Chapter 88

Jack

I felt my stomach tighten as I sailed back into the small harbor area of my island. The ashes of the large bonfire Juno and I had made still stuck out on the beach.

Part of me hadn't wanted to come back so soon. Not after everything that had happened here. The sweet woman I'd almost had as mine and all the time I'd hoped to spend with her at my mercy.

For a moment, it was all I could see. Everywhere Juno had been. The way she'd sat at the upper windows and written. Her legs dangling in the water off the now-mutilated pontoon. Even the way we'd sat and watched the bonfire together and she'd rested in my arms, trusting me even while she was terrified of what might come next.

And that was what made it hardest. She'd trusted me to keep her safe in so many ways. But somehow, it hadn't been enough.

On top of that, I still had no idea if she'd done all this for money or not. Kai had gone ahead and approved the contract for her to get credited with the song and the royalties, and I'd never brought it up with her again.

Standing and facing the wreckage of the house I'd loved, however, I couldn't help but wish she hadn't taken my share. The insurance company was already trying to claim they didn't have to pay for it all to be repaired. That I hadn't followed some of the procedures I was supposed to.

I'd have been a liar if I hadn't admitted that it had made me feel both angry and hopeless. Since all the rumors, I hadn't been making as much money as I used to. The band earned well, but my acting had paid for the island and everything on it.

With my housekeeper and some of the sailors, we made our way around the island and logged everything we could to try and prove to the insurance company that everything that could have been done to save the house had been done.

It felt like it took forever, and I had to resist the urge to straighten furniture and try to salvage things until everything was photographed properly.

However, nothing prepared me for walking into the bedroom and being confronted with the torn, glass-shredded remains of Juno's clothes and belongings. For a while, I could do nothing but stare at them. The only rational explanation was that she had stayed with me just long enough to ensure she had the money from the song.

I sighed and sat on the end of the shredded bed, careful not to perch on any glass shards. Looking around the room, I tried to think about what I'd do with the decor going forward, but all I could think about was having Juno there the last few days I'd been in it. It had felt as if I was in heaven. Having Juno with me in my world and seemingly happy.

I'd been an idiot, falling for the charms of yet another gold digger. And I'd paid for it. The only consolation I had was that the storm had wrecked all her expensive clothing. But as I thought about that as well, I knew it didn't make sense. If she had wanted my money, why hadn't she let me pay for the clothes?

Had it been part of some bigger plan? Had she been trying to lull me into trusting her so I'd give her the royalties?

I exhaled as the ache in my chest grew. I wanted to hurl things, or yell, or punch something until my fists hurt and I felt an emotion other than this lost, numb feeling I'd had since the storm.

The housekeeper came in a moment later and looked around the room.

"The upstairs really is a lot worse, isn't it?" she said, careful not to meet my gaze.

I could see the pity in her eyes when she did look my way. It only made me feel worse. Was I truly someone to be pitied? When had I become the poor sod who never got what they wanted?

Not wanting to be considered someone to pity, especially when I should have been the person who had everything, I tried to make myself busy again.

After making sure the room was completely photographed, I went to my wardrobe to see what I could salvage from the clothes I'd had in there. It wasn't as bad as I'd feared.

Either because I had more clothes than Juno or because they'd been in a more sheltered position, several sets of clothing near the back were completely unscathed.

I quickly pulled out everything that was salvageable and the housekeeper fetched me a bag to put it in. I was relieved to find some of my favorite clothes had survived. After all the emotional upheaval and the nightmares living through the storm had given me, it was only a small victory but it felt as if something was finally going more in my favor.

By the time everything had been checked over and the ruined possessions had been listed, it was getting dark and everyone was hungry. We made our way back to the boat still moored in the natural harbor. With the buildings on the island still uninhabitable, there was nowhere else to sleep for the night.

In the morning, we would need to board up all the windows and start drying the interior out before planning a path to fixing it all and getting workers in to make it happen. While my staff would handle a lot of that, I wanted to make sure they felt supported and heard as well. And I knew it was an opportunity to change a few things.

Everything about the house now reminded me of Juno. There was a chance I could change some elements and make that reminder less powerful, but I would have to think about it. I didn't want to act rashly either. Once the pain had faded, I might want some memories of her.

No sooner had I thought this than I walked into the cabin I'd shared with her on the boat. The same dull ache of heartbreak hit me hard in the chest again and I had to sit down on the end of the bed, winded and yearning for her to be with me.

What was it about Juno that had gotten her under my skin so badly, and why couldn't I seem to get her out of my head again? I had no idea, but I knew I wanted it to stop. I needed it to stop. Because in less than a month, I would be seeing her again, even if briefly, and I couldn't handle the thought of wanting her only to have her reject me again.

I tried to put her from my mind, but the pain was too great, and my mind seemed to want to think over all the looks she'd given me, every word and every interaction, to try and determine how true she had been.

It wasn't the first time, either. None of it made any sense, but I knew one thing for sure. I was going to wish I could wrap my arms around Juno and keep her safe for some time to come. And if she asked, I would have to remind myself that she'd done this for the money, even if I was still convincing myself of that.