Arkady has dedicated his life to the world of ballet. He is known as the bad boy of the dance world, and is an ever rising star. Then he gets injured in what is at first thought to be a tragic accident but turns out to be so much worse. He's lost ballet, and his life feels unbalanced. A friendship with his no-nonsense physical therapist starts him on a new path. He has her friendship, a more honest relationship with his parents, his beloved dog Lou and, for the first time, maybe love in the form of an artist with a disability of his own. But the past isn't done with him yet.

Rise Again

“Are you putting the moves on me, Cade?” Arkady asks, surprised by how rough his voice sounds.


“Little bit. I just…the last time I was in this apartment, just a day ago, you were dying. I feel like I need to grab hold of you to make sure you’re really still here.”


“I’m still here. Nothing’s going to happen to me. The cops will catch the psycho who attacked me, and it’ll all be fine. But if being close to me makes you feel better, I don’t have any objections.” Arkady smiles, and he does believe there’s a chance the cops will find the guy, or he just won’t risk attacking again, but he’s not going to let it control his life. Arkady’s had to give up too much already this year. He’s not giving up anything else because someone wants him dead.


But he understands wanting to seize the moment, and he moves closer to Cade, until their hips touch, groins and stomach flush. He lets go of the dresser he’d been using to steady himself and puts his trust in Cade to help him keep his balance.


Chapter 28