Instead, Jess walked to the sink, cupped her hand, and washed her mouth out. She turned to him. “I need to leave, Mitch.”
“Jess, please, I’m not like them. I couldn’t do what they did,” Mitch begged. He looked devastated.
“You were taught to lie before you could even speak, Mitch. How can I trust you?” Jess demanded. The truth was, she couldn’t.
Chapter Nine.
Mitch
He looked at Jess as she spoke those words and knew he’d lost her. The repulsion, fear, and hate in her eyes couldn’t be faked. The terror rolled off Jess in waves.
“I’ll call for a driver to take you home,” Mitch said, his voice guttural as he tried to contain the searing agony tearing him apart.
“No, I’ll book a taxi,” Jess replied stiffly. She kept the kitchen island between them. No doubt if Mitch made a move, she’d scream the place down and think he was attacking her.
“Fine. Let’s wait outside if you feel safer?” Mitch offered. Jess nodded and motioned for him to proceed. Emotion flooded Mitch as he realised Jess thought he was going to hurt her.
“Can I ask what my family did to yours?” Mitch threw over his shoulder. He was desperate not to lose Jess; he’d drop to his knees and grovel, but he had to know.
“No. You don’t get to excuse their actions,” Jess spat.
Mitch turned abruptly, and Jess jumped, and her foot slipped. She reached out, and Mitch caught her, and she immediately wrenched away.
“Jess. I hate them too; they killed my mother. Believe me, I want to see them punished for what they did,” Mitch insisted.
“But instead, you sat on their crimes for what? A decade? Why not contact the police back then? You could have protected people!” Jess cried.
“You think I’m guilty of that? I’m aware of their death tally. Some men carve notches on their bed for sexual conquests. Those assholes keep them for kills. Therearefamilies that I contacted, and they fled into hiding. Their lives were saved. I did reach out to Scotland Yard, and it was hushed up. I didn’t have power back then. There’s a guy called Ceann-Feadhna, meaning 'leader'. When I first went to the cops, I ended up locked up for six months in a psychiatric institution. Diarmad broke me out.”
“What?” Jess gasped.
Hope surged. Maybe Mitch was reaching her.
“Diar found me and rescued me. The Sealgair Uilebheist intended to keep me there. All the evidence I’d taken to the police disappeared. The Ceann-Feadhna believed he’d got everything. He didn’t understand how paranoid I was. There are twelve copies hidden in various places and with different people.
“That’s why Alfred tried to have me killed. Alfred can’t comprehend that I meant the warning. He excused my initial outburst as that of a headstrong, silly boy. Alfred thought I’d come running back after my punishment; he was wrong, and I struck out on my own and cut them dead. The old asshole believed that my threat was empty because they’d destroyed the evidence the first time around. Now they understand I’m deadly serious,” Mitch said urgently. He prayed he was getting through to Jess.
When Jess raised her eyes, Mitch reeled back two steps at the grief there. “What your family did to mine is unforgivable, Mitch. I could never introduce you to the people I careabout. How would I know that you’d never betray them?” Jess whispered.
“Because I wouldn’t, Jess. Not you. Please, baby, I’m not them!” Mitch begged. He went to cup her face, and Jess flinched away from him.
Mitch felt a spear lance through his heart. He’d lost Jess. The woman he was falling in love with, and she was withdrawing because of Alfred and Alexander.
“I’ll let you go, Jess, but I love you, and I’ll prove I’m different,” Mitch said fervently. He’d win her back one way or another.
Jess/Loch Ness Monster
She ported to the castle and refused to speak to Mary, who looked concerned. There was no point in crying. She’d shed enough. Tears wouldn’t bring her murdered siblings back, nor the Saviours who’d died protecting them. Mitch’s family and ancestors had too much blood on their hands.
Jess ignored her apartment and headed straight for the rose garden. Frankie was there pottering about and glanced at her as she entered. She sat on a bench and crossed her legs.
“Did those shoots ever grow?” she murmured.
“One is blossoming while the others are, shall we say, sleeping?”
“I see,” Jess replied.
“What is it, Jess?” Frankie asked.
