“Gone?” I asked, perplexed.
Laurent nodded. “Unfortunately, she had to leave for a family emergency. She told me to be sure to give you her best regards and said she’ll explain everything very soon.”
What family emergency could have befallen her I didn’t know and thought the whole thing sounded extremely strange, to say the least. I would have thought she would’ve at least waited to tell me as much, in person, but perhaps it was such a pressing emergency that she simply didn’t have the time?
“Then… she never auditioned for you?”
“No, she just stopped by to tell me she couldn’t audition today,” Laurent continued and, by his air, he seemed completely unconcerned with Amelia and her emergency.
“How did you find out she had a family emergency?” I pressed, worried for her.
“Apparently, a telegram purporting the news of an emergency was waiting for her when she arrived at the train station, so she had to return home immediately.” He looked up at me then and sighed. And there was something about the way he sighed that made me believe this was just yet another performance. “It was too bad, really. She claimed to be quite proficient as a juggler, and I was more than eager to see what she could do.”
I slumped in my chair, my heart breaking for Amelia. All the while, I wished I could have at least had the opportunity to see her, even in passing. Her family emergency must have been very serious and yet… she’d traveled such a long way to show Laurent her act. Joining the circus was her dream, our dream, from the time we first became friends.
Laurent must have sensed my disappointment because he reached over his desk and took my hands. I glanced down and noticed that strange inked tattoo mark was on both of his wrists. “Before she left, she put in a good word for you,” he continued. “She convinced me you were really quite talented and anxious to escape your little town out in the sticks and explore the big, wide world.”
“I…” Before I could get another word out of my mouth, the door flew open, crashing into the wall. The whole building shuddered like it was the victim of an earthquake and Laurent immediately pulled his hands away from mine. I choked back a gasp as I spun around in my chair to see who could have entered so forcibly.
My eyes grew wider as I beheld the gargantuan form of a man standing in the doorframe. A few strands of his long, raven-black hair escaped the tie behind his neck, framing his chiseled, high cheekbones and square jaw. He swiped a burly hand down his clean-shaven face, frustration evident in the tautness of his lips. His wide-set shoulders and huge biceps strained against his shirt as he gripped the door frame. If this man were an animal, he would have been a massive bear.
Even though his exterior was certainly impressive, nothing could hide his eyes—bright blue, piercing orbs filled with emotion, like the calm before a tsunami. A perfect contrast to Laurent’s stormy gray ones.
The man started across the room, completely ignoring me, while glaring at Laurent with all his outrage on display. God, but he was well put-together! From my angle, his initially handsome features made him terrifying, plain and simple, yet I couldn’t look away. There was something so captivating about him. He glanced down, his eyes narrowing when he spotted the black-and-red bouquet Laurent had just given me. The silence in the room was deafening until the stranger finally spoke in a gruff tone, like gravel beneath a tire.
“What the fuck is going on?” he demanded.
Laurent gave a tight smile and motioned to me. “Need I inform you, I have company?”
The man didn’t spare me a glance. And with the way he’d just sworn at Laurent, I couldn’t imagine he was one of the workers. And yet… yet Laurent had said this was his circus so that could only mean…
“I thought you had the twins under control,” the man said, his voice so deep, it was more of a growl. In fact, this man seemed more animal than human. Strangely enough, I sensed this line of conversation wasn’t what had originally brought him firing through the door.
“Are the twins acting up again?” Laurent asked as he leaned back in his chair and seemed completely unconcerned.
“They’re complaining about the nets again. They insist on practicing without them.”
“Well, isn’t it your job to ensure they don’t injure themselves?” Laurent asked.
So, this man was Laurent’s employee? I couldn’t seem to reconcile that fact because this man just seemed subservient to no one, never mind, Laurent, who must have been his boss.
The man breathed in deeply and his eyes were ringed with fire. Anger seemed to bubble just underneath his skin and for the second time, I sensed the conversation about the twins wasn’t what he’d intended to say upon entering—he’d just seemed so outraged and nets (or lack thereof) seemed an odd thing to be outraged about. I thought my presence may have altered his course, though he had yet to acknowledge it. Or me. As far as I could tell, he hadn’t even spared me one glance.
Laurent slumped back in the chair with a huff, as if dealing with this man’s outbursts were a common occurrence. “Well, you can tell them what I always say—safety is our number one priority!” He paused, his eyes flickering to me.
“I’m tired of their constant griping,” the man said.
“I’m sure you can—”
“They’re more trouble than they’re worth! If it were up to me, we should have left those malcontents in the last town.”
Laurent snorted, pinching the bridge of his nose. He took a deep breath before looking back up and answering, with a hint of exasperation in his tone. “I’m certain you’ll figure it out, Rex. But, as you can see, I’m in the middle of something right now.”
“That’s all right,” I assured him. “I don’t mind waiting.” I was acutely aware that the stranger, Rex, was now staringat me. The overt stare had started with a quick glance and then something had settled into his eyes and he was now blatantly staring at me unabashedly.
Perhaps ‘glaring’ was a more fitting word.
Hesitantly, my gaze met his, and for the briefest moment, a spark of warmth flashed in his turbulent eyes, almost as if he recognized me. But the moment passed just as quickly as it came, replaced by an unfriendly chill that sent shivers across my skin.