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“That’s it, no more today. I can’t risk hurting you. Today you’re coming to work with me. I need to finalise stuff for the ball, and start to get things ready.”
And with that, I move off the bed, leaving her there on the bed naked, laughing at me.
“I can’t look at you like that, you’re too tempting. Get dressed, I’m going to have a hard enough time today concentrating after what you just did to me. I’ll get you some tablets.” She’s still laughing as I walk away.
I’d say it was a surprise but I should have known that Millie wouldn’t just sit and relax in my office at the Manor. As soon as Dan walked in, in a flap about one of the vendors having to cancel at the last minute, and others having issues with supplies for next Saturday’s ball, Millie jumped up and dived in to help, sorting it out. She was now talking with vendors, stylists and decorators, coordinating everything. She had taken over, getting all the information and sorting through Dan’s non-existent system.
I’m in awe of this woman. Is there anything she can’t do? I’m meant to be sorting the refurb, but I can’t concentrate, the way she handles it all, it’s with grace but with a boot of fierce determination slapped in. Dan looks over at me, nodding his head towards Millie.
“How? It takes me weeks to get answers from anyone, and we do this every year! How has she managed to sort out all the shit in a few hours?” He looks baffled, but also kind of pleased she’s helping. It’s funny to watch them work together; they make a good team. Dan just keeps nodding at her, handing her anything she needs, while she talks to employees, vendors, and caterers. She even has Dan making lists and spreadsheets so he can keep up to date with progress.
“I have no idea, but she has taken over. There is nothing for us to do for the Ball,” I whisper back to him, sitting back in my seat. When she looks up at us from her phone, we both stop and look at her.
“There is plenty for you to do, I have work tonight at the pub, so I can’t speak to a few people. That’s your list of jobs Jack and that’s yours, Dan,” she says, handing us both a jobs sheet.
“It’ll be done.” Dan nods, “Millie you know, you have a real knack for this, don’t you?” Dan says, “I may make you our events manager.” She laughs at him, and I shake my head.
“I used to help my parents with the events they held a few times a year for their employees, I guess you never forget.” She smiles but you can see the sadness in her eyes. She must miss them; losing them both so suddenly must have been awful.
“No way, I can’t have you with four jobs, plus you are meant to be taking it easy today and I’ve already rang the pub and spoke to Mike, you have the night off.”
She lays the list on the desk in front of me, rolling her eyes at me; her smile says she is annoyed but a little pleased. God she is cute…no, sexy as hell. She glances down again at the list shehas placed on my desk, ready to grab it back when she freezes, stepping back.
She looks panicked, her face pales, going ghostly white, as her hands shoot up to cover her perfect mouth. When a sob escapes her lips, Dan and I both stand up at the same time, moving towards her. She looks like she’s going to freak out. Her hand drops to her side.
“What…why…you said…” she says, her hand coming up to cover another sob, before it can escape.
“Mil, what’s wrong?” I don’t know what just happened, what did I say? She stumbles back, her legs hitting the sofa behind her and she sits down, across from the desk. Walking over, we sit on either side of her, looking at each other for answers. Dan is watching her face as she tries not to cry, while I am watching her whole body shake as she tries to breathe evenly.
“Why…why do you have that?” Her face is so pale, it’s like all the blood has been drained from her.
Wait, the photos that are laid out on my desk, does she know one of them? Dan must have the same thought, because he stands up and walks back over to the desk, picking them up.
“Millie…do you…”
“You said…no…you promised you wouldn’t…” Tears stream down her face as she says it. She is looking at me like I’ve betrayed her trust. The fear in my chest matches the fear I can see in her eyes.
“Mil, I don’t understand, do you know one of these men?” I say as Dan places the pictures on the coffee table. She’s shaking.
She nods and points to the guy on the left. Fuck, it’s the same one who had given the creeps from the word go, the one who looked directly into the camera in my club in Ibiza. Her gaze lands on me, confused, looking for the truth. I cup her face in my hands when she speaks.
“You don’t know who that is?” She asks, looking bewildered.
“No, I promise you I don’t. These are the photos of the suspects for the arson attack on the club…who is that Mil?” I think I already know the answer, deep in my gut, I don’t want her to say it. If it is him, things have just got ten times worse.
“It’s him, my ex, Glen,” she cries. “Oh god, I have to go!” She stands up to leave, my hands fall to my lap for a split second, trying to take in what she has just said. But I grab her and make her sit back down next to me, taking her in my arms.
“I... I can’t, Jack. I need to leave, I can’t do this. If he knows where I am… oh god, it’s all my fault. I’m so sorry, I should never have stayed…the fire...oh my god the fire, it’s all my fault!” She pulls away from me, tears streaming down her face. She stands again and heads to the door. Dan blocks it, unwilling to let her leave.
“Dan…don’t…I can’t risk it, if he is willing to do that, then who knows what else he is capable of! I’m not risking putting you all in danger, especially now.”
Dan doesn’t move, just rests his back on the door and folds his arms over his chest. He doesn’t say anything. He just looks at me.
“It was him!” My words come out angrier than I expected, and Millie spins around, looking at me.
“I’m so sorry Jack, I’ll leave, you don’t have to worry about what he will do next. If I’m not here, he won’t bother you…it’s me he wants to hurt.” You can hear the fear in her voice.
My head is spinning; it was him, her ex did this. Why? He could have hurt so many people. Was he really that possessive of her? What would he do to get her back? There are so many questions I have flying through my head, and all of them I need answers to.
