“Yes,” I whispered softly. My wolf’s ears perked at my admission. This was the first time I was admitting out loud that I was in love with Gavin Landry. “I love him.”
Irene’s eyes grew wide, not expecting that I would spill my secret so easily.
“No shit?” She asked, her eyes even wider as she took in my serious expression. “You’re in love with my father…”
“I know it’s weird,” I went on to say, not wanting her to get the wrong idea. “But it’s clear that he doesn’t feel the same way about me, so I don’t think you have to worry about anything.”
“It would be weird to have a stepmom be the same age as me,” Irene said, capturing her lower lip between her teeth. “It would be weird for him to date someone the same age as his daughter. Society wouldn’t accept it.”
I nodded, a knot forming in the pit of my belly.
“That’s why I’m never going to pursue it,” I assure her. “Gavin and I might have some fun… but that’s all it’ll- ever be.”
She sucked in a sharp breath, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.
“You’ve slept with him?” She asked.
My eyes grew wide.
“What makes you say that?” I asked, trying to mask my horror.
“You said you two like to have fun,” she reminded me. “Plus, it’s all over your face.”
I covered my face with my hands after setting the wine glass down on the coffee table. A groan escaping my lips. She set her own glass down as well and studied me for a long while, neither of saying anything.
“It just kind of happened,” I admit. “This was not how I wanted you to find out.”
“So, those articles I was reading earlier. The one where pictures of you two kissing were posted… they were true? Not photoshop?”
I shook my head.
“Not photoshop,” I agree.
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?” She asked, tears filling down her cheeks. “I thought we were friends and could ell each other everything.”
I nibbled on my lower lip.
“It was too new and too soon,” I told her. “And then you stopped talking to me because of the whole Ethan thing. Plus, I had no idea how to bring up the fact that I’ve been sleeping with your father. It was awkward for me, but I never meant to make you feel disincluded in anyway, Irene.
She was quiet for a long while, processing my words.
“My father hasn’t had a serious girlfriend in years,” she murmured. “After my mom died, there was this one woman that I thought he was going to marry.”
raised my gaze and looked at her, confused. I hadn’t heard this story. As far as I knew, he hadn’t had anyone serious in his life since his late wife. So, who was this woman that Irene was speaking about?
“What woman?” I asked.
Chapter 498
+25 BONUS
Irene shrugged casually.
“Her name was Rachel,” Irene explained. “You know how my aunt Cassie is in the mental hospital… Matt’s mom?” I nodded as a response, my throat feeling dry. “Well, Rachel was her nurse once a upon a time.”
“Her nurse?” I asked.
Irene nodded.
“Yeah, before Aunt Cassie took off with Matt, while she was still pregnant and under the care and protection of my father, he hired a nurse from the pack hospital to help take care of her during her pregnancy. It ended up being Rachel, which is how she and my father got so close. They were always together, taking care of Aunt Cassie and making sure she had a healthy delivery. They were practically inseparable. I had never seen him like that before… I heard he was like that with my mother, but she died giving birth to me, so I never actually saw them together. But I saw my father smiling for the first time in years whenever Rachel was around.”
My stomach turned into a fist of unease; I hated hearing about this, but I couldn’t seem to stop. I wanted to know more about this Rachel girl.
“And then Aunt Cassie disappeared and it devasted them and the entire pack. After a year, they finally found her and Rachel was appointed her main nurse during her recovery. Even when she went to the mental hospital, Rachel was still there to take care of her. I think my father was finally planning to propose to Rachel… their relationship only grew stronger during all of this, and I saw a wedding ring in his nightstand once with Rachel’s name engraved.”
My wolf whimpered at the sound of that; my heart shattered into a million pieces.
“Did he… propose?” I asked, my voice feeling hallow and unfamiliar.
Irene’s face grew sad and then she shook her head.
“Rachel got into a car accident one evening while she was on her way to the villa,” she said softly. “And she didn’t make it.”
I sucked in a sharp breath.
“She died?”
Irene nodded, her eyes finding mine.
“After that, my father was closed off. He told himself he was never going to fall in love again because they always die on him. He hadn’t been the same…”
