Page 120 of One Time in Paris
“This sod just insulted Isla,” Aiden snapped, not bothering to look at Quinn.
Quinn put his hand on Aiden’s shoulder. “Maybe we just let it go right now, Aiden.”
Callum had joined them, a circle of onlookers gathering around them. “What the fuck, Aiden?” His eyes narrowed as he stepped between Philip and Aiden, shoving Philip out of Aiden’s grasp. “This isn’t the place for this.”
“You wouldn’t be saying that if you knew what a sorry excuse for a friend this arsehole is,” Aiden said, meeting Callum’s eyes for the first time in the past couple of hours.
Callum’s expression flickered, then cooled. He lifted his chin in a challenge. “And you would know what it means to be a friend, would you, Aiden?”
Aiden fingers curled, his restraint already spiraled so far that he wasn’t certain he could rein it in anymore.
“I didn’t say I was perfect?—”
Callum barked a laugh. “Not perfect? You’ve been sleeping with Isla for what? Weeks now? And lying to my face.”
As though the accusation wasn’t bad enough, everyone—absolutely fucking everyone—appeared to have heard it. Conversations had gone silent. The entire room appeared to be staring at them.
Heat rose on Aiden’s face as he stared at Callum, his chest tight with pressure. “It’s not like that,” he whispered hoarsely.
Footsteps hurried toward them as both Liddy and Isla reached them. Isla came up beside Aiden and slipped her hand onto his elbow. “Aiden?—”
“How dare you?” Callum went on, his eyes narrowed and piercing through Aiden. “How dare you make a scene like this during our party? Youknowhow much Liddy put into this. And I was willing to let it all go, watch you sit there and pretend to be my fucking friend, and now you pull this?”
“Iamyour friend,” Aiden said, his voice a rough scratch. He straightened, pulling his shoulder free from Quinn’s grasp. “I was just defending the reputation of the woman I love from that sod.” He gestured toward Philip.
Liddy bit her lip and took Callum’s hand. “I think maybe we should all just step back. Cool down. Talk about it later.”
Aiden flicked his gaze down at Isla, who squeezed his elbow. “Aiden, please,” she whispered.
Drawing a sharp breath in through his nose, Aiden nodded, trying to dig deeply for a single strand of calm.
Then Callum shook his head. “Love, Aiden? That’s rich. She’s been your girlfriend for what? Three weeks? Just stop lying. To everyone. Including yourself.”
Everyone stared at him.
With fucking judgment in their eyes.
His family. Workmates. Acquaintances. All of them looking at him and believing the worst—because he was so easy to believe the worst about.
Something deep inside him snapped. Foronce,for one bloody time, he wanted to come out on top. Prove to everyone he wasn’t the villain they all believed.
Just fucking win.
Aiden lifted his chin. “My wife, actually. For almost two months.” As Callum and Liddy’s faces registered shock, Aiden stepped closer. “And you know, for someone who claims to value privacy as much as you do, I appreciate you airing our private business to everyone. But go right on defending that arsehole, Philip, if you want, but I’ll defend my wife.”
Then he turned, not waiting for anyone—even Isla.
Let them all think what they would.
He was done.
37
ISLA
GREENWICH, CONNECTICUT
“I can’t believeyou’re leaving already,” Megan said as she came into the guest room where Isla had spent the past few days.
