He nodded. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have allowed my dick to do my thinking. But I’ve never lied to you, Tara. I was always up-front that we wouldn’t have a relationship—that I didn’t want that with you. With anyone. I convinced myself that you accepted that, when obviously you had other intentions the entire time. That’s on you, not me.”
Tara shook her head. “That’s not true,” she said, quietly, sounding a little lost.
And for a moment, he softened. Thrusting his fingers through his hair, he said, “Tara, I didn’t want to hurt you. It’s the one thing I actively tried to avoid. And I’m sorry if I did.”
“It’s just...” Tara turned from him, tightening her arms around herself, her lips rolling in on each other, thinning. When she faced him again, her shoulders lifted, and she fluttered a hand between them. “I know there is affection between us.”
“Tara.”
“Y’know, whatever you’re doing with Remi Donovan isn’t fooling me or anyone in this town.”
And that quickly, any sympathy for her evaporated. He stiffened, studying her, the frustration pinching her skin tight and adding a jerkiness to her usually fluid movements.
“I don’t really give a damn what other people think, including you.”
He ignored the voice that pointed out that he’d proposed the bargain with Remi in the first place because of Tara.
“Obviously. Because the thought of you wantingher, being withher, of all people, is laughable. She’s boring, fa—”
“Shut the hell up,” he growled. “Say one more word, Tara, and I’ll forget that I was raised not to disrespect women.”
“Excuse me.”
Declan jerked his head up and to the side just as Tara whipped around.
Fuck.
Remi stood there, perfectly composed and calm. And if not for her eyes... His gut twisted, and he fisted his fingers, the blunt tips biting into his palms. The brown nearly swallowed the bright green and gold. If not for that darkness, he would assume she hadn’t overheard Tara’s ugly words.
Would assume those words hadn’t landed direct, agonizing blows.
“Remi.” He moved forward, Tara forgotten, his one goal to get to her. To somehow ease that hurt, make it disappear.
But she shifted backward. Away from him. And damn if a spike of pain didn’t jab into his chest.
“We’re about to give out the goody bags. When you’re free, we could use your help passing them out.” Dipping her chin, she pivoted and left, shoulders straight and without a glance back at them.
“Tara.” His mother stepped forward, and for the first time, Declan noticed her. “I’m going to catch a ride home with a friend. I’ve known you for three years now, and you’ve never been anything but kind to me. But hearing you speak so horribly about someone a couple of minutes ago?” Janet shook her head. “It makes me wonder who you are when I’m not around. And if that is a person I want to know.”
Janet reached for Declan, squeezed his hand and glanced in the direction Remi had disappeared.
“She’s special, and you’d be a fool to let her get away.” Brushing a kiss over his cheek, she left.
“She didn’t mean...” Tara whispered, her voice catching.
Declan glanced over his shoulder at the other woman, spotting the moisture in her eyes, and for the first time, he believed her tears were real. But they failed to move him.
“She did. You just looked the consequences of your spite and pettiness in the face. I hope you remember them.”
He walked away, leaving her alone. Like she deserved.
CHAPTER SIX
WHOKNEWAperson could be completely numb inside and still smile, laugh and behave as if humiliation and pain hadn’t pummeled her with meaty, bruising fists until she’d become a block of ice?
Seemed every day Remi discovered something new.
Returning to the Halloween event after overhearing Tara and Declan’s conversation, then pretending nothing had occurred, had been one of the most difficult things she’d ever done. She’d been grateful for the coldness that had seeped into her veins, her chest.
