Page 149 of Dirty Dylan: Dirty Dusters

His nonchalant attitude has my blood boiling in my veins. I pause before continuing. I promised myself I wouldn’t become reactive. I refuse to let him see the full effect this has had on me like I did with Dylan.

I want to verbally deliver what I have to say. Then deliver it in person when I return to New York. Because this asshole’s not worth my rage. He’s not worth my anything.

The only thing he’s deserving of is my engraved bullet in his arrogant skull.

“So let me get this straight. You come to my apartment to warn me to stay away from your youngest brother. I do as you ask. Then you condone him messaging me the entire time while pretending to be Dylan?”

“I didn’t know.”

“I call bullshit.”

“Not the entire time. I discovered it when you were in Nevada. He came to me, suggesting you needed help. He wanted to go to you himself, but I wouldn’t let him. In the end, I went in his place.”

“That was over a year ago.”

“It was.”

“And you’ve let it go on ever since.”

“I apologize, Jaine.”

I don’t believe a word of his shitty apology. If Eoin O’Connell is apologizing for something, then it’s to suit his own damn purpose. It’s not because he feels any sense of remorse. There’s a reason behind it which I’m sure will come to light shortly.

“And do you think issuing me with an insincere apology fixes things?”

No response.

“So, the reason the message exchanges were being monitored was in case Irish said something he shouldn’t and blew your Duster cover.”

“Correct.”

“Why did you tell him not to answer when I called?”

“It was inappropriate.”

“So, you deemed it appropriate for us to message but not to speak.”

“You didn’t know it was him.”

“That’s right. I didn’t. Although I’m not sure what difference it would have made given the messages were monitored. Why the need for all the deceit?”

There’s a pause at his end.

“Sophia must never find out.”

I laugh. “And there it is. The reason behind your goddamn apology.”

It’s my turn to pause because now the ball’s in my court. My exposing their dirty Duster secret could start a war with the Ruoccos. More so because Sophia hates my guts over the comment I made at Leo’s function. It was wrong. I should never have said it.

But I did.

“So, correct me if I’m wrong. But in this little outlaw game of chess of yours, I was merely the pawn used to stop Irish from drinking himself into an early grave, all so he could live long enough to fulfill his Duster duties.”

I pause, but he makes no comment. He knows I’m right so he can’t correct a goddamn word.

“And now I’ve got him safely to the starting line, you’re telling me that Sophia must never know he’s been messaging me covertly for almost two years?”

“He’s engaged. He’s due to be married in a couple of months.” Is he worried? He doesn’t sound it but I sure fucking hope he is.

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