Page 37 of Kyle

“What shit?”

“A woman. A family. None of it. Hell, I don’t even want kids. What the hell’s the point of being serious with a woman if you don’t want a family? I have nothing to offer her. She’s better off on the other side of the country as far away as she can get from me.”

Declan’s gaze lost some of its hardness and he turned thoughtful.

“Just saying, maybe you should reconsider.”

“Come again?”

“Nothing better than waking up next to the woman you love.”

What the fuck, who was this man? And love? Who the hell said anything about love?

“If that’s the case, why don’t you have a woman in your bed?”

“Had one. So fucking sweet all she had to do was smile and she made me forget all about my shitty life.”

“What?”

“I’ll never get back what they gave me, but it doesn’t mean I don’t remember every goddamn second I had with them. It’s branded onto my soul, that’s how I know. I fucking know in a way I can never forget how great it is waking up with your woman in your arms knowing that your once-lonely and dark life is so fucking bright you’re damn near blinded with it.”

A cold dread hit my chest and Declan looked like he was far away, lost in his memories.

“Them?”

“Had a daughter, Violet. So damn beautiful just like her mama was.”

I didn’t like how he was talking about his family in the past tense. And I didn’t know what to do with the fact he’d named his daughter after his sister.

“Christ, Dec. I don’t know what to say.”

Puzzle pieces were snapping into place at a rapid rate, so much about Declan made sense now.

“Brother—”

“There’s a lot I regret,” he cut me off. “Loving my wife isn’t one of them.”

His wife?

Declan had been married, too?

Holy shit.

“Can’t say how fuckin’ sorry I am that you lost them. But—”

“If you’re still thinking about her in a week, reconsider and call her. That’s all I’m sayin’.”

I wasn’t gonna argue my case with Dec, not after what he’d just revealed. Instead I gave him a chin lift in agreement and said, “Means a lot you told me about your wife and daughter. Swear, I’ll take it to the grave.”

“Know you will.” And just like that, Declan checked his emotions. “I’m gonna grab a shower and try to get some sleep. You should do the same. As soon as Tex calls back, it’s go time.”

Declan disappeared through the door connecting our hotel rooms and I sat on the bed reeling from all that he’d told me. The man couldn’t catch a break, everything good in his life had been torn away. How he remained standing I did not know.

Dec was right, I needed to catch a nap before we hit the road. But I couldn’t bring myself to lie down. The last time I was in a bed, Anaya was with me.

She’d allowed me to wrap my arm around her and hold her close. And, Jesus, I couldn’t close my eyes without thinking about her lips on mine. And damn if it hadn’t set me on fire and made it all that harder for me to let her leave.

But that was what she’d wanted.