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I have no cash, no credit card, and no bank account. I have no transportation or friends who would be able to help me. Even if I did, I have no doubt that Deklan would manage to find me, and what happens then? What would happen to my mother and father if I were to run? What would life with Deklan be like if he had to drag me back here, kicking and screaming?
I seriously doubt he would continue to be as pleasant as he has been so far.
Running is not a viable option. Besides, I’ve already heard how Deklan deals with runners.
So I stay, and staying means coming to terms with what Deklan does when he’s not around me. I need to concentrate on how he is when he is with me, and thus far, that has been wonderful. He’s been kind, gentle, and generous. That’s who Deklan is to me. That is my Deklan. I will just have to forget about who he is when he’s not here. If there is one thing I am good at, I’m good at suppressing thoughts that cause me grief.
My Deklan isn’t violent. My Deklan is not a killer. He treats me well. He makes me feel fantastic. He is going to keep me safe and be a good husband to me—a real husband—just like he said on our wedding night. Whatever he does when I’m not around doesn’t matter.
I swallow down the lie I have told myself just in time to catch sight of Deklan out of the corner of my eye. I turn to face him, smiling broadly.
“Good morning!” I say cheerily.
“Feeling better?” he asks.
“Much. There’s coffee if you want some.”
“I do. Thank you.” Deklan pours himself a cup and comes to sit next to me, and I watch his gaze move up and down my body. He places the cup on the coffee table before he reaches over and takes the edge of my robe between his fingers.
My heart starts to pound as he moves his finger slowly down the opening. He reaches the halfway point and stops. My robe is partway open now but still not showing much. He runs his tongue over his lips as he continues down until he reaches my leg. He stops again and lets his hand rest on my thigh with just his thumb inside, rubbing back and forth on my bare skin.
“Sleep well?” he asks.
It takes me a second to catch my breath and answer him.
“Well enough.”
“What would you like to do today?”
“Well,” I say as I try to ignore the clenching of my thighs, “I’d like to do a little more cooking, but your refrigerator is rather bare.”
“Our refrigerator,” Deklan says as he taps my chin with his finger. “You’re right though. I rather like your cooking, so we’ll get whatever you like. Ready to go now?”
“Can I get dressed first?” I glance down at my robe and then back at Deklan.
“I suppose.” Deklan runs his hand over my thigh. “We could just go back to bed.”
“I think we might starve if we do.”
“Possible.” Deklan shrugs. I’m not sure he cares.
Deklan drives us to a large supermarket, and I collect everything I’ll need to prepare some of my favorite dishes. Just as we’re leaving the store, Deklan’s pocket buzzes, and he takes out one of his prepaid, hard-to-trace phones.
“Yeah, boss?” Deklan glances at me as he takes the last bag out of the cart and shoves it into the trunk. He nods toward the passenger side door, and I head in that direction. “They were supposed to send you an email, right? Uh…yeah, sure. We can stop by. Yeah, we’re out doing some shopping…”
Deklan gives me a hard look, and I quickly drop into the car and shut the door. A moment later, he gets in beside me, his call ended.
“We need to stop by the Foley place,” he says. “It should only take a minute.”
I’m not eager to see Sean Foley again, but I also know I won’t be able to avoid him forever. I feel better knowing I’ll be at Deklan’s side.
We pull up
to the mansion, and John the valet takes Deklan’s car without a word to either of us. I guess the pleasantries are no longer needed. Deklan places his hand on my lower back as we pass through the doorway where Sean greets us.
“You can still walk,” Sean says as we enter. “I have to admit, I’m surprised.”
I drop my gaze to the floor. I hear Deklan let out a short sigh, but Sean doesn’t let up.
