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"And you should have let her."
"Eh?" I blink. "Did I just hear the man who’s never backed down from a corporate takeover tell me that I should have given up without a fight?"
"In matters of the heart, the boardrooms don’t apply."
I tap my fingers together. "If you mean I don’t know when to back down—"
"What I mean is, the rules of engagement are different when it comes to affairs of the heart."
"We talking about Hunter’s non-existent love life, then?" Declan prowls in. He collapses into the chair between us and kicks out his legs. He’s wearing jeans torn at the knees, a hat on his head, and a sweatshirt with the hood pulled over the hat. He pulls off his sunglasses, revealing dark circles and hollowed cheekbones.
"You look like shite, mate," I offer.
"Fuck you very much." He reaches for the bottle of Macallan, lifts it to his mouth, and takes a swig.
"Last I checked, we’re still civilized enough to drink out of a glass," Liam chides.
"You do the whole proper English gentleman thing. Right now, I need sustenance to get me through the rest of this shitty day." He raises the bottle of Macallan and chugs down more of the liquor.
"And I thought I was in the doldrums." I raise my cigar to my lips.
He lowers the bottle, wipes the back of his mouth with his hand, then places the bottle on the table. "Never fear. When it comes to lessons in how to ruin a relationship, you can consider me the fore-runner."
"Surely, it can’t be that bad?" Liam leans back in his seat. Bastard looks all relaxed, with that happiness radiating off him that men who are settled in relationships seem to have. He’s temporarily back from his sojourns in Italy, and clearly, living abroad suits him.
"No, it’s worse." Declan lowers his arms between his legs. "But that’s what happens when you’re trying to juggle not one, but two careers, not to mention, a burgeoning relationship in the media limelight."
"Speaking of, should you even be here? Won’t your adoring fans have surrounded the club by now?"
"Nah, it’s a little better in London, as long as I keep my face hidden. I even took the tube over here."
"Impressive."
He reaches for the bottle again, and Liam moves it out of reach. He pours out a glass and slides it over to Declan who tosses it back. "Enough talk about me, anyway. How’s it going with your spin doctor?"
"She’s now the official PR manager for my campaign." I study the ash building up on the tip of my cigar.
Declan straightens in his seat. "That’s good, right?"
"Not the way he got her to accept the role, it isn’t," Liam interjects.
"Do I want to know?"
"No," Liam and I say simultaneously.
"O-k-a-y, but if it gets you time with her, perhaps it’s worth it?"
"I sure hope so."
"So what are you doing here?"
I narrow my gaze on him. "What do you mean?"
"If you want her, you need to go after her. Why are you wasting your time here with us?"
"Our relationship is now professional." I take a puff on the cigar and blow out a cloud of smoke. "So, I can’t exactly pop into her place without reason, the optics on that wouldn’t be great."
"But a work meeting wouldn’t attract the same scrutiny, would it?"
