Chapter 85

Jack

The look on Juno's face was too much to take. A mix of pity and hurt, but the decision had clearly been made. I'd seen it coming. Almost booked two rooms because I could feel her pulling away from me.

But now it hit home, and anger welled up in me. I got up and walked to the window, needing something else to take my focus so I didn't break something. Considering what she'd been through, I didn't want to make her feel like she was in danger. She wasn't. I'd never hurt her, no matter what she was doing to me.

"I'm sorry, Jack. I just don't feel safe enough with anything. And it's not fair to you," she said.

I growled in response, not sure I bought her reasons. Yeah, I could understand being scared of the storm, but I'd kept her safe. What else could she be scared of? The more I thought about it, the more anger built in me, my fists clenching and my body flushing with heat and tension until I knew I couldn't just let her walk out of here.

"I kept you as safe as I could during that storm, and I made sure you were comfortable, that you were happy and had people to talk to. Even though you offered to be my submissive and I wanted to be your dom, I kept things light and tried to help you grow to trust me, baby step by baby step. I even offered to choose a safe word with you. You turned me down on that one, remember?"

"I know," Juno replied, stepping closer. I moved aside to put more distance between us again. I didn't want her to be close anymore.

"I can't believe this. Eve was right. Kai, too. I should never have invited you to come and meet the band."

"Eve? Kai? What have they said?" She sounded innocent and made me almost want to explain everything.

"It doesn't matter now," I replied. "You're going anyway, aren't you?"

I looked at her again, and our eyes met. For a moment. she didn't reply, but she stared at me, her gaze searching, wide and almost pleading.

"I think I'd better. You're right. I never belonged in your world. Not only could I never afford it, but it seems no one likes or accepts me as much as I'd hoped. I'll find somewhere else to stay until I can get home."

Juno's words surprised me, and I almost told her exactly what I thought of her excuse of not being able to afford being in my world, especially now that she would receive such a high share of the royalties from our song. But the sadness in her last sentence and the way she turned away, almost defeated, stopped me from doing it.

The fight melted out of me as I watched her walk away and out of my life. How could I be angry at her when she seemed to be in need of protection all the time?

It also wasn't lost on me that the clothes she'd bought, including the dress I'd encouraged her to get, were all destroyed. I had insurance. There was a good chance they would pay to replace everything. But her clothes…

I stopped the thought. She was getting money from the song, and it was clear she didn't love me as much as I did her. I didn't owe her anything.

Deflated, angry, and with a deep ache in my chest that I couldn't shift, I sat on the small loveseat and let the tears finally flow. I'd been so stupid! It was clear I'd fallen for yet another gold digger who had no desire to be with me beyond the money I could make her and the fame she could get.

When she got what she wanted, she'd run, taking everything with her.

It took me a while to calm down, my emotions passing through every state along the way. Anger at both her and me made my fists bunch, only to be followed by the hot gush of more tears and then embarrassment at how I never seemed to be able to have a long-term relationship anymore.

Eventually, I was calm again, my eyes dry and my mind made up. I needed to keep going, focus on fixing the house and island, and getting back to the band and what we were doing next as a group. Juno was in my past now, and that was where I needed to leave her.

With this thought and a deep breath, I made my way to Kai and Liam for lunch. I could worry about everything and everyone else later. It was enough to keep going and try and make the best of what had happened. And I needed a new phone, if nothing else.

The hotel's dining room was almost entirely empty aside from us, most of the rest of the hotel guests having gotten off the island by now.

"The others followed Juno and made sure she has somewhere safe for a day or so. She wanted to just go to the airport and wait for a flight there," Kai said, making it clear he knew enough of what happened to know it was over.

For a moment, I couldn't reply, not ready for someone to mention her despite calming myself down earlier. I wanted to scream and yell, and I felt anger rising inside me again. I'd done everything I could for her, yet I was the one holding a broken heart again.

Kai seemed to pick up on me not wanting to talk about it and needing a moment. He handed me a menu.

"They don't have any fresh fish, but they can still do the rest," he said.

I nodded, not surprised. No one was fishing today, and I doubted anyone had gotten a catch the previous day, either. It wasn't just us hurt by the storm. This thought helped me refocus.

We ordered and talked about all the things that were broken and would need fixing before moving on to more hopeful conversations about what the band was up to, Kai steering us in a happier direction.

When Alma and the others still hadn't appeared after we'd eaten some appetizers, Kai opted to go find them for us, leaving me with Liam.

"Let me get you a drink, man. You look like you need it," Liam said.

I shook my head. Although he was right, and I could really use a drink, I knew what I was like. It was too easy to be tempted into doing something I shouldn't, and I didn't need any more bad press. Not right now.

Liam opened his mouth as if he was going to say something else, and then closed it again. A moment later, he inhaled as if he was about to ask me a question. When he did it again, I looked at him and raised my eyebrow.

"Out with it," I said. "What are you trying to say but aren't?"

"It was something Eve said. Made me worried that you and Juno have fallen out over us. Eve implied she'd taken something the wrong way. I made sure she knew nothing had happened, but I just thought, what if she said something to you, too?"

"About you and Juno?" I replied, struggling to say her name.

"Yeah. She did say something, didn't she?" Liam asked.

"Yeah, but it wasn't…"

"It wasn't? Good. 'Cause Eve seemed to have some funny ideas about Juno flirting with me and me with her, and I don't know where she got them from. Juno's never even been alone with me, and she only ever talked about our band and you. She clearly wasn't interested in me. Didn't even seem that interested in letting me teach her like she was worried we'd be alone together."

I blinked as Liam spoke, the only outside reaction I had to his words. Eve had made up a pile of crap and accused Juno of flirting with him, and I told Liam as much.

"Stupid, jealous…" Liam trailed off as he shook his head.

"Sorry, brother. It seems we both picked wrong this time," I replied.

"No. Just me." Liam got up and looked me full in the face. "Juno worships the ground you walk on. I don't know what made you argue, but that girl…there aren't many who care the way she does."

With that, Liam walked away, leaving me sitting at the table waiting for a dinner no one else seemed to be eating anymore. Had I truly made a huge mistake? Maybe, but it hadn't been my decision. It had been hers, and although she might have been faithful, she'd still left me for her own reasons.