Dillon smirks, leaning back in his chair with one leg crossed over his knee. “You’re an asshole,” I hiss, realizing this was all part of his plan. “I really want to slap you, but I don’t condone violence.” I walk closer to where he’s sitting.
“Unless it’s Aoife.” Jamie throws it out there. “I bet you’d give her a few slaps.”
I eyeball Jamie. “Truth,” Ash and I say together.
“Put the dickhead out of his misery,” she adds. “He’s unbearable.”
I don’t doubt it because I know Dillon’s hurt was real even if this was part of his game plan. His truths were mixed in with the bullshit, but he wanted me to chase him. “What if I hadn’t come?”
“I would have quit the tour,” he says, without hesitation, sitting upright and losing the grin.
Shocked faces and angry words litter the air.
I turn to his bandmates. “He’s being an ass. Ignore him. I would not have let him quit.” I face Dillon, crossing my arms over my chest. I’m still pissed at him. “You are the hardest person in the world to surprise.”
Crease lines appear on his brow. “What do you mean?”
“I was planning to come all along, although the idea only came to me on Christmas Day. I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know if I could buy another tour bus and get it to Texas on time or if I could hire a tutor for Easton on such short notice.”
I was less concerned about the latter. As long as the school was okay with me pulling Easton out, I knew I’d find a suitable tutor even if it was while we were on the road. And I can always homeschool him if I have to. “I wanted to surprise you. This was going to be my grand gesture of love, but you fucking ruined it all, and now, frankly, I’m pretty pissed.”
“Sweetheart.” He stands, moving over to me.
“Don’t think your sweet talking will get you out of this hole you’ve dug.”
“I was thinking my cock would do the trick.” He waggles his brows as Ash makes a gagging sound behind us.
“Always lowering the tone.” I shake my head, softening as his arms go around my waist. I let my arms drop to my sides.
“You bought us a bus?”
“Yes. There wasn’t enough room on one bus for all of us, and I wanted us to be a family.”
I also didn’t want Easton around Conor and Ronan. They are both single, and I know they’ll be entertaining groupies on the bus. Easton does not need to see that, and I’m sure they don’t want Dillon’s girlfriend and son raining on their parade. Separate buses are the only way this will work.
“Leon is coming with us too.” Ash assured me they have plenty of security on tour, but Easton is familiar with Leon, and I want to make this transition as easy as possible for our son. I know he’s excited, but this is a big adjustment for both of us.
“You’re really coming on tour?” His eyes are bursting with happiness. “The whole tour?”
“Yes, dumbass,” Ash says.
“We are, even though you might not deserve it after the shit you said to me earlier.”
“I didn’t mean to say all of that. I got carried away in the moment.” He grips my waist harder, pulling me in to his body. “I’m sorry.”
“I’m not letting you off the hook that easily, and I have something I need to say.” I cup his face in my hands. “How can you think you are second best? I have told you time and time again it wasn’t a competition, but the truth is, I chose you, Dillon. I chose you.” I let that truth settle for a second before continuing. “But you didn’t choose me. All you had to do was come to the airport and stop me from getting on that plane. I told you that in my letter, but still you didn’t come.” Movement in my peripheral vision distracts me a little, but I stay focused on Dillon, watching the frown appear on his brow.
“What are you talking about? What letter?”
“The letter I wrote you the night I left Ireland. I put it through your mailbox.”
He frowns. “I didn’t see any letter. I didn’t get it.”
My eyes startle wide. “Oh my God. This explains so much. I couldn’t understand how you could write those hateful lyrics about me when the ball had been in your court. I waited till the very last second to board the plane, praying you would show up, but you didn’t.” And of course, now I know he tried to come after me, but Reeve deleted his calls, leading me to believe Dillon never truly cared for me.
“That fucking bitch!” Ash jumps up, eyes burning. “Aoife was there that night. That bitch must have taken it.”
“She didn’t,” Ronan says, and I swing my gaze on him as Dillon turns around. Ro wets his lips, looking nervous as he looks us straight in the eyes. “Aoife didn’t take the letter. I did. I threw it in the bin before Dillon had a chance to see it.”
45
Vivien
Shocked silence filters through the cabin. Ronan drags his hands through his hair as he stands. “I’m really sorry I did it. I have felt enormous guilt for years, but it was worse when we found out about Easton. Especially now I’m a father.”
“Why did you do it?” I ask, circling my arms around Dillon’s waist because I can tell he’s on the verge of doing something he’ll regret.
Ro lifts his eyes to his brother’s. “I knew you were in love with her, and I could see it on your face. I knew you were ready to quit the band for her.”
Dillon sneers. “Pull the other one, brother. You always had the hots for her. Admit you were jealous.”
He vigorously shakes his head. “I’ll admit I was jealous when you first hooked up, but I got over it. That wasn’t the reason.” His Adam’s apple jumps in his throat. “We were so close to making it, and the band would never have gotten signed without you. You’re the star, Dillon. You always have been. I couldn’t let you throw it all away.”
“That wasn’t your decision to make, Ro,” Dillon grits out. His body is visibly shaking with rage.
“I was young and dumb. I knew you loved her, but I didn’t know it was forever love. I thought you’d get over her, especially once we made it big and there were women throwing themselves at you. But I was wrong. I’ve had to watch you suffer and press the self-destruct button, knowing it was all my fault.”
“Why didn’t you fess up?” Ash asks.
Ronan rolls his neck from side to side. “I wanted to, but the longer it went on, the harder it got. Then Vivien married Reeve, and I knew there was no undoing the damage.”
“You’re a fucking asshole,” Dillon snaps. “You should’ve told me when I told you Easton was my son. That was the time to come clean.”
“I wanted to, but I couldn’t. I was going through my own shit, and—"
“You’re a fucking selfish prick!” Dillon lunges for Ronan, grabbing him by the shirt and shoving him against the side of the plane. “I lost five years with my son!” he yells. “Years I could’ve been around for if I had gotten Vivien’s letter and stopped her from getting on that plane. I will never forgive you for this.” He shoves him. “Never.”