Page 64 of Obsessed Mr. O’Brian

The betrayal lurking behind her shock warns of consequences more dire than I can handle. I cup her shoulders.

“I did but—”

She shrugs out of my grasp.

“You lied and made me believe my best friend was dead,” she says.

Regina scoffs.

“Wow, you are one stupid bitch, aren’t you, Mills?” At the nickname, Millie jerks as though slapped. “You still believe that shit? We were never best friends. You were my charity case,” Regina sneers.

Millie’s eyes sharpen, and the slightest bit of color returns to her face. She studies Regina’s expression.

“Mills? Only one person calls me that,” she says.

“Who the fuck cares? Whatever the hell is going on here is over. Artur is mine, so back off,” Regina screams.

“Artur is yours, so back off?” Millie repeats.

The softness in her tone sends chills down my spine. I reach for her, but she dodges.

“And Lola? Is she yours, too?”

I don’t understand the emotionless void ruling Millie as she squares off with Regina and poses the question.

“Of course she’s mine! I carried that brat for nine goddamn months and dealt with her stupid, worthless ass for three years. She’s mine, and I say she doesn’t need a tramp as a nanny, so you’re fired,” Regina sneers.

“Did you hurt her?” Millie asks.

Regina snorts and rolls her eyes.

“It doesn’t matter whether I did or didn’t. She came out of me, so I can do whatever the hell I want with her and there’s nothing you can do about it.”

“Did you hurt her?” Millie asks again.

“Who cares? She’s a retard.”

“I care, and as her certified nurse nanny, I am required to report suspicions of abuse,” Millie says.

Regina nearly rolls her ankles as she exaggerates her hip swing while sauntering over to me. Worms crawl under my skin as she takes my arm.

“You wouldn’t dare put Artur in such a horrible position, would you, Mills?”

I shrug her off me so hard she stumbles into the nearby armchair.

A tiny body darts out from underneath. I lunge forward, but Regina yanks Lola off her feet and puts several feet between us before spinning around.

“I told you she was mine. She knew to come straight to Mommy, didn’t she?” Regina cackles.

Frozen like a rabbit caught in the jaws of a wolf, Lola stares at me with shell-shocked eyes.

My heart shatters. Millie was right. Regina hurt Lola right under my nose. I’m the worst failure a father can be.

“Put my daughter down,” Millie commands. With her professional persona locked firmly over her emotions, the strength in her voice reminds me of the warrior who protected my daughter at the convention. When Regina merely offers her a disgusted sneer, Millie quirks a brow.

“Regina, give me Lola,” I growl.

Both women look at me as though they forgot I existed. Big, fat tears form on Regina’s fake lashes.