Page 83 of The Bossy One

Seamus met my gaze squarely. “I wanted talk to Sinead and you because I’m Catie’s dad. And I want to be a part of her life.”

“Youwhat?” I could feel the blood rushing in my ears. It wasn’t true. It wasn’tpossible.I simply couldn’t believe that Sinead would have ever taken up with this bastard.

On the other hand, it suddenly made sense why she wouldn’t want to tell me. And it was completely in fucking character for Seamus O’Rourke to abandon my sister and leave Catie to grow up without a dad.

And now he wanted to be involved, after all these years?

That was fucking rich.

“You bastard,” I snarled, lunging for him, and he ducked away from me, falling off his barstool and landing hard on the ground.

He scrambled to his feet and backed away from me. “It’s like I told Olivia. You don’t need to tell Catie she’s mine if you don’t want to. I just want to spend some time with her, while she’s here…”

But I’d stopped listening. I was hearing his first sentence on loop.

It was like I told Olivia….

I didn’t want to believe that Olivia would betray me like this. That she’d talk to Seamus behind my back and keep a secret this big from me.

But my stomach was sinking. Now I knew why she’d been so dead set on me talking to Seamus.

“Stay away from my family,” I ordered. “Or else.”

Seamus flinched.

I stormed out of the dark bar and out into the sunlight. Outside, people were walking up and down the narrow streets like nothing extraordinary had happened. But my whole world felt like it had been turned upside down.

Sinead had trusted an O’Rourke, and he betrayed her.

I’d trusted Olivia, and she betrayed me.

The part of me that had begun to open up, begun to fuckinghope,the more time I spent with Olivia, closed down like a gate slamming shut. I needed to remember the truth—if I didn’t keep my guard up, people would hurt my family. Even the good people could be manipulated and twisted by the horrible ones.

I couldn’t trust anyone to have my back. Not really.

I jumped in my car and drove back home, my rage burning hot and mean.

* * *

I slammed the front door behind me and stalked through the house until I found Olivia. She was playing outside in the backyard with Catie.

“Olivia. Inside. I need to talk to you.”

“One second,” Olivia called. “Let me finish this up…”

“Now,” I barked.

Her eyes widened.

Olivia patted Catie on the shoulder and gave her some instructions, then followed me into the house.

“Declan, what’s wrong—”

“How long have you known Seamus was Catie’s dad?” I demanded.

She flinched. “Five days.”

I hadn’t realized how badly I wanted her to sayWhat are you talking about? Seamus is obviously lyinguntil she spoke.

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