Page 126 of On The Rocks

My heart did a backflip and thudded painfully. “I just need to explain...” I started to say, but he sniffed, tossed his head, and pursed his lips. “I said I’m not talking to you,” he repeated angrily.

Ma reached behind the couch and pulled out her purse. “I can’tbelieveyou,” she grated out, tearing the zip open and rummaging around inside. With a flourish, she pulled out an official-looking brown envelope and tugged a letter from it before thrusting it toward me. “Look,”

Gingerly, I took it and immediately noticed the name of our bank printed across the top. “What’s this?” I asked confusedly.

“It’s my savings statement,” she snapped. “Look at it.”

“No, Ma. I can’t—” I began, trying to hand it back to her.

She leaned toward me, her expression filled with fury, and shrieked, “Look at it!”

Heart galloping, I unfolded the letter, and my eyes widened incredulously when I saw the balance. “What the fuck?”

“Your da left me almost three million dollars, Callum,” she exploded. “Don’t you see?He played you.”

The truth hit me, and my body jerked like I’d been punched in the gut. I raised my hand and leaned against the wall to steady myself and suck some air into my lungs.

You could’ve heard a pin drop. Then, Maeve’s voice filtered in from the study.“You lied to me,”she cried out, her tone filled with pain.“You had to blackmail him to be with me, Patrick. Why would you do that to a man who never wanted me?”

I bowed my head, shamed.

What the hell had I done?

“Callum,” Ma whispered. “Go to her. Make her see.”

Nodding, I stumbled into the hallway and headed down toward the study.

Footsteps sounded from the stairs, and Aislynn’s voice demanded, “What’s going on? Why’s everybody shouting?”

I heard Mam usher her into the living room, her voice just a whisper while she started to explain, but I wasn’t listening—it didn’t even register—all I could think of was getting to Maeve and explaining everything.

It hurt to breathe because my lungs were on fire. My organs ached as if somebody had reached inside me and squeezed hard. The pain in Maeve’s tone caused me pain, too. Everything she felt, I felt, and I couldn’t stand it.

Her name was on my lips when I burst through the door, and I walked straight to her. “You gotta listen to me, wife?—”

“Don’t call me that,” she cried out in a strangled voice, slashing a hand through the air. “It’s all one big lie.” Her pain-filled eyes hit mine, almost sending me on the back foot when I saw the hurt ravaging her face.

“It wasn’t a lie?—”

“It was,” she insisted. “From the day we got married, it was a lie because neither of you were honest. I knew it wasn’t a love match, but I never imagined you were blackmailed into marrying me...” Her words trailed off, and her throat worked as she swallowed down her tears. “At least I didn’t cost you much,” she whispered, her eyes lifting to Paddy. “Fifty grand’s nothing to you.” She let out a brittle laugh, and her gaze drifted toward me. “You should’ve haggled, Callum O’Shea. You could’ve got a hundred grand off the debt if you’d stuck to your guns. Says a lot about me that you didn’t try.”

“No!” I said decisively. “You’re priceless. You’re worth everything.”

She gently swiped under her eyes. “I don’t believe you. All you do is lie to me.”

“I was gonna tell you everything today,” I explained. “I’d already planned to sit you down and tell you the truth.”

A faint smile ghosted her lips. “Shannon and Saskia beat you to it. My dear sister overheard the marriage contract being discussed and put two and two together.” She nodded toward some familiar-looking papers on the desk where Patrick perched, watching us. “And then your ex backed Shannon’s claims up with the proof. She went through your desk and found those the day you were with her in your office.”

My jaw clenched.

Fucking bitches.

Tipping my head back, I cursed at the ceiling before dipping my chin again. “I forgot they were there. I’ve never looked at them since the day I brought you home. It didn’t matter to me. None of it did, not the debt, not the money. All I care about is you.”

“And the bar,” she retorted flatly.

“I won’t lie and say I don’t; the bar is all I have left of my da. But every day, it’s becoming clearer to me that it doesn’t mean shite without you.” I took a step closer to my wife. “Nothing does. You light my world up, Maeve.Buaileann mo chro? duit. Remember?”Emotion thickened my throat when I repeated it in a way she could understand, “My heart beats for you, wife. It always will.”

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