He stopped in front of me, close enough for me to see the dust on his shirt and the tight line still in his jaw from Fletcher's name.
"Daphne, what you did was wrong."
"I know."
"It was expensive, stupid, and a terrible use of keys."
"Agreed."
"You should've told me."
"Yes."
His gaze held mine. "But you're not Fletcher."
The words went through me clean.
I swallowed hard.
Zane's voice stayed low and steady. "You didn't put my land in a packet. You didn't dress up my no until it looked like an access path. You didn't sit across from me pretending to offer options while you sold other people on something I'd already refused."
"No."
"You saw it, and you came here."
"I was scared you'd think I was part of it."
"I don't."
The shed blurred.
I blinked fast. "You don't?"
"No."
"You believe me?"
"Yes."
It was too much.
My breath broke, and I covered my face with one hand. "That's very inconvenient of you."
"Believing you?"
"Yes." I wiped under one eye with my thumb before mascara could betray me further. "I had a whole disaster scenario prepared."
"I'm sure you did."
"It involved you being furious."
"I'm furious."
I dropped my hand.
Zane's eyes were on mine, but the anger in his face wasn't aimed at me.
"Not at you," he said.
