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Someone boos, and it sounds an awful lot like Zahra. I’m hit with a twinge of guilt. Am I really going to drag her away from Zahra so she can come help me pick up after my father’s mess? It’s not her fault he keeps screwing around with our plans. And to be honest, I don’t want her anywhere near him. Not because I don’t think she could control herself, but more so because I don’t want him to use her to get to me. He has already hurt her enough.
“Miss me already?”
I open my mouth to tell her about what is happening, but I stop myself.I think back to our honeymoon and her reaction to being forced into working on her day off.
I’ve spent three years of my life making sure you’re taken care of, even if it meant sacrificing my happiness to do so.
No, I can’t make her leave now. She has already sacrificed enough for me, and it’s not her fault my father won’t stop his attack against me.
I take a deep breath and accept my choice. “I was calling to check in on you. How is it?” I press the elevator button and wait.
“It’s like the Chicago Botanic Garden on steroids. They have fifteen greenhouses. I already got losttwice!”
She sounds so damn excited, and it solidifies my plan. I can’t rip her away from her day. Not when the only option I have is to throw her into a family feud she doesn’t deserve. It’s the last thing I want for her. My father has no limits when it comes to Iris, and I refuse to subject her to that kind of abuse after everything she has been through in her life.
“Sounds like we need to invest in that ankle monitor.”
“I wish you could be here.” The wistfulness in her voice makes me feel even shittier about today.
“I do too.” If I didn’t have a mountain of responsibilities, I could take the day off and spend it with her. A normal man would.
Except you’re not a normal man.
It’s better to get used to this kind of feeling now because it’s only going to get worse once I become CEO.
Zahra calls out Iris’s name.
“Zahra is asking if we are still on later for dinner with your brother?”
“Only because you manipulated me with sex to get it.”
“You weren’t complaining last night.”
“I’m saving it all for later.”
She laughs. “Be good to your brother today.”
“I’m making no promises.”
“Declan…”
“Fine. But only because you told me to.”
The elevator dings and the two doors slide open in front of me. “Shit. I gotta go.”
“Me too. We’re visiting the Flower Festival floats next. I’ll send you pictures!”
Her excitement is contagious, and I smile to myself knowing my decision is the right one. There is no way in hell I’m stealing her away from that opportunity. I might not be a normal husband, but that doesn’t make me a stupid one. At least I hope not.
“Have fun,” I say before the call cuts out.
It feels good knowing at least one of us will have a good day today. Even if that someone isn’t me.
* * *
Mr. Yakura showing up a couple days earlier is a problem I can handle.
My father deciding to come along so he can make amends is a whole different issue. One I’m wary of from the get-go. While I might not know every part of his plan, I’m smart enough to put the pieces together. It doesn’t require much effort given the way I walk in on my father speaking to Yakura about moving up the timeline.
