Dancing With Lies: A Billionaire Best Friend's Brother Romance: Barre To Bar, #1

1

Ten Years Ago

New York City, New York

Y ou think this is a game?! She heard the man with the neck tattoo say as he threw a punch into her dad’s stomach. She ducked and hid beneath the window as he turned around to scan the backyard.

She was supposed to be on her way to dance class when she noticed the car that was parked across the road from their house the days before their porch got vandalized. She had told her dad about the suspicious vehicle that was positioned outside all day, but he dismissed it like it was nothing, as if she was making things up for no reason. When she spotted the same car again today, she decided that she had to sneak back into the house, figure out what was going on, and prove her dad wrong.

Please, I don’t know anything. The voice was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time - the sound of her dad pleading, begging for the two muscular men to stop hurting him. What had he gotten himself into?

Either tell us what we need to know or pay up. The other man laughed as he flung a few more punches. You’re running out of time, old man. Don’t make us wait.

The sound of things shattering followed: one by one, further and further away, surely the strangers leaving the yard and a path of destruction on their way out.

Chloe crawled out of the kitchen towards the front of the house, so she could make sure that the men had really left before she came out of hiding. She snuck out, like she snuck in, and made her way to dance class like it was a normal day – like she hadn’t just witnessed her father being beaten by two scary henchman-types.

In the evening, her dad pretended nothing had happened, and claimed the busted lip and slightly messed up face of his were caused by a silly fall down the stairs, a foolish moment of absent-mindedness. When she inquired about the broken pot plants, all he said was that it was caused by some kids and refused to say more about it.

She knew better than to push her dad further, not today anyway. Maybe she could bring it up again in a few days, after things had calmed down.

Lolly, come on, June called out, her voice broken up by giggles as she watched Chloe dance around the room. Chloe’s slim but muscular feet were a blur as she moved from balance, to pirouette, to arabesque with such speed that it nearly took June’s breath away. Let’s go play with my new iPhone.

In a minute, I have to get this right. Chloe breathed out as she came to a halt, her golden curly waves a sudden disturbance in her eyes. They had fallen loose from the tight bun she kept her hair in when she was in her studio. The studio was a large room with walls painted the palest shade of pink, with glass mirrors lining two sides so that Chloe could observe how well she performed the various movements involved with ballet.

Her toes ached, but even at 18 years old, she knew it was the price you had to pay to be a good ballerina. She had developed a love of dance throughout her childhood. Her mother’s decision to start her daughter in ballet classes early was a good one, one that had swiftly become all the girl could talk or think about when she wasn’t at school.

June didn’t understand how much Chloe loved ballet, but Chloe allowed her into the large studio that could have hosted an entire class but was for Chloe’s use alone. June could come in, but she didn’t like ballet, although she did like to watch Chloe practice. She’d sit there until she grew bored and then she’d want to do something else in the mansion that Chloe called home. June lived in her own mansion, but it was usually crawling with people and her much larger family, even though her older brothers had gone off to Ivy League universities now.

Or we could dress up as princesses in your tutus and tiaras. June’s eyes wandered to the open closet where Chloe had a variety of costumes to dance in. Like we used to do when we were little girls.

That was one of their favorite games, even as teenagers - playing princess - and Chloe decided, as she pushed her hair back up into a tight bun, that maybe she’d practiced enough today.

Okay, but I’m not changing, I like the outfit I have on now, Chloe answered at last, gazing at the blue, diaphanous skirt she wore over a silvery blue leotard. She was an ice queen, ready to take on the evil witch that threatened her kingdom. Or the trolls, as she and June had always called June’s horrible older brothers, Liam and Lincoln. They weren’t invited into Chloe’s studio, nobody but June ever was, so they couldn’t come in but the girls had imaginary battles with them in the room.

And Liam wasn’t such a troll now, not since Chloe had discovered how much she wanted to kiss him.

The music ended on the sound system that filtered music into the room and Chloe went to pick up the remote to hit replay, but a noise outside caught her attention. It sounded like a loud bang, so loud that June even jumped and screeched a little. Chloe’s soft, barely-there amber eyebrows came together and she stared at the door to her studio, barely cracked but still open.

What was that, Lolly? June asked as she rushed to Chloe’s side, her thin pianist fingers grabbing at Chloe’s bare bicep in fright.

Chloe glowered at her friend in a most perturbed way before she spoke. It was probably Aunt Katie. She must have dropped something.

Aunt Katie wasn’t really Chloe’s aunt, but the maid had been with the family since long before Chloe came along, and it was what her parents called the woman, so Chloe had continued to use the term without question. Besides, there were some weeks she spent more time with Aunt Katie than she did with her own parents, since they sometimes went off on romantic trips all over the world.

Should we go check on her? June asked, her dark eyes full of anxiety.

