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I looked at Beau. “Thank you.”
“Male escorts,” he said again. “You bonded a pack ofmale escorts.”
The anger roiling in my chest from my pack had nothing to do with their former profession and everything to do with Beau attempting to humiliate me.
“And?” I asked. “Yes. That’s what they are. Or were before we met. Of all people, you shouldn’t care, Beau. I hired them because I didn’t want to face you at this wedding alone. So… try something else if you want to get anywhere with this. You look foolish.”
“Fine. You want to play?”
I smacked my hands on the table and stood. “No. I don’t. I’m sick of this. I’m sick ofus, Beau. We’re over. No matter what you think or believe or want, we arelongdone. So if you’re going to try to make this about me, you can’t.” I looked out over the table, suddenly nervous about the amount of eyes on me.
Fingers gripped my hand. Ellie, telling me she was fine and to do what I needed. I didn’t look at my pack—I didn’t need to. Their pride sang strong through our bonds.
“You ended our relationship with an ultimatum that,apparently, you thought would make me stay instead of leave. You claimed you still wanted me despite now having a fiancée.” I looked down at Angela. “That was right after the anniversary party, by the way. And I’m sorry, but all that jewelry he’s bought you? He didn’t buy it. It was mine, and I left it behind when I got away from him.”
She had the grace to look embarrassed, and deeper than that, hurt. This whole dinner she’d barely said anything.
“And I just found out, like, right now, that Beau cheated on me through the entirety of our relationship. So, cheers to that, asshole.” I lifted my glass and drank.
Beau laughed, but he wasn’t looking at me. He looked at my sister. “Damn, Ellie. After all this time I didn’t think you wouldbe the one to tell her. I had my money on the escorts telling her. Guess I should take bathroom trips more seriously. Or I guess I saw your mom go, too.” He looked down the table. “Was it you, Mrs. Caruso? Or both of you together?”
The blood flowed out of Mom’s face, leaving her white as a sheet. My legs gave out and I fell into my chair. Ellie was as white as her dress, and she wouldn’t look at me. She hadn’t acted with shock in the bathroom when I told her he’d been cheating. And earlier, when I questioned what else Beau could do to me, she’d winced.
She really had known.
“Honestly,” Beau said, refocusing on me. “I kind of thought Henry might tell you first. You’ve always been a daddy’s girl even though he’s not your real father. See, Isolde? Even the first man to know you left.”
My father went to stand, but Warren was already there. “That isenough. Get the fuck off this property and don’t come back, Beau. I was willing to hear your side of things, but that’s not necessary now.” Warren leaned on the table, sagging like the weight of the world rested on his shoulders. “I don’t know what the fuck happened for you to turn from the Beau I knew, who had my back no matter what, into whatever you are now. Or maybe I’m as big of an idiot as the rest of the world and fell for the mask you put on. That’s over now. Get out.”
“Fine.” Beau tossed back his champagne. “See you tomorrow.”
“Not tomorrow, Beau. Not ever. Get the fuck out of this house and do not contact me, my wife, Isolde, her pack, or the Carusos ever again.”
For the first time Beau looked shocked. I couldn’t enjoy it. He really thought everything would be fine. That he wasn’t the problem.
Of course not. He was the golden child. The golden boy, golden man, golden ‘I get everything I want whenever I want it.’ He was a spoiled child in a man’s body, and this was the result.
“You heard him,” Dad said from his place at the table. “Get off my property. And you can be sure you won’t be allowed back.”
Beau stuck out his hand to Angela, and she shrunk away from him and shook her head. “No,” she whispered.
The rage on Beau’s face matched the thunder that cracked overhead, the rain starting to fall in earnest as he went toward the house. No one spoke until he was out of sight, breathless and tense.
Him disappearing was like a piñata bursting and confetti made of despair raining down on me. I couldn’t feel my body, and everything was cold.
Ellie turned and reached for me, eyes tearing. “Iz, I promise you it’s not what it seems like.”
I pulled away, staring at her. It was like looking at a stranger. This hurt so much worse than finding out about the cheating. Not just her…
“Please,” she begged. “Just give us a chance to?—”
Standing so quickly my chair fell over, I kicked off my heels and went into the rain. Voices called after me, but they were lost to the wind, rain, and waves.
And I did what I thought I’d never do again.
I ran.
CHAPTER FORTY-NINE
