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“Of course.” He walks up, placing a hand on the back of my head and kissing my forehead lightly. “I’ll be right there with you, there’s no need to be nervous.”
Holy fucking swoon moment. I’ve never been one of those girls that swooned over the super romantic movies or dreamed of future boyfriends, there was too much bad shit to focus on for that. However, there is something to say about these sweet, innocent moments that make you a little weak in the knees. It feels so good to be casually touched and to feel cherished with a simple kiss.
“O-okay,” I stutter for a completely different reason than the nerves that were plaguing me before. Motherfucking butterflies swooped in and fucking destroyed those nerves like machete wielding badass bitches.
Rhys winks at me, a knowing smile on his face. That son of a bitch knows exactly what he just did to me and he’s super fucking proud of it. It was a good move on his part because now all I’m thinking about is him and these butterflies, not what’s waiting for me at the office.
The drive to the office feels like it flies by and we arrive right on time. The building is a small one story stone house with a plaque outside stating it’s the office of Daniel Ortman. The sweet older receptionist with a beautiful silver bun on her head ushers us right into his office, no waiting necessary. The office is warm and cozy with floor to ceiling bookshelves and solid cherry wood furniture.
Daniel Ortman is an older man, probably around late-fifties with short-cropped red hair and blue eyes. He smiles softly as we walk in and instantly I feel at ease with him. I can see why Declan chose him as his lawyer. Mr. Ortman gives off comforting vibes that make you trust him. He doesn’t feel like a sleazy, slimeball lawyer.
“Ah, Ms. Morgan! It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Not under these circumstances, of course,” he amends quickly, nodding his head towards me. I appreciate that he doesn’t try to force a handshake or anything, probably assuming I’m like Declan and don’t do touch. He’s not wrong. “Please have a seat.”
“Thank you, Mr. Ortman. You can just call me Alayna,” I sit in the chair to the right and Rhys takes the seat to the left.
“Call me Daniel,” he responds, an easy-going smile on his face. “Mr. Larsen, it’s good to see you again. I’m glad that you and Alayna have become close, Declan would like that.”
Rhys nods his head respectfully, but remains silent. He told me in the car on the way here that he would be here as a silent support person only, I was in control of this meeting. Daniel turns back to me, his serious face on.
“There’s a couple forms I need your signature on so we can start the process of you heading up Declan’s estate. He’s named you the sole inheritor to all of his assets,” Daniel speaks, pulling out the forms and laying them across the desk in front of me. “It will take a few months before we can do much but that’s why we’re getting the ball rolling now. I have to say, you’re a difficult person to get a hold of, Alayna. I couldn’t find you on social media and it seems you’ve blocked many avenues to find you.”
“I apologize,” I murmur, signing the papers as I do. “I’ve never felt the need to get social media and my case worker and former foster mom had my information locked as much as possible. The circumstances that had Declan and I separated called for some caution.”
“I understand.” He nods, a sympathetic look on his face. “Now, there’s only one more thing for today and that’s a letter that Declan left for you in the event of his death.” Daniel hands the letter over, Declan’s handwriting clear as day on the front. “I will contact you when everything comes in and have you come back in so we can discuss it in more detail.”
“Thank you,” I whisper, my eyes never straying from the envelope in my hands.
Standing up, I make it through the goodbyes in a haze, not even remembering the walk to the car. The only thing that matters to me in this moment is ripping into this letter to see what was so important that Declan felt he had to write it out and have a lawyer give it to me before he killed himself. Rhys gets me into the car and moves to get into the driver’s seat. He turns to look at me instead of turning on the car.
“Do you want to open it now or at home?” Rhys asks, resting his hands on his thighs.
“Now,” I respond bluntly as I tear into the envelope. The wait would kill me if I chose home and I don’t know if I need a bigger audience than the one I have right now.
The letter falls into my hand along with sheet music. The sheet music looks like it’s the original copies of Save Her, the scrawl of my name at the top bringing tears to my eyes. Opening the letter, I read it in my head, not yet ready to share Declan’s last words to me.
Allie Cat,
If you’re reading this, Daniel did his job and found you. I’m so sorry I never worked up the nerve to do it myself. If I didn’t know where you were or what you were doing, I could imagine you got your fairytale ending even if you didn’t. That’s all I’ve ever wanted for you, Allie Cat. You deserve a life of love, happiness, and safety.
There’s probably a million questions you have for me, the main one being why did I take my own life? I know I promised you I never would. I promised you I would always fight and I broke that promise. I broke it to you and to Rhys, Riggs, and Adam. I’m sure you’ve met those assholes at this point. If not, go find them. They’ll need you and they can protect you from what’s coming.
That’s partially what this is about. Our nightmare, it seems, didn’t end the night we were taken from that house of horrors. Someone knows what happened there and they want to recreate it with you.
I started being followed when my music started taking off. I thought it was a crazed fan, but it’s so much worse. I don’t know who this person is exactly, only that they call themselves J and they want you. They want you badly and I couldn’t do anything to figure out why or minimize the risk for you. You need more than the protection I can give you, you need the three guys that saved my life to now help save yours.
The pain is too much for me to go through again, I’m already losing my grip with reality with every letter I get from J. There’s nothing left of me, but a broken shell of a man. I can’t save you, but they can. My death will bring you all together. It’s my last gift to you.
Lean on them, let them protect you. They’re the best this world has to offer and I know the four of you will complete each other.
There’s a locker under my name at the local storage facility. Tell Rhys to take the key taped to the bottom of my bathroom counter and grab the notebooks and letters from the locker. It’s been paid up until the end of the year. It has everything you need to know in it.
I’m so sorry Allie Cat, that I couldn’t be the man you needed, but trust me that I handed you the three that can be. I trust them with your life, unlike myself. My heart is with you even though I’m no longer here. I love you more than anything.
Stay Safe.
Declan
“You fucking asshole!” I scream through my sobs, my body torn between grief and rage. “You stupid, idiotic, motherfucking asshole!”
