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It stung. It did. They’d been good friends once. Friends didn’t pull this shit.
If she had told him she’d met someone while in Australia, he would have accepted it. He would have wished her well and let her go. The last thing he would have done is turn up to mess with her head.
She licked her lips. “I’m sorry I took so long, I just … it wasn’t easy to leave Evan.”
“Dayna—”
“I know this has to be a bit of a shock. I thought about calling you, but I wanted to surprise you instead.”
It was a surprise all right. Just not a good one.
“It’s so great to see you again in person.” She went to hug him.
“Don’t,” he bit out, his cat bristling at the idea that she’d dare touch him.
“You’re still upset with me,” she noted, her face falling. She squared her shoulders. “We have to talk, Deke.”
Actually, no, they didn’t. “We said all we needed to say during our last video call.”
“That wasn’t a real conversation. It went downhill fast. And that was my fault, I know. Things got a little heated. We said things we didn’t mean—”
“I didn’t. I meant everything I said to you.”
“I’d imagine you did. Again, it was my fault. I was out of line. Being hurt was no excuse,” she added, oh so reasonable and regretful.
It was fake, and he knew it. Knew her too well to buy the little act. She was saying what she thought would make him properly hear her out, nothing more.
“I know I have a lot to make up for—”
“Dayna, stop.”
“—but I will, Deke. I will.”
“Maybe you would. But it doesn’t matter anymore.” His cat let out a rumbly noise of agreement, done with the female in every sense.
She hitched in a breath. “Don’t say that.”
“I didn’t back out of the vow because I was upset with you for suggesting it first. I didn’t do it on impulse. The truth is I’d made the official decision to back out long before that. I simply hadn’t want to tell you that at a time you were grieving.”
Hurt flickered across her face. “You don’t mean that.”
“Why else would I say it?”
“To … I don’t know.” She flapped her arms, her lips pinched. “I can’t understand why you would have wanted to back out before we argued.”
“You can’t? Seriously?” Was she being funny?
“I took longer than I said I would to come home, I know, but not because I don’t care for you. You knew that. I told you over and over.”
“You did. And it mattered once. Little by little, it mattered less and less. Until it didn’t anymore.”
Her expression soured. “You’re saying your feelings for me just … faded over time?”
“Yeah. That’s what I’m saying.”
Giving her head a disbelieving shake, she took a fast step toward him. “I don’t believe that. We can get back on track, Deke.”
His cat sliced out his claws, annoyed that she wasn’t listening. “That’s not going to happen. I’m not interested in revisiting the past. It’s over. Done.”
Her eyes blazed. “No, it isn’t.”
“I’ve moved on. You should do the same.”
“Moved on?”
“Yeah.” He angled his face so she could see the brand he wore.
Her jaw set into a hard line. “You and the snake shifter are all cozy now, is that it?” she sniped. “What happened to only fucking her while you worked off the touch-hunger?”
“That was how it started. It’s not like that anymore. But even if it was, I still wouldn’t want to start anything with you.”
She gaped, her eyes pained. “How can you say that to me?” She balled up her hands. “You kept your promise for years—”
“And more fool me, Dayna.”
She snapped her mouth shut, twin flags of red bleeding into her cheeks, her breathing picking up. “Where is she?” she demanded. “The bitch you’re fucking?”
“Oh, that would be me,” said a new voice.
Deke tensed. Shit.
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
So this was Dayna.
Bailey hadn’t heard much of the conversation. She’d only come over to see what was causing people to gather near the bar. When she’d approached the crowd, she’d heard the unfamiliar female point out to Deke that he’d kept his promise for years, to which he’d replied: “And more fool me, Dayna.”
Surprise had slammed into Bailey, and her snake had done a double-take. The last thing they’d expected to find was his ex … whatever she was. Not quite a girlfriend, but more than a bed-buddy.
A hot ball of anger had swiftly formed in Bailey’s gut. That the skank had turned up now, after staying away for so long, was full-on shitty. She hadn’t come to him when he’d wanted her to; no, she’d come when he wanted someone else. She hadn’t cared that this might hurt him, or that it was downright unfair to him.
Despite that Bailey had itched to step in and dish out some bitch slaps, she might have instead kept her mouth zipped and simply observed. But if Dayna felt like taking her on—and her demand to know Bailey’s whereabouts said that was exactly what she had planned—Bailey was all for it. Her snake was eager to bury her fangs in the little skank.
