Song: Secrets and lies by Ruelle

Half way through the meal, my dad finally looks over at Gabe. "So Gabe...you are going to school to be a dancer as well, like our Violet?" He looks over at me with a grand smile.

"Yes sir. I want to dance in the ballet full time."

My dad takes a sip of his wine from the glass and then sits it down beside his plate. "And you believe that will help support our daughter?" he says with a slight smirk.

"Dad...how rude. You know it is not about the money," I snap back.

"I know but we have to look out for you." He looks up at me and then glances out of the corner of his eye towards my mom. She still hasn't said much tonight. "So let's say something happens and you are not able to dance ever again what do you plan on falling back on?"

Gabe looks over at me. We have talked about this a million times. I already know what he is going to say. "Sir...all due respect you have nothing to worry about. Your daughter here is a fantastic dancer and will go far in the company. We have talked and if something happens to the other we will support each other. I also have a passion for photography and if dancing doesn't pan out I have that to fall back on. I want you to know sir that I love your daughter more than anything in this world."

I was smiling from ear to ear until my mom finally decides to speak up. "You say you love her then why are there bruises on her upper arm?"

"Mom those are from us dancing..." I quickly want to defend him.

Gabe holds his hand out for me to be quite. "I would never hurt your daughter," he shoots right back at her as if daring her to say anything else. I know that look and I can see her mind working. She doesn't trust him. She hates seeing him having control over me.  He has no idea what he just stepped into.

"Word to the wise...don't ever hold your hand out for her to be quite like that again. And the next time I ever see a bruise on her made by you...you will regret it," she says very calmly but with that pitch in her voice that you don't want to mess with.

Gabe gets really quite and I can tell he is very intimidated by her. Hell everyone is always intimidated by her except my dad. Even Atticus and Ashton know when to shut up around her.

"Mom...ok...stop... so we had a disagreement the other night and it got a little out of hand. Believe me I can handle this myself I don't need you telling me or Gabe how to be with each other. Beside, how in the hell did you know?"

"Mothers know more than you think." She looks up at me and then to my dad waiting to see if he will say anything, when he doesn't she looks annoyed. "Excuse me, I need to go to the restroom." She sits down her napkin and leaves the table.

"I will be right back," I say softly and then get up to follow after her.

Once in the restroom, I wait for her to come out of the stall. "How did you really know? Are you spying on me...tell me who is watching me."

"Sweet Violet...I don't need anyone to spy on you. I can tell by the way he touches you. The way he held up his hand for you to be silent. Those bruises are not from dancing. I know what it looks like to be in that position. So I want to know is it something you are into? Do you like to be treated that way?"

I look into the mirror at her while she is washing her hands. I start to bite on my bottom lip and think about what she is saying. It amazes me how much she knows. I cast my eyes down on the floor when she turns to look at me. She reaches over and tilts my head back up with her hand under my chin.

"Violet...are you really happy with him? Is he want you want more than anything? If so then I have no reason to be worried or concerned however if this is not what you really want then you need to let him go and you need to move on without him. Think about it...if you loved him like you say you do you would have introduced him to us from the start not a year later." She leans over and kisses me on the cheek and then the other side before opening the door to go back out to the table.

I stand there for a few minutes to think about what she has said. Gabe started out as my partner and we fell hard for each other. The first few months were the best ever but then it was like he wanted control over me. He started getting upset if I messed up and on the one audition I tripped and when we got home we got into this big argument. It ended up with a bruised lip. Of course we made up right afterwards and he promised to never do it again.

However a month later we got into it again. Some days I am so happy to be with him and other days I dread going home. I never know what kind of mood he will be in. Dancing is the world to him and he says that we will be on top in no time. I just have to have the right discipline. I dance day in and day out trying my best to not fuck up the routine. A few tears fall silently down my cheek and I quickly wipe them away with the back of my finger. I reach over and grab a tissue and quickly blot my face and look back in the mirror at my reflection.

Scarlett has always seen me for me. She has always been that one step ahead of me growing up. She was right, I didn't tell them about him because I knew she would tell me how it should be. They raised me to take care of myself. They taught me how to fight back and not let anyone over power me and then here I am doing the complete opposite.

