Rouge Read Online Free PDF

“I will always be your friend. And I’ll always care for you and protect you. But nothing more.”
     
    Frank was still working with Teeny when Roland appeared at my side. I looked at him and smiled. He smiled back.
    “What?”
    I shook my head. “Just a memory.”
    He tugged my elbow. “Well, come with me. We need to discuss some changes Gavin wants us to make in the production.”
    “Of course.”
    I followed him to where Mastiff was standing by the piano. Our set designer’s gravelly voice started without greeting.
    “Seems they’re doing a trick in Paris where the star is lowered from the ceiling on a swing or a rope or some such device. You’re not afraid of heights, are you?”
    I blinked. “You want me to swing in on a rope?”
    Roland burst into laughter. “That would be amazing! Could you pull it off? I could turn it into a pirate number, and we could give Frank a sword—”
    “No,” Mastiff interrupted, not amused. I could tell he didn’t approve of this change. “I’ll have to do some redesign and make a bench we can lower.”
    Gavin was back, and I watched Fiona approach Frank and Teeny. I prayed she would make them stop dancing. Teeny’s progress was painfully slow, and I didn’t want Gavin seeing her mistakes.
    “What do you think, Hale?” Gavin’s baritone was loud and full of authority. “How does our bird feel about flying?”
    “I’m sure it’ll be… interesting,” I said.
    “And you’ll need to tart it up a bit. Show more leg. I’ll have Rosa lower your necklines an inch.”
    “I don’t see why that’s necessary,” Roland muttered. “Hale’s just a kid.”
    “She’s a woman,” Gavin said, pinching my cheek. “No sense hiding it. She’s our star, and men like a tease. Makes ‘em think they might get lucky, eh?”
    I tried to smile like I appreciated his words and not like they made my breakfast start to rise. Of course, there was another concern.
    “But… but what about Freddie?” I asked.
    Gavin winked. “Talked to him just today. Lovel’s yours for the losing, cher .”
    “Then whatever you want, of course.”
    “Who knows, it might even speed things along,” he said sotto voce. I wasn’t sure I understood, but he turned quickly and addressed the men. “It’s all settled then.”
    “I’m going to need those additional workers,” Mastiff called after him.
    Gavin stopped and glared at him. We all fell silent waiting to see what would happen. Long moments passed, until at last Gavin relented.
    “Two,” he said. Then he turned, strode up the aisle, and out the back door. I looked at Roland and breathed, but he was still frowning.
    “I don’t like this,” he said, and I couldn’t help feeling a twinge of dread.

 
Chapter 3
     
     
     
    Mastiff got his new workers, and by the next day we were busy restaging the production. Every day we worked from before breakfast to past dinner, stopping only for an hour at lunch. We were practicing overtime to learn the new routine, and I was taking a break from the pas de deux with Frank when Teeny found me.
    “Aren’t you supposed to be helping Rosa with my costumes?” I asked as she grabbed my arm. “Why do you have that look on your face?”
    “It happened,” she said, pulling me.
    My eyebrows drew together as I followed her into the wings. She kept going toward our small room, and I noticed she was clutching her stomach.
    We burst through the door, and she fell on the bed. “I’m bleeding everywhere, and I can’t stop it.”
    For a moment I was confused. “What?”
    “Down there,” she whispered. “From my… you know.”
    I shook my head, “But you’re only twelve!”
    “Oh!” she wailed. “I knew this was wrong. Am I dying?”
    “I don’t know.” She moaned again, and I pulled her into a brief hug. “I mean, of course not. You’re not dying. You’re nearly thirteen, and I guess we don’t know anything about your mother. Maybe she began early, too.”
    I released her and crawled