Click. I tapped the corner of the envelope on the table. “I’m fairly certain you don’t know any of the details for very good reason, so let’s skip ahead to you getting blackmailed. I’m guessing it was Lina.”

He held my stare unnervingly, but his right eyebrow twitched.

“And I’m guessing she said something along the same lines as my sweet baby sister here did about a month ago, which was probably I know you have a child that violates your very public, very ironclad prenup. A child that would cost you the company you’ve dedicated your life to building. I know where this child is, and if you give me what I want, the secret will stay between us. Does that sound right?”

“It’s annoyingly accurate,” Eva noted. Her calm tone was at odds with the white-knuckled grip she had on the back of the chair as the boat dipped.

Movement caught my eye to the left, and I grabbed hold of the chair again. Water splashed up over the deck as we rose up into the next wave. It was always choppy as hell for the first half hour, and tonight was no exception.

“Is that what you’re saying to me, Alessandra?” Vasily laced his fingers in front of his chest.

“Not at all.” I shook my head. “Though I am mildly curious to hear if it’s how my mother secured my contract as well.”

“Mildly?” A corner of his mouth quirked. “Knowing you, that question must be eating you alive. Are you worthy of your position? Are you good enough?”

My stomach nearly flipped.

“A few months ago, that would have ruined me,” I admitted. “But not anymore. And I’m not here about a contract or a role. Not mine. Not Eva’s.” I let go of the chair and pushed both envelopes across the table. “Choose. Envelope one: everyone who suspects you’re the father of this child has signed an NDA, and you can have them for the price of signing the release of parental rights and a medical form. Or envelope two: our signed statements and a copy of said child’s original birth certificate get dropped into the hands of whoever grabs it first when I walk out this door. I mean, assuming you have no desire to parent said child, but I’m guessing that point would have been made about ten years ago.” I lifted my chin and mustered all the bravado in my body to hold this particular mask in place.

He studied me in awkward silence for a good minute, then leaned forward and took the paperwork on the right and reached into his suit coat for a pen. Silence filled the cabin as he opened the folder. “Baby Rousseau,” he repeated, reading over the release.

“You don’t get to know their name.” I shook my head. Anne crafted the release to match the details of the original birth certificate, minus the gender. It wasn’t foolproof, but it would be enough to give a judge if Vasily ever changed his mind.

“I don’t know who you’re talking about. I’m simply signing a document releasing paternal rights over a child that was never mine to begin with. Though had it been, that lapse in judgment would have cost me dearly when it came to my reputation, had it not been for the casual disrespect of simple traffic laws.”

My entire body locked, and I forced myself to swallow the bile that swiftly rose in my throat at his casual mention of the accident.

“I only take the best, as you’re aware. Good thing I never had such a lapse in judgment.” His pen moved quickly over the release, and then the medical form, and I took short, shallow breaths until he stuffed both back into the folder and slid it across the table.

I caught it at the edge, then tossed the other one his direction. “For your records to do as you see fit. Thank you.” Anger was quickly replaced as full-hearted relief shot through me so quickly my head lightened. Juniper would be safe. Caroline would never lose her.

“Do take your contract, of course.” He motioned to the paperwork in front of me. “We wouldn’t be the Metropolitan Ballet Company without you as one of our principals. I mean that wholeheartedly, Alessandra. I only take the best, and you are unequivocally the best, as you proved today. You have my word that what happened here will never be mentioned. Rehearsals begin in two weeks. Come back where you belong and dance the role that was created for you. Who knows, it may make you the next prima of our time.”

I stared at the envelope like it might grow teeth and bite me.

“Three years. Incredible pay raise. Center seat, back row as always,” Vasily said, tucking his newly purchased envelope into his pocket. “I’m not oblivious, Alessandra. I know you’ve already had calls from San Francisco, Houston, and London.”

“And Paris,” I added. “Or I could go freelance and choose them all.”

“And Paris. But none of them are us. None of them are your family, and I know how much you enjoy dancing with your sister. Her contract isn’t up for another year. Perhaps . . .” He tapped his finger together and glanced Eva’s direction. “Perhaps she’ll find herself in a soloist position this season. Just look it over, approve it, and sign, or write an email to my assistant and she’ll send you an electronic version.”

“Allie,” Eva hissed, and she was right to. It was everything I’d worked for, everything our mother had dreamed of, and it would secure Eva too.

“I want to bring my dog to the studio.”

Vasily’s nose wrinkled. “I can have that included.”

The contract felt heavy as I picked it up. “Thank you for your offer.”

“I’ll see you in New York.” New York. My home. My apartment and my life. My sisters and Kenna. My company and my role. But no Hudson. “I mean it, Alessandra. This never happened. That child does not exist.”

A whimper sounded to the left as the boat dipped again, and my head whipped toward the door.

No, God, no. My soul left my body as Juniper’s head disappeared from the doorway, and through the window, I watched her back away, her hands covering her mouth as she retreated toward the railing, like she couldn’t get away from us fast enough.

“Stop!” I shoved all the paperwork at Eva as I ran for the door.

Juniper stumbled backward, her eyes frozen in shock, staring past me into the cabin. The boat rose into the next swell and water crested the deck, pouring over the railing and Juniper’s lilac dress. My heels slipped as I reached the deck, and I lunged for her—

But she wasn’t there.

“No!” The boat pitched as I hurtled to the side. A flash of purple in the water below had me scrambling over the water-slick railing.

“Allie!” Eva shrieked behind me.

I jumped.