Denied (One Night 2)

‘Miller, come on.’ Tony’s trying his hardest to talk some calm into the situation, and I’m willing him to succeed.

Cassie’s perfectly arched eyebrows arch further. ‘Want some?’

‘No,’ Miller spits.

She pouts and lets it drift slowly into a sly smile. ‘That’s a first.’

I gasp, I cough, unable to halt any of the shocked reactions from spilling from my mouth. He does drugs? On top of everything else, I now have addict to add to my list?

‘I f**king hate you,’ Miller seethes, moving closer.

‘She’s ruining you.’

He leans closer to her, threateningly, his palms twitching where they rest on the glossy white surface. ‘She’s saving me.’

Cassie’s laugh is cold and sardonic as she moves in nearer to him. ‘Nothing can save you.’

I’m completely numb, trying to process this new blast of enlightenment while desperately trying to cling on to the strength I need to help Miller. I look to Tony, pleading with my eyes for him to intervene.

But it’s too late.

Miller launches himself across his desk, grabbing Cassie by the throat.

I scream.

The scene is manic. Unreal. Miller has lost control, and when the crazy woman seated at his desk should be fearing for her life, she’s just laughing at him instead.

‘For f**k’s sake!’ Tony throws himself into the mix, getting a smack across his jaw for his trouble, but instead of yielding, he fights harder. He knows, just as well as I do, that this will end only one way, and that’ll be with Cassie in the hospital. ‘Get off her!’

‘She’s a f**king parasite!’ Miller roars. ‘Life is miserable enough without her help!’

‘Miller!’ Tony jabs him in the ribs, making Miller shriek and me wince. ‘Back off!’

Miller pushes away from his desk and swings around aggressively. ‘Get her out and back in rehab!’

‘I don’t need help!’ Cassie spits nastily. ‘You’re the one who needs f**king help.’ She squirms free of Tony’s hold and starts pulling at her untidy dress, yanking the hem back down to her knee. ‘You’re prepared to risk everything for that?’ Her arm shoots out towards me.

It? That? Oh, I might be stunned by the events unravelling before me, but her persistent insolence and insults are beginning to piss me off. ‘Who the hell do you think you are?’ I stand, immediately aware that Miller has halted with his gritty marching. ‘You think a few temper tantrums and bitter words will break him?’ I step forward, feeling my confidence swell, especially when Cassie snaps her rotten mouth shut. ‘You can’t stop him.’

‘It’s not me you should be worried about.’ Her lip curls. They’re just more words, but the acute manner in which they are delivered sends anxious tingles shooting up my spine.

‘That’s it.’ Tony intervenes, taking Cassie’s arm and leading her from the office. ‘You are your own worst enemy, Cassandra.’

‘Always have been,’ she agrees on a laugh, allowing herself to be guided to the doorway without a fuss or fight. But then she slows to a halt at the threshold and turns leisurely, sniffing as she does. ‘It was nice knowing you, Miller Hart.’

Her parting words cool the heated emotions that are dominating the atmosphere in Miller’s office, leaving the air thick with tension. The door slams, courtesy of a riled Tony, and Miller and I are left alone.

He’s edgy.

I’m disturbed.

We both remain silent for what seems like for ever, my mind playing repeats of the past ten minutes as my wet body and injured face slowly start to register. I begin to shiver and my arms instinctively wrap around my body. It’s a protection mechanism. It has nothing to do with my chilly bones.

My gaze is cemented to the floor, not daring or wanting to torture my eyes with the sight of Miller in full-force psycho mode. They’ve had more than they can handle in the last couple of days. These outbursts are becoming too frequent. He needs help. The stark reality of Miller’s life just keeps getting starker.

‘Don’t deprive me of your face, Olivia Taylor.’ The softness of his voice is strained, an attempt to instil some ease into me. I’m not sure it can work. I don’t think anything can work. I’m again questioning my ability to chase Miller’s demons away because as I see it right now, I’m fuelling the fire. And I hate that. I hate my constant doubting because of these interferers. ‘Olivia.’ I hear the light thud of footsteps approaching, but I keep my eyes down.

I shake my head and my chin begins to tremble.

‘Let me see those sparkling eyes.’ The warmth of his palm connects with my sore cheek, sending a flash of pain coursing through me. I recoil on a hiss, turning my face away from his view. I already know that it will be glowing red from the brute force of the whack I’ve just absorbed and that will undoubtedly enrage Miller more. He seems to be calming. I need to keep it that way. His hand retracts slightly, hovering just in my field of vision. ‘May I?’ he asks quietly.

I fold, inside and out, my fallen heart crumbling, my weak body collapsing. He’s silent as he catches me, like he fully expected my body to give, and he takes us down to the floor, rocking me in his strong arms. The familiarity of his bare chest against me doesn’t have its usual effect. I sob – horrible gut-wrenching sobs. It’s all too much. The strength that Miller feeds me seems to have been swallowed up, leaving me a weak waif of nothing. I’m no good for him. I can’t see him through his darkness because my own world is becoming too dark in the process. William is right. A relationship with Miller Hart is impossible. Apart, we are barely functioning. Together, we’re dead and incredibly alive at the same time. We’re impossible.