Page 80 of Mafioso's Muse
He finished the rest of his drink in one swig, then sat like a moth resisting a flame. At some point, he would need to switch off his feelings entirely and figure out how to return to a satisfactory pre-Willow life. But in that moment, he simply drank his fill of her, absorbing every emotion she portrayed and admiring every turn, every delicate lift of her fingers.
The final curtain fell, and the audience erupted in thunderous applause. He felt a familiar tightening in his chest as he rose from his seat, leaving the box and making his way towards the exit. When he stepped out into the cool Melbourne air, he knew this would be the last time he would torture himself by watching her perform. It was time to let her go.
He fired off a text to Finn, then lit a cigarette while he waited for the car to arrive. When it pulled up, he put his cigarette out and flicked it into the nearby bin before climbing in.
Finn waited for instructions.
‘Titian,’ Vaughn said.
Nodding, Finn pulled away from the kerb.
As they drove through the city, Vaughn stared out the window at the lights flashing by, trying not to think about the dancer he’d left behind.
25
June 2024
The scrambled eggs sat cold on Willow’s plate and the fork unused beside it. She needed to eat if she was to get through the long day ahead, but her appetite had abandoned her. Glancing at the mirror on the wall, she flinched at her own reflection. The dark circles under her eyes were becoming a regular feature, and her skin seemed to have permanently lost its glow.
So much for bringing grace and beauty to life.
A knock at the door had Willow climbing off the stool and going to open it. Lili stood there with a foil-covered plate, beaming with energy.
‘Good morning, my little swan,’ she chirped as she pushed her way inside. ‘I brought your favourite—sesame pancakes. If that smell doesn’t make you hungry, then you’re a lost cause. Ãyí made them especially for you.’ Her gaze settled on the plate of cold eggs sitting on the bench as she handed Willow the pancakes. She silently went to bin them.
Willow peeled the foil back, and her stomach growled involuntarily. She plucked one of the pancakes off the plate and ate it on her way back to the bench. Lili sat on one of the stools and pulled the other one out for Willow.
‘You can’t keep going like this,’ Lili said, watching her carefully. ‘Your body needs proper fuel and movement.’
Pure facts.
‘So you’re coming jogging with me this morning,’ Lili announced. ‘No excuses.’
Willow set the plate down with a heavy breath. ‘I should save my energy for rehearsals today.’ She had a drink of water to help get the pancakes down.
‘You can do both.’ Lili sounded determined. ‘Trust me, the fresh air alone will do wonders for you. Think of all those endorphins.’
‘It’s freezing out.’
‘Oh stop.’
Willow watched Lili eat a pancake, thinking of all the ways she’d been there for her through the previous year. So many bouts of homesickness and endless moments of self-doubt. ‘Okay.’
Lili appeared surprised. ‘Okay?’
‘Since I can’t think straight right now, I’ll let you decide what’s best. If you think I should jog, then I’ll jog.’
Lili pulled her into a hug and held her there. ‘I’m sorry it hurts, but it won’t hurt forever.’
It was incomprehensible that it hurt as much as it did. How could one’s entire soul be consumed in a matter of weeks? They hadn’t even had a chance to fall in love properly before it was over.
Liar.
She had loved him too soon, too fast, too… much.
‘Eat up,’ Lili said, releasing her. She picked up two pancakes and handed one to Willow. ‘Cheers.’
Willow bumped her pancake to Lili’s, then ate, helping it down with more water.