“I’m not going to run.” She sucked in another breath.
“Well, that’s a change,” he snarled as he prowled right into her personal space. “We’ll have it out now, once and for all.”
He was sweating, the gleam of moisture on his neck making him appear to glow in the sunlight. The deep scent of him, crisp and dark, encircled her, drawing her, as it always did.
“All right.” She kept her gaze on his, meeting his frown and the anger in his eyes straight on. “I’m sorry I took the ring.”
Shock rippled through the gold and brown and he took a step back. “Are ye, then?”
“Yes.” She desperately wanted to reach out and soothe him, brush her palm along the dusky scruff on his jaw. Forcing the yearning away, she tightened her hands into fists. “I did it for my grandfather.”
“Your dead grandfather.” Cam jerked his head around, taking the estate in. Apparently, he accepted the fact she wouldn’t run, and he could take his eyes off of her for a moment. “The one that left ye everything.”
“Correct.” She knew by the look on his face, he wasn’t impressed with her newfound wealth. Yet, she’d known that about him before. He hadn’t been interested in his own wealth. Why should hers move him in the slightest? “Not that I wanted any of this.”
“No?” He swung back to glare at her again, his voice hardening. “I’m thinking any woman would want such a grand place. And do her best to get it.”
“Not me.” Jen kept her gaze on his, willing him to believe at least that. “Believe me.”
Shrugging finally as if he couldn’t be bothered to know if what she said was true, he glared out at the grounds once more. “Did he give ye his money because ye stole the ring for him?”
“I don’t think so.” She’d give him the complete truth even if he didn’t believe her. He deserved it. “But I’m not sure.”
“Your dear old grandfather couldn’t get the ruby from me in an honorable way.” He leaned in then, surrounding her with his big body and its heat and scent. “So he sent his wee granddaughter to steal it, instead.”
“Yes.” Her nails bit into her skin, yet she didn’t back away. “I’m sorry, Cam.”
Shock skittered across his face. “Are ye?”
“Yes. My only defense is my grandfather was dying and his last wish was to have the ring.”
“Have my ring.” He sneered at her. “Ye could have asked for it, Jenny. With your pretty face and your graceful ways, I probably would have been stupid enough to give ye the thing.”
“I couldn’t chance it.” She let herself glance away for a moment, wishing she’d taken the chance when she’d come to really know him. “I didn’t know you well enough at the beginning—”
“As if ye know me now,” he scoffed, his rich voice rusty and rancid.
Forcing herself, she stared at him. “And after I did know you, I couldn’t chance what you’d do if I told you what I wanted.”
His glare reminded her of hard stones. “Ye couldn’t trust me, is what you’re saying.”
“My grandfather didn’t have much time. What if you’d thrown me out or called the police?”
He grunted, a low, sour sound.
She pushed on, trying to make him understand. “Your ring was once my grandfather’s. He’d given it to a lover long ago and she never returned it.”
That stopped him. He stumbled back, a look of dawning realization making his mouth go slack. “My mother?”
“I think so. Though I can’t be sure.”
His two-toned eyes went opaque for a moment. Then they snapped back to life, filled with resentment once more. “That doesn’t excuse what else ye did. Ye didn’t just take a ring. Ye came into my home and lied to me over and over.”
“Yes.” This was becoming too painful, but she owed him. Even though he’d flitted onto Amanda, she’d been the one to actually lie. “I’m sorry for that, too.”
“You’re sorry ye charmed my son into loving ye?” The words spat from his hard mouth, laced with bitterness. “My Rob is still asking for ye.”
“I’m sorry.” Something welled in her throat, and she couldn’t breathe. It wasn’t a panic attack, though. It was grief. “I’m very sorry.”
“Not good enough.” His rough hands grabbed her arms, yanking her toward him. “Not good enough at all.”
“You have the ring now.” Keeping her gaze on his was torture, but she forced herself to do it. “If you want, I can write and explain to Rob.”