My nerves churned at the chuckle that followed his words. The condescending prick.
“The show has never looked better.” I couldn’t help but throw a little jab at the both of them, and by the glares I received in return, they didn’t find it as funny as I did.
Dirk rubbed Claudette’s back with a pinched smile and a glare aimed at me. “I highly doubt that.”
“Ahh,” Jimmy said, with a boisterous voice that broke up the tension. “And there’s our lovely lead now. Claudette, I’d like to introduce you to our new Grace, Kai Ashley.”
I whipped my head around to see a confident Kai making her way onto the stage. But by the way she was carrying herself and the narrowed look she was giving Dirk and Claudette, I knew I’d have a lot to answer for later.
It had all been too good to be true. I should have known Dirk would show up and manage to fuck up every inch of progress I’d made. Just when she finally trusted me. When things in my life were going well. And when Angst and Grace no longer felt like a thorn in my side.
Kai glided forward, wearing her opening dress, which she looked far better in than Claudette ever had. But I was trying to avoid a confrontation of any kind.
“Hello,” Kai said, her smile melting the frost I’d accrued over the last few minutes. “Good to see you again, Dirk.”
Dirk moved forward, placed his hands on Kai’s shoulders and kissed both cheeks while she stood there, stiff. My entire body clenched to stop myself from doing something I’d regret. Jimmy’s hand gripped the back of my neck and squeezed, speaking directly to the motorcycle revving its engine in my chest. If Dirk didn’t step away from Kai, there would be a problem.
“We,” Claudette started with a purr, “can’t wait to see you in action, darling. I hear this will be your first time performing on a theater stage. Is that right?”
Kai never faltered. “That’s correct. I think I may have to make it a permanent thing.”
Claudette’s pinched smile and curt nod said it all. She wasn’t here to watch our “brilliant” show. She was here to reclaim her spot as Grace. It didn’t even matter what her reasons were. She wasn’t taking Kai’s spot.
Other dancers started shuffling out from backstage, their eyes darting to the newcomers with tangible discomfort.
“Well,” Dirk said, scooting Claudette toward the steps at the side of the stage. “We’ll find our seats now. But Jimmy”—he called out the last part over his shoulder—“don’t be surprised if I jump in with any notes.”
Jimmy nodded and waited for Dirk to walk away before rolling his eyes and blowing out a breath. “Great,” he whispered.
I let my anger fizzle out, finding relief in the fact that Jimmy was of the same mind as me. “Let’s just get this over with.”
“Come forward a few inches, Kai.” Dirk was standing just under the stage as he spat out his directions. “You want to hit your marks if you want to be seen on this stage. There’s no point to a spotlight if you’re going to stand outside of it.”
Rage boiled in my chest. That had been the fourth critique Dirk had given Kai—every single one picking her apart. He was full of bullshit. I couldn’t see the stage, but I could see Jimmy’s frustration every time Dirk made the cast halt everything. Kai was exactly where she was supposed to be. I wanted to stand up and say something, to tell Dirk to get the hell out, because the only thing he’d been doing for the past hour was putting the cast on edge.
Kai, being the true professional she was, took everything with an emphatic nod and said she’d try to do it better the next time. But better didn’t exist, and I worried she was pushing herself too hard, which was probably exactly what Dirk had intended.
Jimmy gestured for me to cue up the next song, and I did with a growl low in my throat. When Dirk hopped onto the stage a minute into the song to direct Kai to hit her moves “harder, faster, sharper, steady,” I couldn’t take it anymore.
I stood from my piano, the band following suit once they realized the main melody had stopped, and I flew down the stairs and headed straight for Dirk. I would take him by the collar and give him the threat I should have given a long time before.
“Sebastian,” Kai warned.
Hadn’t she just warned me about this very thing? Screwing things up for her? I didn’t want that. But someone had to do something about this guy.
I paused just before I got to Dirk and nodded for him to follow me. Then I pointed at Jimmy and waved him over too. We were going to settle this once and for all.
“Why don’t you all take a five-minute breather,” Jimmy called over his shoulder, then he turned to the woman standing center stage—my woman. “Kai, you’re released for today.”
A sigh of relief rushed through me, and I nodded at Jimmy in thanks. Kai would be pissed, but that was better than her getting verbally slaughtered by the devil himself. And I was right. Kai seemed furious, and she was looking directly at me. Shit.
“I can’t believe you released her,” Dirk scoffed when Jimmy got near. “She needs the most work out of all of them.”
Jimmy shook his head. “Kai is amazing. You haven’t given her a chance.”
“A chance?” Dirk’s eyes widened. “A chance to what? Ruin my show? I’m going to say it again. She’s not right for the part. I’ve given you time to get her comfortable, but I’m telling you I was watching her up there, and I just couldn’t get the idea of Claudette off my mind.”
“I’m sure,” I murmured under my breath.
Apparently, it wasn’t low enough because Dirk shot me a look.
“Just think about the press if we can get a real Broadway star up there on that stage,” Dirk said.
“We have one.” I took a step forward and pointed at my chest. “Me. And what press are you referring to? The cruise is already sold out, you twi—”
Jimmy slapped a hand to my chest to cut me off. “You may not notice the changes we’ve made, but I assure you, they’re significant. It would take at least two weeks to train another Grace. And why should we? Kai is perfect for the role.”
How Jimmy managed to stay so calm, when all I wanted to do was strangle the dick in front of me, was unbelievable.
Dirk scoffed. “I think you’ve been working with amateur talent so long you’ve forgotten what a professional Tony-award-winning talent can achieve in very little time.” He rolled his eyes. “Claudette wouldn’t even need any of the practice.”
I looked away, afraid of what I would say next if I opened my mouth again. This was Dirk’s game—hit ’em low when they’re high. My chest puffed out, and I stepped forward again. This time I was so close that my toes jammed against his. “So what’s the deal, Dirk? You came here with Claudette to replace Kai? Was that the goal? Because it’s not happening. We sail away in four days. Like it or not, Kai is our lead.”
Dirk narrowed his eyes, all pseudo confidence gone. “What if Claudette were to understudy the role of Grace in the very likely chance that you two idiots are wrong? Then if Kai fucks up, Claudette gets the role.”
“Kai won’t fuck up,” I seethed.