Thief (Boston Underworld #5)(24)

“Her dancing career is over,” I say. “The doctors have told her as much. She is finished.”

“Then she will need to accept that in her own time. It’s too much for her to grasp right now. But in time, I am confident she will understand her limitations. The brace has been removed, and she is very excited about the prospect of exercising again.”

“Limited exercise,” I amend.

“Of course,” Sarah agrees. “Within reason. She understands she is being granted small freedoms but could lose them should she step out of bounds. Which brings me to my point. She needs something else to occupy her time. She mentioned she feels isolated here, and I believe it’s contributing to her obsessive state.”

“I told her to find another hobby.”

“Hobbies are good.” Sarah nods. “But making her feel useful, making her feel human, that’s important too. Perhaps what would be beneficial is for her to socialize more with you and your staff.”

I blink at her, still trying to wrap my head around how it came to this. Tanaka is not on holiday here. She is a prisoner. The doctor is well aware of her circumstances, and she freely accepted the payment for her services, but now she is trying to change the rules.

“It isn’t the way we do things. You could spend more time with her. I’ll pay you extra.”

“I’m afraid my schedule won’t allow it,” she says.

Well, fuck. What makes her think mine does?

“I’ll consider it,” I say, mostly to appease her.

She looks skeptical. “Just a suggestion … Tanaka longs for a taste of the real world, but she also fears it. Perhaps you could take her on the occasional outing if you find the time. Having a safety net to fall back on will help her.”

Safety net? I am the furthest thing from Tanaka’s safety net. Now this crackpot of a doctor is adding outings to the agenda. I grunt a response and tell her I have work to do.

Sarah leaves, and I stare at the monitor. I’ve been careful to avoid it because I don’t need to know the details of her sessions.

But now I want to.





“Are you busy?”

The rumble of Nikolai’s voice startles me. I was so absorbed in my stretches that I didn’t hear him enter the gym. With only an hour per day to exercise, I’m forced to make the most of it. His interruption is a hindrance, but I’m also curious about the sudden appearance, considering he hasn’t been to see me in weeks.

He’s dressed like he just came in from outside, wearing his black leather jacket and flat cap. The slight tint of pink on his cheeks betrays cold weather, but I can only imagine it myself. The seasons have changed since my arrival, but I have not left the walls of the fortress since.

“I’m stretching,” I tell him. “I still have thirty minutes.”

“I have no intention of cutting your time short, Nakya.” He bends down to dispose of the shopping bags in his hands. “But I brought something that might be of use to you.”

The gesture is out of left field, and I’m not sure what to do. So I say a simple thank you.

He nods. “I thought that perhaps this afternoon you could help Nonna in the kitchen. After your appointments, of course.”

“The kitchen?”

“Yes.” He rubs a hand over the scruff on his jaw. “We are having a guest for dinner tomorrow evening, and she will be doing some baking if you’d like to join her.”

It seems like an odd suggestion, but it’s not like I have anything better to do. “Okay.”

Silence is an ocean between us, and I don’t know what else to say. Neither does Nikolai, apparently. His eyes are hostage to my new figure, and I’m self-conscious of his attention. Before, he said I was too bony, but perhaps now he thinks the opposite to be true.

“You look much better,” he says roughly. “Healthy. Your skin is glowing.”

It isn’t what I expected to hear, and my answer is as awkward as I presently feel.

“Thanks. It’s all the fish. The doctor said it’s good for the skin … so yeah.”

This conversation is going nowhere fast. I’m out of sorts, and I don’t know why, but my cheeks heat when Nikolai’s eyes trace over my hips. I’m in the least flattering outfit I could imagine wearing—a pair of baggy shorts and a tee shirt—but it’s all I have left apart from the one leotard he didn’t destroy.

“Keep eating the fish,” he says. “It does you good.”

And with those words of wisdom, he departs abruptly, leaving me dazed and disoriented.

I’m tempted to check the bags now, but I wait until I’ve finished my practice. When the timer goes off downstairs, Nonna will be in to collect me and lock up the gym for the day. Since my release from the bed, I’ve been grateful to return to my practice. I was also surprised to find that Nikolai had a barre installed. Something I forgot to mention or thank him for while he was here.

It seems like an odd gesture of kindness from someone who has no interest in my returning to the stage. But I will take whatever small scrap he offers as far as my ballet is concerned.

“Time is up.” Nonna enters the room in keeping with her schedule.

“Okay.”

I finish my last set of pliés at the barre and collect my things, including the bags Nikolai left for me. Nonna locks the gym behind us but doesn’t bother to escort me upstairs. I’m free to roam as I like unless I break the rules again.