Ch. 1

"I'm sorry to be the one to inform you, but you have not been selected to join us on Broadway."

Tears dripped down my face as my cell phone slipped from my hands and hit the floor.

I fell to my knees as heart-wrecking sobs tore from my chest at the horrible news I had received today.

Since I was a little girl, my dream has been to be an actress on Broadway. Just like my mother was when she was my age, she was the one who taught me everything I knew until she died of cancer when I was ten and left me to be raised by my dad, who was always busy working or taking care of me and my three younger brothers.

I took every acting class I could and did theater throughout high school. After I graduated, I moved 8 hours away from Ohio to go to Juilliard for four years, but I guess it just wasn't enough.

"I got accepted!" yelled Jessica, my friend, and roommate. We met in Julliard and decided to rent an apartment together throughout the four years. We both took the audition for Broadway, and it seemed she had been accepted.

"Oh no!" Jessica said as she dropped to the floor and pulled me into her arms, "I am so sorry, Angel,"

Jessica was a beautiful young woman with long brown cornrows with pink beads, big brown eyes, and brown skin, and she was built like a runway model.

I hated that I felt jealous of my friend, who I knew worked as hard as I did for this opportunity, so I clung to her as I cried.

Once the tears stopped, I pulled away, then rushed into the bathroom to splash some water on my face. Starting back at me in the mirror was a young woman who was five foot ten, with long brunette hair, a hard-angled face with almond-shaped hazel eyes, and light olive-colored skin I inherited from my Latina mother.

My body was toned from all the years of taekwondo I learned from my Korean father. I really missed him and my little brothers; I wonder if he would be disappointed in me when he learns that I failed. He will probably ask me to come home and help him at the Dojang, but I wasn't ready to give up on my dreams yet.

With a sigh, I lathered in some make-up and pulled my hair into a ponytail before I got dressed for work.

"I have to go to work now," I said to Jess, "I am not mad that you got in and I didn't. I will have to try again next year."

Jess smiled as she pulled me in for a hug, "That's the spirit," she said with a smile.

As I made my way down the streets of Manhatten, I dragged my feet as I stepped through the door of the local Starbucks.

"How did it go?" Asked Nate as I stepped up next to him behind the counter.

"Bad," I replied as I helped the next person in line with a smile, "I failed the audition."

"Ah, man, I'm sorry to hear that," Nate said as he handed a customer their order.

Nathen Johnson was another good friend of mine. He was a cute young man around my age, with unruly red curls that fell to his ears, pale freckle-covered skin, green eyes, and very skinny. We met a few years ago when I started working here at Starbucks, and he has become one of Jess and my best friends over the years.

The rest of the evening was busy as people wandered in and out of the shop. Thankfully I didn't have time to wallow in my misery. I had just handed a woman her coffee when I heard a few girls discussing something that caught my attention.

"Are you going to the new club opening this weekend in New York City?" Girl #1 asked girl #2.

"I heard it was a Burlesque club," Girl #2 says, "I think it sounds awesome."

"I heard that the owners are close friends," Girl #1 adds, "And that they are freaken sexy too."

I was so distracted by the girls' conversation that I failed to notice the couple who walked up to the counter.

"Well, aren't you a sight for sore eyes," taunted a familiar voice I hoped not to hear today.

With a sigh, I turned to see my archnemesis Hillary Skank (That is actually her last name) from Julliard with her arm hooked into the elbow of my ex-boyfriend Taylor Black.

"Do you want me to take their orders?" asked Nate.

I shook my head, "No, and I doubt they are here to order a coffee," I said, "They are probably here to gloat about me not getting into Broadway."

Hillary scoffed, "Like you are important enough for us to even bother," she said as she leaned into Taylor, "I already knew that you wouldn't make it."

So the story between Taylor and me is that we met in school where we had the same voice training classes. I was in that class to become an actress, while Taylor wanted to be a singer.

We hit it off pretty well and started dating, but I walked in on him and Hillary banging three years later. I thought I loved Taylor; it broke my heart, and I haven't been with anyone since.

I swallowed hard to hold back the tears as Taylor stared at me; Hillary did not like this, so she hit me where it hurt the most.

"I thought you wanted to be on Broadway just like your dead mommy," she said with a smirk, "But I guess that dream is now down the drain for you…."

I narrowed my eyes at Taylor, making him flinch; a sob broke free as tears streamed down my face.

"Angel, I…" He went to say something, but I cut him off.

"Save it for someone who cares," I growled through clenched teeth, "I trusted you when I told you about my dreams. How do you feel now, huh? Now you are with the rich girl who can pay your way to the top."

Taylor ran a hand through his hair but stayed silent. With a shake of my head, I tossed my apron on the counter, then rushed into the back of the shop to step out into the alley to sit down on the bottom step as I bawled my eyes out.

As I sat there crying, I felt a hand on my back, causing me to jump slightly. I looked up to see Nate standing there; concern etched on his face.

"Hey, you okay?" he asked gently.

I shook my head, "No… I can't believe they would do that," I said as fresh tears streamed down my face.

Nate sat down next to me, "I know it hurts, but you can't let them get to you. You're better than that," he said as he rubbed my back soothingly.

I wiped my tears away, "Thanks, Nate," I said with a small smile, "I needed that."

"No problem," he replied with a grin, "But, hey, have you considered going to that new club opening this weekend?"

I raised an eyebrow, "Why do you ask?"

Nate shrugged, "Well, it might be a good distraction, and who knows, you might have some fun. Plus, it's a burlesque club, so you might get some inspiration for your acting career."

I considered Nate's suggestion for a moment, and he was right. I needed a distraction from the drama with Taylor and Hillary, and the burlesque club could be an excellent opportunity to let loose and have some fun.

"Okay, I'll go," I said, determined to turn this negative situation into a positive one.

Nate grinned, "Yes! That's the spirit," he said, "I'll come with you if you want."

I smiled at Nate, grateful for his support.

"Thanks, Nate," I said, "I appreciate it."

The rest of the evening passed by quickly, and before I knew it, it was closing time. I gathered my things and headed out the door, a newfound spark of excitement in me; maybe things were looking up.

That night when I got home, I found myself thinking about the new Burlesque club those girls had been talking about, so I decided to look it up on my phone.

I learned that the club was called Apocalypse and was owned by the Horsemen brothers. Seriously? Four brothers with the last name Horsemen own a club called Apocalypse?

I scanned through the photos of the sexy brothers, who did not look related at all.

The first one was Beel Horsemen, who was tall and built like a pro soccer player, with caramel-colored skin, shaggy black hair that fell to his ears, and dark hazel eyes.

The second man was Michael Horsemen, who was tall and looked Greek god with long dark golden-brown hair that fell to his shoulders, amber-colored eyes, and golden-brown skin.

The third brother was built like a pro swimmer, tall, with dark brown skin, short black hair, and blue-gray eyes. It said here that his name was Abaddon.

I shook my head as I looked at the fourth brother, Azrael Horsemen, who was leanly muscled and tall, with olive-colored skin and long brown hair pulled into a sexy man-bun and brown eyes.

They were defiantly hot, that is for sure, and I was interested in their club. I have seen the movie Burlesque and thought it might be interesting to see it for myself.