No… Chloe started to say but then the sound of breaking glass filled the air. She must be having a very bad day, Chloe thought as she walked to her studio door and peered out.

Aunt Katie had very bad eyesight that only grew worse as the years passed, but she wouldn’t spend the money on new glasses, as she always said she would. Chloe had asked Aunt Katie why she didn’t have glasses, but the kind, plump woman with gray hair was always helping others before herself. Her son had needed tuition money and Aunt Katie spent her Christmas bonus on that instead of glasses. When her parents gave her a raise, Aunt Katie’s nephew had a sudden crisis that she’d helped him out with. At least, that’s what Chloe’s mother had said to her father in a way that left no doubt in Chloe’s mind that her mother resented these other people taking Aunt Katie’s money. It wasn’t very nice of them, at all, Chloe thought, especially when the poor woman could barely see.

June clung to Chloe’s back, her fingers scrabbling at Chloe’s shoulder, but Chloe didn’t mind. She walked out of the studio and in the direction where she’d heard the sound of breaking glass. The sound of angry male voices made her slow down and creep along the edge of the hallway until she got to the corner. With her breath held, Chloe peered around the corner and saw two very big men, both showing a lot of tattoos on their bare arms, one had a tattoo on his neck as well.

I don’t know anything. Chloe was surprised to hear her father’s voice, full of fear, his voice thick like it was when he had a cold. Chloe tried to see her father but couldn’t see around the two wall-like men.

The trio were in the foyer of the house, an entryway full of white and blue tiles with lots of glass figurines and the pottery her mother collected during her travels. Her mother loved her collection so much she displayed it for her visitors to see from the moment they stepped into her sanctuary. Even the tiles had come from Spain and were each hand-painted with a different scene that Chloe had spent many hours looking over. Was it one of her mother’s vases that had broken then?

Lolly. June hissed, her fingers like clamps on Chloe’s thin shoulders, her voice edged with even more fear than Chloe’s father’s.

Chloe was afraid too, but she was curious as well. What was going on? Hush, June. Let me hear.

Why don’t you tell Celeste you don’t know anything yourself, Mr. Abshire? The one with the neck tattoo said in an accent that grated on Chloe’s nerves. I’m sure she’d be interested in hearing it out of the horse’s mouth, so to speak.

I don’t… Chloe’s father paused, and she heard him…spit? Did he just spit on the floor? Why?

Listen, dude, it’s nothing personal, okay? The other one said with a shrug. We’re only doing what our boss told us to do. Now, you need to take Celeste’s call when it comes tonight, hear me? Or we’ll be back.

Chloe couldn’t see anything else, and June was clawing at her so much she felt her skin tear under the girl’s fingernails. She broke away from the wall with a hiss and glared at her friend again.

They made it back to Chloe’s studio before June, her eyes downcast and her hands clasped together, spoke to Chloe. I’m going to go home before it gets dark. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Chloe.

Chloe looked at her friend and nodded her head, tears in her eyes that she wanted to hide. She was always the tough one. Okay, ‘bye. PS: I love you.

PS: I love you, too, June whispered, before she scurried out of the room and down the other side of the hallway towards the kitchen.

Chloe tried to practice some more and not worry about what she’d seen. She’d heard a car start and leave and hoped the men were gone. When she fell a second time, her feet dragging as if they wanted to keep her grounded, she gave it up and turned the music off. She remembered now, how her father said the graffiti on the front of the house last week, something that looked like a skull spray-painted on their front door, was just a Halloween decoration that someone had put up early, even though it was only September. She also remembered when she came home from June’s house a few days ago and all the flowerpots and flowers on the front porch had been smashed to bits. They lived in a very safe neighborhood, but suddenly it didn’t seem very safe at all. It couldn’t all be a coincidence, could it?

2

She flew past the mirrored walls the next day, her hair a stream behind her back. She wore a black leotard with a pink sweater over it to fight off the chill in the room. She’d left off the leg warmers which she hated. Her pink slippers were worn in perfectly and it was a good day.

It was her parent’s 30 th anniversary, a day they always took for themselves. Only having one child, late into their marriage, meant they could often get away alone, especially when they had the money for a live-in maid who was willing to keep an eye on Chloe. She knew they didn’t worry about her anyway, she was too focused on ballet and getting into a good dance academy to get into trouble.

When she wasn’t at school, or at June’s, she was in her studio practicing to get the routine for her auditions just right. It was already perfect, she knew that, but it had to be more than perfect, it had to be…spectacular.

She grinned into the mirrored wall with perfectly straight teeth, her flat chest poised at just the right angle as she bent into the motions, her legs and feet the main focus as her arms came up gracefully. Her parents would be so proud of her if she got into the New York academy, but she’d be happier if she got into the Royal Ballet in London. Her idea of heaven, though, was the academy in Paris. She’d even started to learn French, in anticipation of getting a place. Either way, wherever she ended up, she’d be happy, so long as she was able to dance.

