𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑋𝑜𝑛𝑒

𝑋𝑋𝑋𝑉𝐼𝐼𝐼

She began doing everything else but answering my question, her body language shifting as if she were trying to avoid what I had asked. I watched her fidget, her movements hesitant, as she turned her body away from me. She leaned back against the island, her elbows resting on the sleek black marble, her posture almost defensive.

"Why can't you tell me?" I asked, taking a few steps closer to her, until I was standing right in front of her. I couldn't help but notice the way her presence filled the space between us. My eyes never left hers as I stood close enough to feel the heat radiating from her body.

She looked up at me, her gaze unwavering for a moment, but then she seemed to gather her thoughts. "So, you know how I don't have a choreographer for this tour, right?" she started.

I nodded, tilting my head slightly, waiting for her to explain. But I couldn't deny that I was momentarily lost in the beauty of her; those eyes, the shape of her lips, everything about her captivated me in that moment. But I shook myself out of it, focusing back on her words.

"Well, I asked Gil to be my choreographer, and he said no," she continued, her voice softer now, like she was unsure of what to say next.

"Why not?" I asked, genuinely curious.

"Because the Velvet Rope was his first tour," she replied, her voice a little heavy. "He thinks he's not experienced enough. He thinks it's too much pressure."

I nodded in understanding, trying to wrap my mind around it. "Okay, so you guys are looking for a choreographer?" I asked, standing so close now that my chest was pressed against hers. Her body heat radiated through mine, making it hard to focus on anything but her.

"It's not that simple," she said softly, looking up at me with an intensity that made my heart race. "I want to work with someone who knows my work the way Tina did. And Gil's a talented dancer, baby. I wanted to give him the opportunity to grow and explore his options. There's so much more than being a Janet Jackson backup dancer."

"Yeah," I responded quietly, understanding where she was coming from.

But then she said something that made my stomach drop. "So, he came up with the idea of getting Shawn to do it."

When she said that, everything clicked, and I understood why she'd been so hesitant earlier. A small, annoyed smile tugged at my lips as I licked the inside of my bottom lip, trying to hold back the frustration. I scoffed, feeling the tension rise. Shawn? I couldn't hide the reaction I had to the thought of him being involved again. The idea of Shawn being so close to her, so intertwined in her world, hit a nerve I didn't realize I had.

"Shawn, huh?" I said, unable to keep the bite out of my voice. "Not Kelly, not Nikki. Just Shawn, like she's the answer to all of your prayers?" My words came out harsher than I intended, frustration leaking through my teeth. It wasn't pretty, but I couldn't hide it.

Janet's hands immediately reached for my shoulders, her thumbs gently caressing the skin, grounding me. "It's not like that, baby. It's only business, you know that," she said, her voice soft, trying to calm the storm inside me.

"I know that, but do you know that? And does she know that?" I said, pointing my finger to my right as if Shawn were standing there, just out of sight.

Janet sighed, meeting my gaze with an intensity that said she wasn't backing down. "Baby, I'm only going to ask Shawn to dance for me this tour and choreograph a few numbers. And I'm going to ask you to trust me."

I rolled my eyes and looked away, the irritation still bubbling inside me. She leaned in, pressing a kiss to my cheek, and for a second, I closed my eyes, trying to feel the usual warmth of her touch. But this time, it didn't work. The thought of Shawn lingered, a nasty reminder in the back of my mind.