Page 49 of Declan

For different reasons but both with the same apprehension.

“I gotta get to Zane’s and pick up Emmy,” Thad started and I held my breath. Here we go. “I owe you an apology.”

“Me?”

“Yeah, I was a dick. I’m scared shitless about my wife. If she loses this baby…”

“She won’t.”

“It doesn’t look—”

“She won’t, Thad. And you have to believe that.”

Thad inhaled and I watched his nostrils flare before he jerked his chin.

“I’ve never seen the kind of love she has for you,” I told him, trying to keep my tone even. “Never. Not even when I was young with my mom and dad, and they didn’t ever hide how much they loved each other. But what she feels for you is so deep, so pure, so cemented into her soul, she couldn’t ever stop it. I am so sorry I took that from you.”

“It’s not your fault, it never was.”

“That’s bullshit and we both know it. Emmy left you to find me. And she stayed away because she was trying to fix me. I took ten years of your life and for that, I am eternally sorry.”

My brother-in-law’s face turned to stone, he didn’t like to be reminded of what he lost, but it didn’t change the fact he’d lost it.

“How ‘bout this? I accept your apology if you accept mine.”

I waited for him to say more, tack on another if, or make a demand.

But he didn’t.

“Deal,” I agreed.

“Good.”

Thad made his way to the door, leaving me standing in the middle of my living room stunned. That was it? No badgering me to talk to Emerson. No argument. Nothing. Just, good?

“Hey, wait.” Thad stopped, craned his neck, and his eyes met mine. “Will you…um…will you let me know how she is?”

“Yeah. I’ll keep you posted.”

“Thank you,” I whispered.

His gaze moved over my face then over my shoulder.

No words were exchanged but the vibe in the room changed. It sizzled and cracked, buzzed with electricity. My stomach started to feel funny and my heart rate accelerated.

Whatever Thad and Declan were silently communicating hummed in the air, making it hard to breathe.

Declan needed to leave. Now.

I felt it, down to my bones, something was changing.

It whirled around me and I didn’t like it one fucking bit.

Thad silently left and I turned to face Declan.

“You should leave.”

He said nothing.