Page 40 of Dancing With Delusion

“She can get back on track?” I ask, almost sounding hopeful.

Harriet nods. “With the right medication.”

“I’ll need to talk to her, see how she feels about it all.” She gives a slight nod, but there’s hesitation in her expression again. “What?” I ask.

“She might react badly. She really doesn’t see what she’s doing wrong. I doubt you’ll get her to agree.” I head for the door. “If she doesn’t agree, then you’ll need to come up with another plan.”

The car ride home is silent. I’m lost in thought and wondering when this got so twisted. Sure, she was always a little unhinged. I smile at the memory of the first time we met and she dragged her heel down the side of my car. Maybe the signs have always been there and I was just too blinded by her.

The car comes to a stop, and I blink from the memories, surprised we’re home already. Nik opens Victoria’s door, but she remains seated.

“Go inside,” I tell him as I get out. “I’ll sort it.”

He gives a nod and leaves us alone. I round the car, reaching in to unclip the seatbelt. “You looked cosy,” she murmurs, “you and Harriet.”

I pull back slightly to look her in the eyes. “Huh?”

“In the office, you looked cosy,” she repeats, fixing me with that glare she gets when she’s jealous. My heart aches. I’m not used to feeling like this, and I fucking hate it.

I gently cup her face and tip her head so she’s looking at me. “Victoria, I love you,” I say firmly.

She shoves my hand away, frowning in disgust. “Why are you looking at me like that?”

I shake my head in exasperation and step back so she can get out the car. She pushes past me and storms up the steps.

Inside, she’s halfway up the stairs before I catch her, wrapping an arm around her waist. “Just stop,” I hiss. I know she hates tenderness, she’s admitted that, but we have to talk about what Harriet suggested, so I carry her to the dungeon and dump her on the bed. She’s seething as she sits in the centre, glaring at me.

“You can listen willingly, or I can tie you up and force you to.” She folds her arms, so I continue. “I was talking to Harriet about you,” I tell her. “She thinks . . .” I pause, rubbing my forehead again. “She thinks you need medicine. She thinks you’re not well.”

Victoria frowns. “Why?” I stare wide-eyed, raking my eyes over her tatty makeshift dress. She glances down and laughs. “This was just payback.”

“In what world do you think that’s okay?”

“Our world,” she says simply, only confirming my fears that I’ve pushed her too far. “Jesus, you’re not listening to her, surely?”

I shrug. “I just think she’s got a point. Maybe it will help.”

“There’s nothing wrong with me,” she snaps. “And I’m not taking fucking tablets.”

She pushes off the bed and storms past me, and I let her go. What’s the point in stopping her when she’s like this? Who knows what she’ll fucking do?

I pull out my phone and put a call in to Harriet. “Victoria has agreed. I’ll pick the script up tomorrow.”

I don’t bother to chase Victoria down. My heart wants to curl up beside her in bed, but my head is telling me to put distance between us. She doesn’t want sympathy and she certainly doesn’t want affection.

I drink a quarter-bottle of whiskey by the time she finally appears. She’s spent most of the day sleeping, which was needed after our long night.

She leans against the door frame of the office, watching me watch her. “I’m not going to apologise,” she says.

“I wasn’t expecting you to.”

“And I don’t agree that I need medication . . . but if you think I should try it, then I will.” It feels like a small win, and I give a nod. “Now, can we put it all behind us?”

“I’d like that,” I admit, checking my watch. “I have a conference call now, but can we have dinner together?”

Right on time, my computer screen comes to life, alerting me to a call with Vivian and one of the suppliers she wants to change to. I see Victoria glance at the name flashing on the screen. “Stay,” I tell her, pointing to the couch. If she sees there’s nothing between Vivian and me, she might relax a little. “It won’t be a long meeting.”

She chews on her lower lip before taking a seat, and I connect the call.

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