Chapter 42
forty-two
JONATHAN
This had to be a joke. Rory Phipps was Mags’…no. “No fucking way.” Jonathan hadn’t realized he said that out loud until Daniel stood at his shoulder, giving him a “What the hell” look.
Blair and Daniel were the only two of their group close enough to witness the bullshit. Blair’s eyes were wide, and her lips were clearly mouthing “Shit” over and over again.
Jonathan’s mind was reeling. He’d met Rory Phipps, along with other Dublin architects, a handful of times over the last few years. He had drinks with the motherfucker who had taken Mags’ virginity—with the man who taught her all the things she now did for him.
No way was he going to let Rory Fucking Phipps touch his girlfriend another second. Clasping the top of Rory’s shoulder, he yanked him back and away from Mags.
Rory lost his balance and stumbled into Jonathan, who now stood at his back. He didn’t dare look at Mags, knowing she’d be pissed at the display.
Rory spun on his heel, eyes widening when he realized Jonathan was the perpetrator.
“What the hell, O’Faolain?” At the same time, he reached behind him and grasped Mags’ hands.
Over his shoulder, that piece of shit, Rory said, “Maggie, love, go get a drink with Blair. I’ll be right behind you once I figure out what the hell is going on.”
Maggie love. If Jonathan wasn’t seeing red already…
He did look at Mags then, and for her part, he was relieved to see that she was trying to shake off Rory’s hand.
“Rory, I should have told—”
Like an ass, Jonathan interrupted her. “That she is mine and only mine. Touch her again, Phipps, and you’ll find out architecture isn’t the only thing I’m good at.”
“What the hell is your problem?” Rory demanded.
“Jon,” Mags said, frowning at him, probably hoping he wouldn’t escalate things further. Not likely.
Rory looked from Mags to him and back again. “Maggie?” Rory turned his back to Jonathan, but before he could drag the man away from Mags again, Daniel stepped between them and put a restraining hand on his chest.
“Don’t touch him again, Jon. Christ. People are starting to take notice. I doubt you want to impress our fathers with your mugshot in the Daily.”
Jonathan forced himself to breathe deeply, allowing the ringing in his ears to fade. Mags was in the middle of explaining their relationship, which the prick didn’t deserve. They were over. That’s all he needed to know.
“I’m sorry, Rory, I should have reached out. Jon and I are dating. It’s serious.”
Mags sounded calm, but her fiery, red cheeks spoke of her internal chaos.
“But Maggie, I don’t understand. I’ve wanted us to be serious from the beginning. You have to know that I lo—”
Mags threw up a hand between her and Rory. “Don’t say it.”
“Why not? You know it’s true,” he pleaded.
From the stunned look on Mags’ face, she hadn’t known, which soothed some of his anger, but not nearly enough to allow her ex…lover near her.
“You only said there was someone from your past that you weren’t over. I thought…I hoped that eventually—”
Jonathan watched the man’s shoulders stiffen. The bastard finally caught up.
“It’s him? O’Faolain is who you’ve always wanted? Fuck me, Maggie. He’s like a world-class whore. You deserve better.”
Jonathan had spun Rory around before he was conscious of deciding to touch him. He leaned in so only those standing close could hear. “Was a whore, Phipps. I will never be that man again. And you’re one to talk. You were never exclusive with her.”
Hearing a man who was respected in Dublin call him a whore had acid churning in his stomach. It sickened him that others might have perceived him that way—that he might have actually been that way.
“I had two women besides Maggie in the very beginning. Two,” he reiterated, poking Jonathan in the chest with his middle and pointer fingers. “I realized quickly that she was the only woman I wanted. It took me one month to figure that out. What did it take you? Two years? Three years?”
Despite his better judgment screaming at him to walk away and take Mags with him, he couldn’t help the knee-jerk reaction to have the last word.
“I love Mags, and unlike with you, she loves me back. Don’t ever approach her again, or you’ll find out quickly why no one wants to go up against an O’Faolain.
” He leaned close so he could whisper in Rory’s ear.
“Talk to her again, touch her, contact her, and I will bury your business and leave your reputation in ashes.”
When he straightened, Mags was looking at him in horror before she clenched her jaw and turned to Blair. She must have mouthed something to Blair so that she could read Mags’ lips, knowing that if she signed, Jonathan would know what was said.
Mags gave him one last look. Her fury building with every heartbeat. His heart seized when her gaze landed on Rory, who was still stiffly standing at Jonathan’s shoulder.
Don’t speak to him, Mags. Please.
She only shook her head in defeat before whirling away and heading for the exit. Daniel’s rough shove between his shoulder blades had him moving. He followed her, weaving between guests stepping outside right after her.
“Mags, please stop. Talk to me.” Now that Rory Phipps was no longer a visual threat, he winced at his behavior, feeling chagrined by his loss of control. His family would not be impressed. Hell, he was disgusted.
Keeping her back to him, she said, “And why would I do that, Jon?”
The wobble in her voice killed him. She walked to the covered area where guests could wait for their rides out of the weather. Thankfully, only one other older couple was waiting, and a valet was hailing them, leaving him and Mags alone.
“I overreacted.”
Silence.
“I embarrassed you,” he tried again.
Nothing.
He fisted his hair and squeezed the back of his neck before letting his hands fall loosely at his sides.
“Mags.”
“Enough,” Mags finally said, her voice holding a finality he hadn’t heard from her before. “I’ve put up with your women for years, Jon, years. A few of them have even made cutting remarks at my expense.
“You held them, touched them, kissed them—all in front of me. You’ve been very clear that you enjoyed your love-them-and-leave-them lifestyle. Hell, even tonight I had to listen to the woman talk about your threesome with her and her sister.
“Did I like hearing that? Hell no. Did I get in her face and threaten her? No, even though it took you a long moment to tell her you were in a relationship.
“And yet,” she shook her head, still looking at the bustling road before her, “you disrespected Rory, my one and only lover before you. You disrespected me. If you believed we were exclusive, you would never have behaved the way you did tonight.
“I think you are projecting your feelings. I think you are struggling with only having one woman on your arm.” She stopped abruptly. Her head bowed as her arms wrapped protectively around her waist. “I don’t want to say anything I’ll regret, so I’m going home. Without you. I need space.”
Every word was a blow to his middle, curving his spine. Every verbal lash she wielded was deserved except for his level of commitment. His jealous display was childish, yes, but he trusted her, them, implicitly.
Did his actions tonight prove that? No.
“Please give me a chance to explain. Let me come with you.” Her brittle stance was worrying. And then, because he was escalating to panic, he added, “You aren’t supposed to travel alone.”
Blair and Daniel stepped out of Gray Eyes at that moment. “I’m not,” was all Mags said before walking away, leaving him to drown in regrets.