The waiter came by with our first course, and I found myself relaxing. This dinner wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be.
“What colleges are you considering when you graduate?” Richard asked curiously. “You’re going into your junior year, but it’s not a bad idea to start narrowing down your options now.”
“Oh, I don’t need college to dance professionally,” I said happily.
I immediately knew I made a mistake by how his face hardened, so I tried to explain. “Once I’m close to graduation, I’ll start auditioning for different dance companies. Initially, I’ll just be hired for the corps de ballet, but I might be promoted to soloist if I do well. Eventually, I want to be a principal dancer, which means I get the best roles in the performances the company puts on.”
Richard didn’t look happy. “And if you get injured? If you don’t get promoted?”
I squirmed in my chair. “Injury is always a risk in any competitive sport, but I’m careful with how much I push myself. I always listen to my instructors, and I stay healthy.”
Okay, that part was a lie. I’d been pushing myself a little too hard lately, but the old Katya did all of those things.
“Having a college degree would give you something to fall back on in case something unexpected happens,” Richard pointed out.
“I can get a degree at any point in my life,” I argued. “I can only be a ballerina until I’m thirty-five. Maybe forty if I’m really lucky. If I delay my career for four years, I’ll never get the opportunity to live my dreams.”
“And what about when you’re thirty-five?” Richard challenged me. “Are you going to retire?”
I shrugged. “I’ll become a choreographer, a dance instructor, or maybe eventually a company director.”
I was surprised that Richard was acting like he cared. My mother just looked bored with the conversation and probably wasn’t even listening. I doubted she would be in my life for much longer, anyway. It was strange that Richard was the one acting like he was my long-lost parent, but there was no doubt in my mind that he had been the one to push for this meeting.
“Maybe she thinks she can mooch off you for the rest of her life,” Kingston interrupted out of nowhere. I hadn’t heard either him or his brother enter the restaurant.
I stiffened when he and Maverik took their seats at the table. I was hoping they were going to defy their father and not show up at all.
“She’s pretty,” Maverik flicked his eyes over me derisively, but I caught the flash of heat that he tried to hide. “As long as she stays fit and flexible, she shouldn’t have a problem finding a sugar daddy. Right, Nina?” I was glad to see his glare directed at her instead of me, but his comment was still out of line. I opened my mouth to tell him that, but Richard beat me to it.
“Stop, Mav,” Richard scolded him.
“Being nice wasn’t part of the deal,” Kingston grinned.
Richard took a deep breath as if he was looking for patience. “It is now. You better hope I don’t make any more amendments to the deal.”
Both guys scowled, but they shut their mouths.
“I’m sorry for the interruption, Katya,” Richard said as he shot each of his sons a warning glare. “We were talking about college?”
“I think Katya was explaining why she’s not going to college,” Maverik said politely, but with a dark glint in his eyes.
Kingston laughed, and Richard narrowed his eyes at Maverik, but there wasn’t anything he could say. Technically, Maverik hadn’t been rude – he was just trying to stir up trouble.
“Nina,” I said innocently. “Did you go to college?”
Both guys chuckled under their breaths as Nina shot daggers at me with her eyes.
“I’m sure your mother wants you to have a better life than she did,” Richard told me confidently. He didn’t realize his mistake until Kingston let out a loud guffaw, and Maverik smirked.
“I think my life is fine the way it is,” Nina said coldly.
“Yeah, dad,” Kingston laughed. “What are you implying? Are you saying that Katya shouldn’t prostitute herself like-”
“Enough!” Richard shouted. “I’ve already given you boys enough warnings. You’re going to sit here and behave, or there will be serious consequences.” His voice quieted as he spoke, but I could hear the rage that vibrated underneath.
I looked down at my untouched plate and regretted ever agreeing to come here tonight. Maverik and his father were staring at each other in a battle of wills, and I fidgeted. Ryan reached for my hand under the table and shot me a pointed look. Don’t make this worse.
I scowled at him in response but kept quiet. So far, it seemed like the guys were using me to get under my mother’s skin, but they were being assholes towards me as collateral damage. I didn’t care about most of the stuff they were implying about my mother - I actually agreed with them. But I would stand up for myself if they came after me.
“Fine,” Maverik finally agreed with gritted teeth. “We won’t say another word.”
I thought it was interesting that Maverik spoke for both brothers, but I could see how he was the leader. He looked like the older of the two and seemed to contemplate his words before he spoke, where Kingston just blurted out whatever came to mind. Maverik was the type who would plot, plan, and be patient until he had victory in sight. I wasn’t capable of feeling sorry for Nina after being abandoned, but I doubted that she and Richard would make it to the altar.
The staff was attentive as they used the break in the argument to exchange our plates for the next course. My stomach churned with anxiety, and I didn’t
