Page 117 of Dirty Eoin

I pace the floor, my hand running repeatedly through my hair as anger spirals through me at the sheer level of deceit and game-playing that’s been going on around me yet again.

I stop and glare at him. “I could have made the single biggest mistake of my life. What if I’d married the girl and this had then come to light?”

“I’m sorry, Eoin. I honestly thought you’d started to develop feelings for her. That you were taking the vows with her for that reason as well as for the fact that you thought she’d saved your life.”

He at least has the decency to look and sound sheepish.

“I never loved Molly.”

He exhales loudly again. It’s the sound of guilt.

“The sniper didn’t want anyone to know, Eoin. It wasn’t a hit for hire. There was never any guarantee any shots would be fired. If it became common knowledge that it was him who saved us, it would have looked like he was favoring us over others. It could then have been suggested that we were working in cahoots. His remaining invisible was the only way.”

I appreciate he felt a sense of loyalty to the marksman. I also understand his reasoning. But all of this at what potential cost to me?

“You should have told me, Dylan. I could have offloaded Molly months ago had I known. And more importantly, when there was no third party involved. She now thinks I’ve jilted her for Jaine. And that means we now have another potential enemy in the shape of big Malky McGrath. He’ll most likely want blood for what he’ll perceive to be me dishonoring his only daughter.” I run my hand down my face and exhale in frustration.

What a fucking mess.

“I’m sorry, Eoin. As soon as Fin’s existence came to light, everything just spiraled, and you were immediately married off to Jaine.”

There’s a pause.

“So, what are you going to do now?

I stare at him. “Have you seen Da these days? How old he’s looking? I’ll have no choice but to move on with my life, with or without Jaine Jones in it.”

“But you love her.” He frowns.

I snort. “And what difference does that make when she clearly doesn’t love me?”

CHAPTERTHIRTY-SEVEN

JAINE

Jaine’s Apartment, Upper East Side, New York

“You did what?”I’m pissed off and pacing the floor.

The pacing has got nothing to do with what Dylan’s just announced. I’ve been doing that since I got home this morning at just before dawn.

We never did spend the night together.

Do I regret it now?

Do I regret any of it?

The pissed off mood I’m in is, however, over the news he’s just spilled.

“I had to tell him, Jaine.”

I stop pacing. “I call bullshit.”

“Jaine…”

I close my eyes and try to calm myself down. “Did we or did we not agree that it would remain a closely guarded secret unless I decided otherwise. There was no reason for you to ever tell Eoin.” I’m hissing through my teeth now.

“He needed to know it wasn’t Molly. He felt beholden to her. The fact that you made him choose didn’t sit right with him as he thought himself indebted to her.”

---