‘Really?’ Owen seemed amazed. ‘You’ve got to try it,’ he said, putting a pill into her hand. ‘It’s incredible.’ He popped the other into his mouth.
Kate looked at it uncertainly. She didn’t want him to think she was a prude, but she was a wimp where drugs were concerned. She was always afraid she would be the one person in a million who would keel over and die from a heart attack the first time she tried something.
‘Go on,’ Owen urged. ‘You’ll love it. Nothing bad will happen to you, I promise.’ He was kissing her face again, his thumb stroking her ear erotically.
Suddenly the room was flooded with light. ‘What the fuck is going on here—?’ a harsh voice rasped.
Kate opened her eyes groggily to see Will in the doorway, like an avenging demon. She felt as if a bucket of cold water had been thrown over her.
His eyes darted to the pill in her hand.
‘Whatdid you give her?’ he rounded on Owen, eyes flinty.
‘Nothing.’
‘What did you give her?’ Will demanded, his tone menacing.
‘It’s just an E,’ Owen admitted.
‘Christ, Owen!’ Will snatched the pill from Kate’s hand and hurled it across the room. ‘What the hell are you doing?’ he raged at Owen. Kate had never seen him so furious.
‘I was doing quite well until you turned up.’ Owen tried to make light of the situation.
But Will was not amused. ‘Jesus, I leave you alone forone fucking dayand all hell breaks loose! The kitchen looks like a bomb hit it!’ he roared at Kate. ‘And you’re supposed to be here to work,’ he yelled at Owen, ‘not to get high and get laid! You could do that at home, for fuck’s sake! I’ve got the record company on my back about the new album. I’m buying you time every day so you don’t have to put out a piece of shit. I bring you here so you can concentrate on it, and all you can do is fuck around!’
‘Hey, chill, man!’ Owen smiled nervously. He had never seen Will so wound up – not even when he’d got stoned at the Brit Awards, danced bollock-naked on the table and asked the head of their record company to give him a blow job.
‘That’s not fair! Owen’s been working bloody hard,’ Kate protested, emboldened by the weed and booze she’d had earlier.
But she only succeeded in drawing his wrath on herself. ‘Andyou,’ he said, turning to her, ‘you’resupposed to be here to work, not to— to get your tits out for the lads,’ he spat, his lip curling contemptuously.
Kate was speechless. She had never seen Will like this, and itwas terrifying. He was incandescent with rage. She couldn’t believe he was speaking to her like this.
He seized the advantage. ‘Christ, Kate,’ he was looking at her as though she was something unpleasant he had stepped in, ‘I never tookyoufor a star-fucker!’
‘What?’ Kate gasped.
He was looking at her with malice in his eyes, clearly taking spiteful pleasure in the shock and hurt that registered in her face. Struggling not to cry, she took a deep breath and looked him in the eye.
‘Fuck you!’ she said quietly, keeping her voice steady with a tremendous effort of will. ‘I quit.’ With all the dignity she could muster, she brushed past him and stalked out of the room.
This brought Will to his senses. He blinked hard, as if he was waking up from a dream. ‘Kate, wait—’ he called after her, but it was too late.
‘Jesus, what have I done?’ He sank onto a bench and buried his head in his hands.
Owen sat down beside him and lit a spliff.
‘Sorry, Owen. I had no right to speak to you like that,’ Will said quietly, his shoulders slumped. As his fury abated, the realisation of what he had said in the heat of the moment dawned on him. ‘I don’t know what got into me.’
‘You should have told me she was spoken for, man,’ Owen said softly. ‘I’d have steered clear.’
‘Since when did that ever stopyou?’ Will said. ‘Anyway, you know Kate’s spoken for – she has a boyfriend at home.’
‘Oh, I don’t mean that twat,’ Owen said airily. ‘But I’d have stepped aside for you.’
‘For me?’ Will looked askance at him. ‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’
‘Whatever you say.’ Owen grinned. ‘If it’s any consolation,Kate was upset because you didn’t turn up for dinner. I was just trying to cheer her up.’
