I saw the picture of me shaking hands with some guy I’d been introduced to. I couldn’t even remember his name, and then I read the caption.
I froze, the air leaving my lungs like I’d been punched. “Dee, it’s not what you think?—”
“Don’t,” she snapped, cutting me off. “Don’t you dare stand there and try to play me, Jax! Cillian told me everything, how you’re working with those gobshites that are trying to buy the land and how you used me to get close to the village, to make this whole damn project go smoother.”
“What?” I said, my voice rising. “Are you out of your ever-lovin’ mind? You think I got the time and energy to come here and…do what? What exactly are you accusing me of?”
“Are you saying you’re not in touch with those people?” she demanded.
“I made a few calls and talked to the guy who heads the venture. But that was…for you, to get a better understanding of?—"
“For me?” she cut me off, her voice dripping with venom. “Was sleeping with me part of the plan, too? Or was that just a fun bonus while you plotted to destroy everything I’ve been fighting for?”
I stared at her, stunned. “You can’tactually believe that.” My voice went low and cool. “You know me, Dee. You know I’d never do that to you.”
“Do I?” she shot back, her voice cracking. “Because right now, I feel like I don’t know you at all.”
That broke something in me.
I’d spent days thinking about her, missing her, wanting nothing more than to come back to Ballybeg and be with her. And now she was standing there, accusing me of the one thing I’d been trying to protect her from?
“Unbelievable,” I muttered, running a hand through my hair. “You’ve got this all figured out, haven’t you? I’m just some lying, manipulative bastard who waltzed into your life and used you, yeah?”
She didn’t answer, but the way her jaw tightened told me everything I needed to know.
I stepped closer, my frustration boiling over. “You want to know the truth, Dee? Fine. I love you. And I’ve spent every damn day of the past two weeks thinking about how to help the village, but apparently, that doesn’t matter, does it? Because you’ve already decided I’m the bad guy because yourgobshiteex said so.”
Her eyes widened, and she looked contrite for a moment, but she quickly masked it with a glare. “Don’t turn this around on me.” Her voice shook. I hated that she was hurting. In fact, I hated it more than the fact that she was hurting me. “You’ve been keeping secrets since the day you got here, Jax. How am I supposed totrust you when you’ve never even been honest with me about who you are?”
I threw my hands in the air, letting out a bitter laugh. “What the fuck are you talking about? I’ve been nothing but honest with you, Dee. But you? You don’t trust anyone. You’ve built your walls so high you wouldn’t let me in even if I begged. And you know what? I’m done begging.”
“Good,” she snapped. “Because I’m done listening.”
We stood there, glaring at each other, the tension crackling like a live wire between us. My heart was pounding, my hands clenched into fists at my sides, and I couldn’t decide if I wanted to kiss her or yell at her.
Finally, I let out a slow, shaky breath and stepped back. “You need to admit you love me and stop making excuses to push me away.”
Her eyes flashed, and for a moment, I thought she might slap me. But instead, she crossed her arms, her voice sharp as ice. “Why don’t you stick your head where the sun doesn’t shine, Jax Caldwell?”
“Gladly,” I shot back and stormed out of the kitchen.
The pub was dead silent as I walked through it, every set of eyes on me as I headed for the door.
“Now, this is for all of you. I havenothingto do with thosearseholeswho’re trying to buy up Ballybeg. And y’all should know better than to believe CillianO’Farrell.” I let out a long, frustrated sigh, running a hand through my hair.
“I never believed him,” Eileen Nolan said primly.
“Me neither.” Seamus raised his hand.
Saoirse arched an eyebrow. “I don’t know what to believe.” Then she shrugged. “But you’re good people, Ithink, so I’m going to give you the benefit of the doubt.”
Liam Murphy looked me up and down. “Boyo, you screw with her, and I’ll finish you. I’m already dyin’, so the garda won’t even bother putting me in prison.”
“She doesn’t believe you, though.” Noreen sauntered to where I stood and put a hand on my shoulder. “She’s had it hard, and those photos…I mean, you know they didn’t look good.”
“I meet a lot of people, Noreen. Most of the time, I shake hands, and they take a picture. It’s what I do at these damn sponsor events. I don’t even know the guy…but you bet I’m going to find out and rip his fucking head off.”
This had Big Gil written all over it. He probablyhadtalked about me to Cillian, who’d probably told him that I was holed up here, and that conniving son of a bitch put two and two together and decided to use me.
