“The rest she’s going to give to a lawyer to rip you a new arsehole.”
Both women seem like they’re looking forward to the prospect, and my adamancy begins to wane. Choices I made. Directives I issued. The sinking realization that things might not have gone quite to the timeline.
“Turns out, he is that stupid.”
My attention twists sharply as I realize Fin is speaking to Matt. “What the fuck, Phineas?” I demand.
“Eve came to me. I told her I’d help her find out who was behind the fencing. I just didn’t expect it to be you.”
“You told her?”No one was supposed to know.
“Sure. Along with making money and drinking expensive whisky, I told her puppy abuse was your favorite thing.” His expression twists as he adds, “Asshole.”
But my mind has already moved on. Perhaps she ...
No. Eve wouldn’t leave me over a misunderstanding. Would she?
Oh, fuck.
I whip around to face the crowd, a surge of adrenaline coursing through my veins. Notjusta misunderstanding, but perhaps it was the final nail in the coffin. I’d told her I was no good—proved it to her again and again.Before I fell in love, and everything changed.If only she’d waited. If she’d come to me. Except, on that stage, I hadn’t given her that chance.
“This is a misunderstanding.” More like a clusterfuck I’ve brought on myself.
A wave of dissent sounds through the rabble’s rank.
“Let me explain.” I can absolutely explain, even as words crowd my throat. I swallow over them. I doubt I’ve ever wanted to account for myself as much as I do now.I must get her back.“You see, you were in jeopardy of losing the sanctuary.”
“Is this bloke a few sandwiches short of a full picnic, or what?” Nora turns to her jeering crowd. “That’s why we’re here—I’m at risk of losing it to you!”
“No, you don’t understand—with the owner dead and no living relatives, anyone could’ve claimed the place.”
“But no one did,” Yara says simply. “Not until Nora got your threatening letter.”
“It wasn’t threatening.” Or it had better not have been. How the hell has this happened? My instructions were explicit. “But it was premature. My legal team weren’t supposed to act on it until I’d spoken with you.”
“Spoken with me!” Nora shrieks.
“That letter all but said they were chucking her out.” Yara’s words might be impassive, but her expression is anything but.
“I’ll blow the place up before I give it to you.”
“You’re not listening.” I try very hard to keep a grip on my rising frustration, my panic at this glimmer of hope. If there’s a chance to learn where Eve is, I’ll do whatever it takes. “I don’t want your land. I was simply trying to protect it.”
Nora’s face twists, and Yara huffs in disbelief.
“On Eve’s behalf. And, yes, I was trying to do something that would impress her.”
“To earn boyfriend points,” Matt adds in solidarity.
He gets it, at least.
Yara juts out a hip, leaning her weight onto it. “Explain.”
“Someone made a mistake.”
She snorts, and someone else shouts “No shit,” but I carry on.
“I made a mistake—I was trying for the element of surprise.”
