Page 9 of Toxic

"I didn't mean it like that. If he's not a rich businessman, then who is he?" I pry.

"It's not your business, but he's an O'Malley."

Pain fills my chest, squeezing my heart. This is worse than I thought if she's dating an Irish guy in a crime family. It's too close to home—too close to who Tully would expect her to marry. And they have an alliance. I snarl, "An O'Malley?"

Her eyes glisten. "Yeah. And unlike you, he loves me.Ilovehim."

The world around me collapses. I insist, "You don't."

"I do," she replies, and I die a bit more.

Then I see it. The look in her eyes and everything about her happy glow now makes sense. Still, I'm a fighter. I'm not going down until she's mine. So I dip closer to her face and press my lips to hers, trying to slide my tongue in her mouth, but she doesn't open it. She tries to turn her head, but I'm holding it firmly.

The moment I retreat an inch, she slaps me. It's hard and echoes through the room. I step back and hold my cheek.

Her chest rises and falls faster. Hatred fills her expression. "Don't ever touch me again. I just told you I love someone else."

Unable to keep burying myself deeper, I admit, "I love you, Bridge. I always have. Let him go, come home, and I'll never disappoint you again. I promise you."

Her eyes fill with tears, but they never fall. She squares her shoulders. "No. For the first time in my life, I have someone who loves me for me."

"I love you for you."

"No, you don't."

"I do," I maintain.

"Too late, Dante. I don't have feelings for you anymore. My heart belongs to Sean."

The words are a knife slicing me, yet I can't concede the win to her. "If you come home—"

"I'm never coming home!" she yells.

I step back as if she slapped me again.

She lowers her voice. "I'm in love.With him.Everything about Sean, I can't get enough of, including his family. I willneverleave him. I willneverreturn to New York except to visit."

"You just met him."

"It doesn't matter. He's the one. And unlike you, he doesn't play games. There's no toxic shit swirling around me all day long. He wants me. Every day, he shows me how much he wants me. Not a moment goes by where he isn't clear on how much he wants me."

"I promise you, no matter how much you think he wants you, I want you more. If you come home—"

She throws her hands in the air, shaking them in front of my face. "I don't have any feelings left for you! What about this don't you get? Sean is my life. That's who I want to spend my time with, not you, Dante."

I momentarily close my eyes, grinding my molars. "I know I fucked things up between us. I know you're pissed at me."

"It's not even about that. I don't care anymore. I love Sean. There's nothing you could ever do to make me love you again."

My heart disintegrates into tiny pieces until there is nothing left. Hearing her admit she used to love me but no longer does is more painful than I ever thought possible.

"Bridget," I plead one last time, but my mouth is dry, and I can't seem to find words.

"Goodbye, Dante. It was never meant to be between us. Stop calling and texting me. Move on. I have." She walks out of the room, and it's like watching my life leave my body.

I've officially lost everything, and I don't know how to get it back.

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