Geomancist (Seven Forbidden Arts 5)

“Why?” she asked.

Regret flashed in his eyes. “Why what?”

“I think you know.”

“Why didn’t I tell you?” He studied her for a long moment. “I didn’t want you to hate me. Besides, it was safer you didn’t know. People like me are hunted. And anyway, what would’ve been the point? At the time, my gift was dead.”

“I’m not talking about your strange power. I’m talking about you working for Cain.”

“I tried to protect you.”

A stone dropped in her stomach. “Protect me? You used me to get to Godfrey. Did you ever care, or was it all show?”

“I do care,” he said in a quiet tone. “I meant it when I said I love you.”

She uttered a laugh. “With a gun pointed at your head. I would have said anything, too, if Juan had that barrel aimed at me.”

“I love you. There. No one needed to put a gun against my head for me to say it now.”

Did he expect her to believe him, to ever trust him again, after everything that had happened? She could see it all clearly now, how Sean and Cain had used her for their own purposes, and the truth was a bitter pill to swallow.

“Say it, Sean. Admit it.”

“Admit what?”

“You set me up.” He’d even acted sincere when he’d told her not to take the job with Juan. He was a damn good mixologist, but he was an even better actor. “Cain promised you the bar in exchange for information about Godfrey. You knew Cain all along.”

“Yes.” He balled his hands into fists in his lap. “I knew who Cain and his team were the minute they walked into the bar.”

She took a moment to let the truth settle in. “I never stood a chance of getting the lease, did I?”

“No,” he said, working his jaw from side to side. “You didn’t.”

“I see.” She nodded. “Juan didn’t become interested in me by chance.”

“No,” he said again. “Cain knew you resembled his first wife, Marina.”

“The art school, does it even exist?”

“Cain created a bogus company.”

“To get me to move to Cartagena.”

“Yes.”

She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, not wanting Sean to see how much it hurt. “All he had to do then was dangle the spa in front of my nose, making it seem like I had a chance of making enough money to send Matt to school.”

“Yes,” Sean said with a note of defeat. “When we left for the island that first day, it was with the assurance that Cain would pull you out as soon as I’d gotten the information about Godfrey.” She looked away, but he gripped her chin and turned her face back to him. “In the beginning, Cain threatened me with losing the bar, and yes, I took the bait. That bar was damn important to me. Then you came along, and suddenly, all that mattered was getting you to safety.”

“Why didn’t you tell me about Cain’s scheme?” She pulled free from his grip. “You had enough opportunities to come clean on the island.”

“I couldn’t, not without endangering your life. Please believe me when I say I only tried to protect you.”

Believe him? He never protected her. He handed her to Juan on a silver plate, knowing damn well what her fate would be. She was a sacrifice, an expendable commodity for Cain to find Godfrey and for Sean to get his bar.

He wrapped his arms around her, but she pushed him away.

“Don’t,” she said, her voice cracking on the word. “Don’t touch me.”

He let his arms drop to his sides. “I know what Juan did to you, Asia. Eric told me everything.” His jaw bunched. “That’s why Juan had to die.”

“Do you think killing him takes it away and makes it all right?”

“No.” He stabbed his fingers into his hair. “I feel so many things, I don’t even know where to start. With regret and guilt, maybe. Please, kitten, let me make it up to you.”

She didn’t need his guilt or regret. “Do you know what I feel? I feel used.”

He reeled as if she’d slapped him. “I didn’t use you.”

Lies. All lies. They could’ve had something good. She actually thought he cared. She believed what they’d shared was more than sex to him when it was … what? Manipulation? A way of controlling her to keep her where he wanted her and make sure she played into his hand? A way of staying close to her so he could get the information he wanted? What did it matter? There was nothing left to say.

Steeling her spine, she said, “I want to see my grandmother and Matt.”

“Of course.” After a moment’s hesitation, he got up. His voice was quiet with resignation. “I’ll tell them you’re awake.”

He leaned down to kiss her, but she turned her face away. Another beat passed before he walked from the room and closed the door softly.