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Sitting on the bank of the river on our land, I watched the water turn from calm into the ferocious rapids that became even stronger as they headed towards the rickety bridge. I was trying to hold myself together. No matter how mad I was at Thalia, I just couldn’t get the shock on her face when I’d accused her of going behind my back, out of my head.
She was either a very good liar or Lewis had lied, and it hadn’t been Thalia’s doing at all. God, I was so fucking screwed up.
“I can’t decide whether to punch you or ignore you right now. There is no way Thalia did what you’re accusing her of.” Donovan walked closer to me and got right in my face. “Did you look at her when she told you to get out, and I mean really look at her? You, in the space of five minutes destroyed the best thing that ever happened to you.” He turned from me, sitting down about ten feet away glaring into the water. “You never even asked her about what Lewis said. You didn’t give her the chance to tell you she had nothing to do with it. You just accused her, and that was that. You’re an ass.”
“You’re saying Lewis lied to us? Why would he tell us it was Thalia if it wasn’t? He had the information to use against me, he didn’t need to use Thalia’s name,” I questioned.
Donovan sighed. “I don’t know. Liam said he felt there was more going on than what you all realized. Tell me honestly, do you really believe Thalia went behind your back?”
“No… God I was a bastard. How could I do that to the woman I love?” I ran my hands through my hair, hoping to find inspiration. “I was so mad. I didn’t stop to think. I just acted. I’ve fucked up.”
“I’d agree with that.”
“What the hell am I going to do? She probably won’t even talk to me, and I wouldn’t blame her, after what I said to her.”
“You need to go get on your knees and apologize. Be prepared to beg. My guess is, she won’t make it easy…Reece said Callie’s booked them both on a flight to Texas tonight.”
I whipped my head around to look at him. “Tonight?” I whispered; so close to balling like a baby.
Donovan just nodded his head.
Standing, I ran my hands through my hair again and then over my face, swiping at the tears in my eyes before Donovan noticed. Although I thought it was probably too late for that.
Donovan joined me as we started to walk back towards the house, both of us deep in thought. As we came out from the trees, I saw both Liam and Mia sitting on the porch steps wrapped around each other. That should have been Thalia and me.
“Jack, you need to listen to what Mia has to say,” Liam informed me while trying to reassure her.
I felt weary and wished I could turn back the clock before everything changed. “Go on.”
“It was Rebecca who told my dad about your tattoos and Deception.” I met Liam’s eyes.
He turned to Mia, “Carry on, babe.”
“She was pissed that I’d told her I didn’t want her in the wedding, so she went and told my dad about you. Apparently she was outside Kix one night and saw you without your t-shirt with Thalia in your arms…I’m so sorry Jack. It’s all my fault,” Mia told me, then broke into tears.
“It isn’t your fault, Mia. You’re not responsible for what your dad has done. He’s the one to blame, not you.”
“You might think differently after I tell you why my dad is being like he is.”
I looked at Liam wondering what the hell was going on.
“Jack,” Mia said. “My father saw… Oh God this is embarrassing.”
“What she’s trying to tell you is that her dad saw us that night. Three years ago. He saw us.” Liam looked really angry. “He said we were dressing when he spotted us through the trees…I don’t know how much truth is in that, but he figured out that it had been Mia’s first time. He said at first he was shocked, but then he accepted it because he’d seen how much I loved his daughter.” He pulled Mia even closer. “But all that changed when I disappeared and left his Mia all alone; heartbroken. Lewis said he’d been waiting to hurt me like I’d hurt his little girl. That’s why he kept hinting to Dad that it was you who Mia needed to marry, because he knew it would hurt me.”
Liam hugged Mia tighter as though he was trying to make up for his mistake three years ago. “Knowing Mia would be married to my brother. He’s lost all reason… Ryder rang as well, and said he’d heard what had been threatened and not to worry, because it was all threat. He owns Kix outright and he has all the permits he needs to run the bar, and he hasn’t been in breach of any of them.”
“My dad has created one hell of a mess because of what he saw between Liam and me…Jack, you need to go and talk to Thalia,” Mia told me, standing and taking my hand into hers. “I know she still loves you Jack, but you probably broke her heart going off like you did. You need to make this right with her.”
I sighed. “I know. I’m going to head over to the inn. I’ll see you guys later.”
I knew what I had to do, but I didn’t think it was going to be as easy as I hoped.
Chapter 60
Thalia
I’d stayed standing at the window and watched Jack and everyone leave. They all believed that I’d betrayed them. The pain sliced through me and I felt shattered. Nothing had ever hurt as much. I loved him before, and I still loved him, but I felt as though he’d torn my heart out.
