“Don’t you dare shout at my daughter. Act civilly or you can leave this house.” Mom jabs her finger in the air at Dillon.
“Dillon. Please.” Cath’s teary eyes plead with her son.
Ignoring both moms, Dillon looks me straight in the eye. “I’ve spent years nurturing this hatred, Viv. How stupid do you think I feel knowing I was played completely? I believed Reeve knew about me. I thought he was a selfish prick who didn’t give a shit about me. What I read about him on social media seemed to confirm it. Look at what he did to you! You were a mess when you first landed in Dublin.”
“I know how I felt, thank you very much. I don’t need a history lesson from you, and we’ve already covered this.”
“He hurt you, but you forgave him. I’m just looking for the same opportunity. Please let me make amends. Please give me one more chance. I won’t let you down. I promise.” Desperation bleeds into the air, seeping from his words and the pleading expression on his face. “I know what I did was wrong. I see that now. I wish I could turn back the clock and do so many things differently.” He thumps his chest. “I will have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life. I didn’t know my brother, and now I never will. I know that’s partly on me. If I could trade places with him, I would.”
“Dillon, no!” Cath cries. “Don’t say that.”
Dillon’s Adam’s apple jumps in his throat, and I feel Cath’s pain. “Sorry, Ma. I don’t mean to upset you, but I’ve made a mess of things. Sometimes I think it would’ve been easier if Simon had just murdered me when I was born.”
Fucking hell.
Cath’s cries are louder, and Ash, Ro, and Jamie stare at Dillon in shock. I don’t know what to think. Whether he’s being sincere or if this is still a game he’s playing. Mom and Dad look troubled, and I’m just so over this day and ready to draw a line under it.
“Don’t say that, Dil.” Ash shakes her head. “Yes, you’re a dickhead. Yes, you’ve fucked up and hurt my best friend. But you’ve hurt yourself too.” Her worried gaze meets mine. “We shouldn’t have come here today. It wasn’t fair on you. Emotions are still too raw. I know you distrust Dillon now, and I don’t blame you. I really don’t, Viv. I’m putting myself in your shoes, and I would feel the same way, but what you had in Ireland was real. Deep down, you know that too. One day, when you’re not mourning your beloved husband and beautiful little girl, maybe you might be able to look at it differently. That day isn’t today, and I think we should go.” She looks at her parents, and Cath nods, swiping at the tears flowing down her face.
Ash slings her arms around her brother, squeezing him tight. Her apologetic gaze locks on mine, and there are so many unspoken words between us. I know I need to fix things with her. Especially now she will be in my life. She’s Easton’s auntie, and I can’t continue to deny that fact, even if I’ll be keeping contact with the O’Donoghues to a minimum until Easton has properly grieved Reeve and Lainey.
“Ash is right, and we will go, but I need to get this out first,” Dillon says. “I know you’re traumatized and heartbroken and you don’t need any more of the heavy. But you need to know my biggest lie was what I told you about my feelings for you. I led you to believe I didn’t care, but that’s not the truth. I care. So fucking much.” His eyes bore into my face. “I know you’re not ready to hear this, but I need to say it. I still love you, Vivien Grace. I never stopped.”
What a crock of shit, and I’m not buying it. Actions speak louder than words, and that is most definitely true in Dillon’s case. I school my features into a neutral line, as he continues.
“I can see you don’t believe it, and I can’t force you to. But we need to try to find a way to get along, because Easton is my son, and—”
I interrupt his desperate word vomit because I refuse to listen to one more word of his bullshit. I see it now. I see what new game he’s playing. Spewing all this shit, trying to win me over to his side, just so he can slide in and steal Easton away from me. Over my dead body will that happen!
“He’s not yours!” I shout, rising abruptly. “He’s Reeve’s son! Reeve will always be his daddy, not you! You’re just a sperm donor in the same way Simon Lancaster was.”
Mom sucks in a breath, standing. “Vivien.” I can tell I’ve shocked even her, and I know I’m being callous, but how dare Dillon show up here, thinking he can mouth some pretty words at me and all will be forgiven.
“We shouldn’t have come,” Dillon says, unfurling to his full height. Pain radiates from his eyes. “I’m sorry.”
“Ya think?” I shout, shucking out of Mom’s grasp. “My husband and my baby were only buried today, and you’re over here already staking your claim on my son!” I stalk toward him, shoving his chest. “He’s my son. He will never be yours! Never! Fuck you, Dillon! Fuck you! Fuck you! Fuck you!”
Ro’s brows climb to his hairline, and concern is splayed across his face. Jamie’s too. Neither of them has contributed to the conversation, and Ash has been quieter than normal.
“Princess.” Dad wraps his arms around me from behind. “It’s okay, sweetheart. Let it all out.”
“He can’t have Easton, Dad,” I sob, curling into his warm chest. “He’s not taking my son from me! E is all I’ve got left.”
“Viv,” Dillon’s voice is deliberately soft. “I would never take him from you, and I would never do anything to hurt him or add to his pain. I was never going to share anything online. I just said that to make you do things my way, but I wouldn’t have told the world about him or posted any of your pictures. I know you don’t trust me, but you will see the truth in time.” Hurt and longing shimmer in his blue eyes. “I just want to get to know my son. I understand it’ll take time, but I’m begging you to let me develop a relationship with him as his uncle.”
I sob into my Dad’s shirt, unable to deal anymore. I’m physically and emotionally spent. The well is dry, and I just want them to leave.
“I know there are things to discuss, but this isn’t the time or the place. You need to leave.” Mom’s stern tone leaves no confusion.
“I’m very sorry, Lauren,” Cath says. “We shouldn’t have come here today. I can see we’ve only added to Vivien’s stress, and that wasn’t our intent.” She turns to me. “Honey, please forgive us for intruding on your grief in such a selfish way. My heart breaks for you and for Easton. Take care of yourselves.”
“I’ll give you my number,” Mom says, compassion flaring behind her steely determination. “Call me, and we’ll try to arrange something before you return home.”
“I’m sorry, Viv. I’m sorry for everything,” Dillon says, and I twist my head, staring at him through blurry eyes.
Ash approaches with tears streaming down her face. “I hate seeing you in so much pain, and I hate that our friendship was a casualty of all this. We always said we wouldn’t let my brother come between us.”
On instinct, I reach out, hugging her. “That one’s on me. Not you,” I sob, clinging to her. “I never wanted to cut you off. It hurt me to do it.”