“I need to eat,” Luna yells. “I’m not a machine.”
There’s a long moment of silence while Angelica gathers all of her patience.
“Okay, everyone, take ten, and then we’ll get back to it.”
The dancers who had been fixed to their spots, waiting to see what was going to happen, drift to the other side of the stage. I smile as Jax grins in their direction. He’s always had a way with the ladies that isn’t sleezy or creepy. He just loves women and loves life and is happy to show his appreciation for both.
“You can do this, Luna. This part’s the grind, but later, when you’re on stage, and the crowd is shouting your name, you’re going to forget all the hard work and just bask in the glory.”
“You’re right,” she says. “I know you’re right. It’s just, I know I can do it. Even if we’re getting it wrong now, I know what needs to be done. I just wish Lucas had more confidence.”
“This is his job. He’s only got this far because he demands perfection.”
“I guess.”
“Just trust that everyone around you is working to deliver the best possible experience for everybody buying a ticket.”
“And what about me. Should I trust that they have my best interests at heart too?”
“You can trust that I do.”
I leave my words to hang between us so that she feels the full weight of them. If there’s one thing I’ve learned in my life, it’s that talking too much smells like weakness. There is a reason that the strong-silent-type description exists and is so appealing to women.
Luna places the salad back on the table and gracefully stands. She’s so little that I’m looking down, and she’s gazing up, her eyes wide and searching. I guess she must find what she was looking for in my expression because she blinks slowly and whispers, “Thank you.” Then she’s jogging across the stage.
“I’m ready. Let’s kick the living shit out of this routine.”
“Yeah,” the dance team shouts in unison, bounding onto the stage.
Lucas starts the music again, and, in a flash, Luna is dancing, her body lithe, her movements perfectly in time. She hits every beat and masters every move, and even though she’s disheveled and sweaty, she still exudes superstar from every pore.
As the music draws to a close, Lucas begins clapping, and his tanned face is lit up by a mouthful of exceptionally white teeth. “That’s it. Perfect. Perfect,” he shouts, and I want to call out that he shouldn’t doubt the girl whose talent has bought us all to this place.
She’s got this.
She was made for this.
And maybe I was too.
There isn’t much for me back home. My family doesn’t want to know me. I’ve stepped too far outside the fold for them to ever accept me back. I knew, when I left home and the church behind, that I would never be a part of that life. Sometimes, I regret it. In the middle of the night, when I lie awake, I feel the loss of my parents and my brothers more keenly. When things are going wrong, my instinct is always to find the right piece of scripture to fit the circumstance, and I have to push back in case I drag myself back into a place where I never felt truly comfortable.
But when I’m with my Steel 7 brothers, I know I’ve found the kind of home that counts. A home without judgment or expectation. A home where I can expand to become the self I couldn’t be when I was surrounded by so many rules.
And looking after Luna has given me a sense of purpose that I haven’t felt in a while.
She’s like a shining diamond, set into a priceless crown.
After Luna’s soaked up the appreciation, she surprises me by bounding over and throwing her arms around me. For a second, my chest feels like the wind has been knocked out of it, and I can’t find a thing to say that fits with this moment. Then Luna’s off to hug all the dancers that are going to contribute to making tonight’s performance spectacular.
When I look over, I find Jax with a knowing smile on his face. I have no idea what he’s thinking, but I doubt that it’s the same as me.
I want this girl.
Stupid as it might seem to crave the person I’m being paid to protect; I can’t help myself.
Her safety is in my hands, but I wish it was her heart.
6
LUNA
The rumble of so many people seated in such a large venue is something that I'm not sure I'll ever get used to. In a way, the crowd feels like a huge animal. Before a show, I'm worried that the animal will be angry, but during a show, I feed off the animal's appreciation. It's electric, hearing my name shouted by thousands of people. It's addictive knowing that they are all there just to experience my talent and creativity.