Page 33 of Irish Betrayal

Shame and shock coursed through her veins, hot and filthy. How had she allowed this creature to gain such a foothold into her life? How could she have been so stupid?

“I’m leaving.” Blair went to shove her way past him to reach the door.

“Of course, my girl,” Peter drawled, unconcerned.

“I’m not your anything, you disgusting pervert.”

Blair watched in horror as Peter went to Mindy, still on her knees. “Open your mouth.” Mindy stopped scrubbing and obeyed, eagerly taking the bastard’s sex deep into her mouth.

Blair tore her eyes from the scene and fumbled with the door’s locks. Frantic to get out of there.

“I said you can leave, Blair. There’s no need for dramatics. You can leave, but if you even think of telling anyone about this, about us, I will make sure your family and your precious Daniel get their own copy of our home movies.”

She was out the door but still heard him grunt his release. “You’re my girl, Blair. Always.”

fourteen

DANIEL

Something was off with Blair. Daniel had paid little attention during a Zoom meeting with his father and Dagr, and it was an important discussion over the second revision of zoning regulations for the new property surrounding the distillery. His thoughts were only on Blair. After two unanswered calls from her and short text replies, he was beginning to lose some of his earlier cheer.

Last night outstripped every past experience, business win, or personal triumphs. Everything.

When he’d woken up that morning in the greenhouse with his body wrapped around Blair, her miles of red curls tickling his nose and draped over his back, he grinned and hadn’t stopped over the next several hours.

The past hour…his euphoria slipped by ever-increasing degrees.

When Blair woke, she’d done her share of smiling, too, and touching and tasting. Jesus, but that girl’s mouth was the eighth deadly sin.

She’d clapped, peppering kisses over his face and chest when he showed her his conversation late last night between himself and his realtor after Blair had fallen asleep. Saoirse Kennedy Daniels was his father’s longtime realtor and friend. However, it was Saoirse’s newly licensed daughter, Sutton, who found the property for him.

“So, we’re really doing this?” Blair had signed while lying across his chest.

“Oh, we’re doing this, babe,” Daniel replied.

On the drive back to Dublin, they decided that after Blair ran her errands, she would stop by the local Boots to buy a morning after pill. They both had felt weird about the thought of ending something that may or may not have even begun.

Daniel might have been in a place where he wouldn’t mind starting a family, but Blair had a lot more schooling to get through. Even though her path would always lead to saving plant habitats, she still needed to decide what that looked like.

That was hours ago.

Now…

Daniel: I’m dying to see you.

Blair:

The green hearts made him chuckle. She only used green.

Before the meeting, he tried to video call her, but she didn’t answer. He tried to call her after the meeting with Dagr and before he met with the Three Wolves master distiller for the long-awaited tasting of their first 20-year. Still no answer.

The tasting had been a hard moment for his dad and his uncle Patrick because his grandfather, their father, wasn’t there for the big unveiling.

His aunt Rowan had declined the offer of joining them. No one pushed her.

Daniel was relieved when Blair finally answered his last text.

Daniel: I’ll be done for the day in two hours, three at most. Should I pick you up your place?