Page 112 of For the Promise

My brow furrows. “Yes, when we got married. Have you been drinking?”

She rears back. “Are you accusing me of being drunk?”

I push my glasses up my nose and she shoves a finger in my face. “No. You don’t get to be all geeky and cute when we’re having a serious discussion.”

“I don’t understand what’s happening. We agreed to get an annulment when Alan dropped the lawsuit. Alan dropped the lawsuit. Thus, it’s time to annul our marriage.”

“Thus, it’s time for us to annul our marriage,” she mimics.

She jumps to her feet and the chair clatters to the floor behind her. “You’re not socially awkward. You’re an asshole.” She rips the wedding ring off of her finger. “You don’t want to be married. Here. Take your ring.” She flings it at me. I try to catch it but it flies across the table and lands on the floor.

“And I haven’t been drinking.” She picks up the bottle of moonshine and pours the remaining liquid over my head. Once I’m completely wet, she slams the bottle down on the table. “Asshole,” she yells and stomps off.

“I can’t believe you. I thought you were the nice Raider brother.” Dakota shakes her head before following Blossom.

Paisley sighs as she stands. “You’ve created a mess. And I’m not referring to your wet t-shirt.”

Once she’s gone, I ask my brothers. “What did I do wrong?”

Chapter 35

“And now you know why I don’t trust men.” ~ Blossom

Blossom

“Blossom!” Dakota chases after me and I hurry my pace.

Harper intercepts me. “Use the back hallway. There’s an exit through the storage room no one knows about.”

“You’re a lifesaver.”

She squeezes my hand. “I don’t know what Jaxon did but you are strong. You’ll be fine.”

She’s being sweet but I can’t accept her kindness. I need to hold onto my anger a little bit longer. I can’t fall apart in this bar in front of half of the island. Everyone will think I’m some silly girl. I’m not some silly girl.

I’m an idiot who was seduced by a triton. I never saw the male equivalent of a siren coming. I thought Jaxon was this nerdy man who has no social skills. Ha! He’s an asshole who got what he wanted and now isdone with me.

I should have figured it out when he refused to message me for the past two days, even though he knows how it causes me anxiety to be ignored.

I never should have lied to Alan. If I hadn’t lied, I wouldn’t have been forced to pretend Jaxon was my husband. And this whole charade wouldn’t have happened.

No more should haves. I can’t change the past. What’s done is done.

“Thank you.”

Harper nods before nudging me toward the back hallway. “Go. Dakota and Paisley are hot on your heels.”

They are? I glance over my shoulder. Dakota and Paisley are pushing their way through the crowd. I don’t wait. I run down the back hallway to the storage room and slam the door shut behind me.

Shit. It’s dark in here. I search for the light switch but hit a bottle instead. It crashes to the floor. How am I going to find the secret exit in here?

“Blossom!” Dakota shouts as she bangs on the door. “We know you’re in there.”

I don’t respond. She knows no such thing.

“I was born and raised in Smuggler’s Hideaway,” Paisley says. “I was sneaking out of the secret exit of Rumrunner before you knew the island existed.”

“Thanks for reminding me of how much of an outsider I am.”

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