I gather up my composure and go back out to the table. They are all talking and when I go over to the table Gabe quickly stands up and pulls out the chair for me. I know he is putting on an act for them. "Thank you," I say softly and sit down.

He leans into me. "No problem...are you ok Vi?" He moves a stand of my hair behind my ear to get a better look at me.

"I'm fine." I take my glass of wine and take a sip and then slowly sit it down. I smile at him and then my eyes wonder over toward my family. Each of them smiles back at me. I know the four of them will have my back in my darkest days however Gabe I am not so sure that he will always be there to defend me. When we are finished eating, we all get back in the car.

Ashton takes me back to my apartment and Gabe and I get out. They get out as well and we hug each other by. "You guys can stay the night if you want...I have plenty of room."

"Nonsense...your mom and I already have a place to stay, you know that."

"Ok well can we go do something tomorrow while you are still in town?"

"Sure...we can meet up for lunch if you like but then we will need to head back home."

"Sounds great." I hug my dad and he gives me the biggest hug ever and then I hug my mom. "I love you mom. I promise you I am fine, everything is going to be ok."

"I know it will. I love you too." She kisses me on the check and they both get back in the car. I know exactly what she means about how it will all be fine because if I don't do something about it she will.

Gabe and I go up the elevator to the top floor. My parents got me this apartment when they realized how much I wanted to move here. They did not know that Gabe would move in a year later. As we are going up, I notice the surveillance camera in the far right corner and I realize that is how she knows everything. She knows that he is here every night. Hell there are cameras in the front entrance and in all the hallways. This is how she knows about Gabe.

We walk into the apartment and a part of me wonders if there are cameras in here as well but I don't say anything to Gabe about it. As far as I can tell there are not on the inside but still it makes me wonder. Gabe takes off his shoes at the door. We haven't talked at all on the way home or in the elevator. I walk over and slip my shoes off then go to the kitchen to fix a glass of water.

Gabe walks in and grabs a glass as well, however he opens the fridge and pours himself another glass of wine. "Your parents don't like me do they?"

"Give them time...I'm sure you will grow on them?"

He rolls his eyes at me while shaking his head. "Your mother...she doesn't approve. She accused me of hurting you."

Because she knows you dumbass after all she is my mother; I think to myself but don't dare say that out loud. "And I told her it was from us dancing...you were there."

He sits down the glass on the counter and grabs hold of my neck. "What the hell did you tell her in the restroom?"

"Nothing...you are hurting me let go." I squirm underneath his hold.

"I don't believe you." He tightens his grip.

I maneuver around him and get out of his hold anyway. I reach up and grab my neck to massage out the soreness. I glare back at him. "You should...if they knew you were this way towards me you would be dead already."

"Are you threatening me Vi. You're fucking parents are just filthy rich motherfuckers who think that they can buy anything and anyone. That's it Vi...nothing more. They can stare you down and make you feel like you are nothing but I swear to you they can't protect you like I can."

I burst out laughing and it pisses him off. It's just he has no idea who is really fucking with. My father is an assassin and my mother she is a cleaner. Yes they may have gave up most of their jobs but I know how active they are and how they really are. They can kill you without you even knowing it and get rid of your body like you never existed...please you have no idea who you are fucking with. "No one can protect me the way they can, not even you." I know I piss him off.

I see his eyes glass over. His hands come with such force and hold me back against the wall. "You know they can't Vi. Where are they now...they for sure are not here to help you?"

"Gabe you are hurting me; let me go." I push back and he only pushes me back harder.

"You are mine now...don't you fucking ever forget that." He kisses me harshly.

I try to turn away but he takes his hand and holds my head still to kiss me yet again. I knee him right between the legs. When he lets go that is when I rear back and hit the shit out of him with my fist. "Don't you ever touch me like that again; I am done being your little bitch Gabe. If you want to be with me then you are going to have to learn to respect me or get the fuck out."

For once he is silent with nothing to say. I should have done that a long time ago. I walk right past him, waiting on him to grab me but he doesn't. I go to the bedroom and get ready for bed and for the first time in a year I actually sleep all alone.