As the music came to an end and the routine finished, Chloe headed for a table and picked up a bottle of water and a towel. She dried her face before she took a drink of water. When she put both down, she reached for her phone and saw she had a text message from her best friend, June.

You coming over tonight to stalk my brother? Her BFF asked.

Chloe rolled her eyes with a huff, but yeah, she did have a crush on June’s brother Liam. Not Lincoln though, he was just a big jerk.

No, I’m coming over to stalk you, of course. She sent back with a wink emoji.

Yeah, right. I’ll believe you this time. June’s text came with an emoji that seemed to be feeling under the weather.

The real reason she was going to June’s was that she wanted to give her parents some time alone. Sure, it was a big house, but still, they’d probably appreciate knowing she was in someone else’s care. It was odd that they hadn’t gone on a trip this year, as they normally did, but maybe thirty years of marriage was enough to keep them home this year. Her mom always went with her dad on trips, whether it was business or pleasure. They couldn’t be without each other and Chloe wanted a love like that one day, when she got around to love.

Ballet came first, then love, she’d decided from the moment she first noticed how cute boys were sometimes. Boys like Liam were…cute all the time.

Have you seen your mom’s present yet? June buzzed Chloe to ask.

Girl, it’s a huge watch, covered in diamonds and it’s from Chopard. It even has her name engraved on it. Mom said it must have cost a fortune when she showed it to me. It is dazzling!

I can’t wait to get married and get really expensive gifts like that. June sent back.

Chloe rolled her eyes. Are you kidding me? Your mom went to AUSTRALIA to get you the exact iPhone you wanted for your birthday. Besides paying over 2 grand for it, she paid for airline tickets. And a hotel. Girl, please…can’t wait to get expensive gifts.

I see your point. See you later? June added a smiley face and Chloe had to grin back.

You know it. PS: I love you.

She didn’t wait for a reply, she’d look at it later when she’d had a shower and changed. When she came downstairs, she found her mom in the living room, ready for a night out if the Chanel dress she wore and the exquisite style of her blonde hair meant anything. You going now, Chloe?

I am, Mom. Chloe went up and hugged her mother and gave her a peck on the cheek. She didn’t want to mess up her mother’s makeup, not when she looked so happy and pretty.

Are you sure you don’t want your father to drive you? Her mother asked but Chloe shook her head.

Chloe still hadn’t learned to drive, it wasn’t high on her list of priorities, especially when she loved the alone time she got with her parents when they drove her somewhere. Tonight was special, though, and she’d let them have some peace. Even Aunt Katie had taken the night off and had gone to visit her son.

I’m good, Mom. I’ve got my bike and it’s not that far to June’s. It’s a safe neighborhood, anyway. She shrugged and plaited her hair quickly before she wrapped a scrunchie at the end. I’ve got clothes at June’s and my cell phone in my backpack. I’ll be fine.

I’m so lucky to have such a good daughter. Her mom wrapped her in an envelope of Dolce and Gabbana perfume, her arms tight around her daughter for a minute before she let go. I can’t believe how fast you’re growing up.

Oh, Mom, I’m only eighteen. Chloe couldn’t help but blush though, in pleasure and embarrassment.

That’s nearly grown, darling. Soon you’ll be leaving me forever. Her mother brushed a finger down Chloe’s cheek, her blue eyes, so similar to Chloe’s, misty for a moment. You’ll go to a ballet academy and then on to something else. You’ll have a life of your own and my baby will be grown.

I have plenty of time to grow up, Mom. All I want to do now is dance and be here with you and dad. And maybe kiss Liam again tonight.

Well, I love you, baby.

I love you too, Mom. Have fun tonight. She pecked her mom’s cheek again and headed out the back door to get her bike. She loved her parents, but she liked the independence of being on her bike, and it was their anniversary. True love deserved a night off from kids.

3

Chloe was on her way out to June’s again a few days later, her mom’s watch on her arm. Her mom didn’t complain when Chloe snuck into her bedroom to ‘borrow’ jewelry without permission, because Chloe always made it back in time to replace whatever she’d taken before her mom woke up the next morning. She wasn’t exactly sure why she’d taken the watch earlier. She’d looked it up and discovered it cost over a hundred grand so it wasn’t like the earrings or necklaces she sometimes pilfered, but she knew that all she really wanted to do was show the watch to June. They’d talked about it a few times since her parent’s anniversary. She’d bring it back, safe and sound in the morning.

She walked out to the barn behind the house, a barn that cost nearly as much as the house, and straddled the bike she kept there. She’d taken out her iPhone and had David Gray playing through her headphones. She loved most of his music, but one song in particular made her think of nights like this, cool nights full of hope and mystery.

She’d had crushes on boys before, but she’d never expected to feel like this about Liam. He was June’s older