Page 59 of The Forbidden Bodyguard

That’s what he’d think, but I’m not. I’m the girl who had her life stolen from her. Who had no choice, or she would have blood on her hands.

“I’m not sure,” I whisper and look down at my hands.

“Fine. I’m going to shower and then get us dinner,” he turns away, then glances over his shoulder as his neck muscles twitch. “Don’t join me. I need a few minutes.”

I give him a tiny nod and slump back down on the pillows.

I’ve never seen him that angry.

He’s worried; I know that. God, I’m hurting everyone. Charlotte, Declan...myself.

But how can I change this?

Tony is a powerful and dangerous man who has my father by the neck over tens of hundreds of millions of dollars.

Why did he do business with a man like Marino? Dad’s choices have almost cost him his life, and yet I’m the one who pays the price. While he lives freely.

My own anger flares as Declan walks into the bathroom and then turns on the shower.

I thought we had more time.

A tear slips down my cheek.

I can’t see how I’m going to survive this. I’m terrified and feel every emotion under the sun.

More than anything, I wish I could explore what Declan and I have. Would we fall in love? Would we go on dates and walk in the park? Go to the theater or vacation together?

Who knows if we have anything in common, but there is something pulling us together on a soul level.

When he shared that his father died, and how his mother hadn’t dealt with it well, it was as if his heart reached out to mine and hugged it. There’s a familiarity that is unexplainable, like we’ve known one another for a lifetime.

That moment felt special.

I hope my gift shows him that and he can find a way to forgive me.

Being with him this past week just makes this a thousand times harder. Declan is a man I would check my phone all day long for as I waited for his call. I’d wear my best dress and wax all the things. Not because he’s insanely gorgeous—although he is—but when he looks at me, it’s as if he’s the one.

And I’m his.

Good Lord, I want to be his.

Sadly, nothing changes the burden put upon me. If I want my father to live, I must walk down the aisle on Thursday and accept Tony Marino as my husband.

Two more days.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

DECLAN

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Stella is not fucking marrying that criminal; I won’t sit back and allow it. Fortunately, we’ve been making plans and the team are in agreement that action needs to be taken to keep her safe.

From herself...but that’s just my opinion.

But after learning that Marino has instructed her to cancel her protective detail, things just got a whole lot more dangerous.

We need her on board now.