Page 88 of Mafioso's Muse
She pushed his hand off her leg and gestured for him to slide off the bench. ‘Excuse me. I need some air.’
He didn’t move. ‘I’m not letting you run away from the conversation.’
‘I’m not asking for permission.’ There was a hard edge to her tone now.
A scowl took over his face. ‘You’re behaving like an ungrateful brat.’
The shift in his demeanour was unsettling. ‘Excuse me?’
‘Do you see any other average dancers from the western suburbs of Sydney being recruited by world-class companies?’
She stilled as his words sank in. ‘Did you just call me… average?’
He sighed. ‘Willow?—’
‘You don’t get to put limits on me or decide what I’m capable of,’ she said quietly. ‘Now, please move.’
The tension hanging in the air between them was a living thing. When he showed no signs of moving, she said louder, ‘I want to leave.’
‘Don’t behave like this.’
‘Move!’ The word slipped from her at full volume. The people dining in the restaurant fell silent and looked in their direction.
He shifted on the seat. ‘You’re not just jeopardising your own career with this behaviour. I hope you understand the only reason I’m considering Lili for the role of Myrtha is because I know how badlyyouwant her to succeed.’
Willow felt cold and hot all at once. ‘I’m going to leave now, and for your own sake, we’re both going to pretend you didn’t just say that.’
His throat bobbed. After a long, conflicted stare at her, he slowly slid along the seat and stood. ‘Let me pay, and then I’ll drive you home.’
Willow got up as quickly as she could and backed away from him. ‘I’ll find my own way home.’ She turned her back to him and headed for the door.
‘Don’t you walk away from me!’
She fled the restaurant, her thoughts churning and body trembling. Every kindness he had shown her since childhood suddenly felt like… grooming. It was like a switch had flipped when he realised he might no longer be in control.
She had to give it to him. The man had the patience of a saint. He hadreallyplayed the long game—but she was awake to it now.
The one thing Harrison had not been prepared for was Vaughn Gallo.
Tears burned in Willow’s eyes, but she refused to let them out. She wouldn’t give Harrison any more power over her. So she focused hard on the footpath, arms wrapped tightly around herself in an attempt to ward off the chill settling in her bones. But her body shook anyway.
Glancing back, she half expected to see Harrison in pursuit. That fear propelled her forwards. She decided to call Lili, but as she was fetching her phone from her pocket, she remembered the date—the one Lili had been looking forward to.
Three names down on her contact list was MG. Her thumb hovered over it. She flinched when a car honked its horn nearby, then dialled Vaughn’s number before she came to her senses.
28
July 2024
Vaughn glanced at his ringing phone, then dropped his pen when he saw MH lit up on the screen. He answered straight away. ‘Willow?’
‘Hi.’ Her voice sounded small, and he could hear traffic noise in the background.
‘What’s going on?’
‘I just… um…’ She sounded close to tears.
‘Willow.’