Page 43 of Dirty Eoin

“And Irish?”

There’s a pause.

“He’s not been told. We have no way of knowing how he’ll react. It’s too risky telling him while he’s away.”

Tears prick my eyes once more. “It just seems wrong that he’s going to be the last to find out when he should have been the first.”

“I understand. But knowing Paddy, he’ll make the journey straight back to Manhattan and all hell will break loose.”

“Because the shit will then hit the fan and it will all have been for nothing.”

“Exactly.”

There’s another pause.

“The wedding. Jaine… what you did.”

It’s his turn to sound emotional. He likely now suspects I saved more than one O’Connell ass that day.

“How did you know? I mean…” Dyl began.

“We were trying to find out who was responsible for Ace… you know… his….” My voice breaks once more, and I exhale slowly as I try to compose myself. “Delaney heard a rumor on the sniper grapevine that someone was planning on killing Irish on his wedding day. I couldn’t let anything happen to him. I had no choice but to return to Manhattan earlier than planned.”

“So, you witnessed him marrying Sophia.”

“I did.”

There’s a pause. He’ll know how hard that would have been for me.

“Anyway, it soon became clear that it wasn’t Padraig they were targeting. It was the rest of the family. I almost missed the second sniper. I spotted him just as I was readying to leave. It was the delay in dispatching him that resulted in me being seen by Sophia.”

I pause before I continue. Tell the truth or not?

“Dylan…. the first gun. It was aimed at the back of Eoin’s head. I’m sorry to say but I almost let the marksman pull the trigger.”

There’s a pause as he no doubt digests what I’ve just said. That I was prepared to witness his eldest brother being killed in cold blood.

“But you didn’t. That’s the important thing.”

“Only because I have no physical proof.”

“Proof of what?” For the first time ever, Dylan O’Connell raises his voice at me. “That the Dusters were behind Ace’s death? You really believe us capable of such a thing, Jaine? You will never find proof because we had nothing to do with it! Jesus Christ, Ace was killed on my wedding day. I was the last person he spoke to before he… before he…”

His voice breaks and tears fill my eyes for the nth time as my brain slowly and painfully slide-shows through the memories of the worst hours of my life.

“Ace was a good man, Jaine. In fact, he was a great man. I’m only sorry that I never had the opportunity to get to know him better. I regret that I didn’t embrace this Duster side of me earlier so I could have done just that.”

A sob escapes me. Then another. And another.

“Jaine.” His tone is sympathetic as I throw my daily fucking pity party, only this time, I have a guest.

“I miss him, Dyl.”

“I know you do.”

“And all of this. It’s just too much too soon.” I’m aware I sound broken and pathetic. And I am.

But it’s only temporary; the time for grieving has passed. Ace is gone. He’s never coming back. I need to pick myself up, dust myself down, and get over it. And that’s what I will do. That’s what Ace would want me to do.

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