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“Would you have arranged a meeting if I’d asked you?”he posed, knowing the answer.
“No,” I answered truthfully.“Unless a person is in need of a criminal attorney, no one has any business meeting with my wife.”
Declan straightened in his chair. “Do you even know what you have, Sartori?”
“If you’re talkingabout Kasen Sartori, then the answer is yes; I know exactly what I have in her,” I replied smoothly.
“Do you?” he asked smugly. “Because the way that she tells it, it’s nothing but a simple business arrangement.”
I could feel the flames of my angerbegin to burn brighter. “If I were you, I’d be very careful about any assumptions you might make about my marriage.”
“Are they assumptions?” he challenged. “After all, I’m only repeating what your wife said.”
“And whatexactlydid my wife say?”
“She said that her actions that night were about her and not you,” he answered. “She said that you were free to say and do whatever you wanted. She said that you were free to offer her life to your enemies on a weekly basis if you felt the need. She also said that you could sleep with however many other women that you wanted to. She said that she would never betray you, no matter what you did or said. She said that her father promised you a loyal bride, and she wasn’t about to make her father out to be a liar.” Declan chuckled softly. “She said that what she did that night was aboutherword andherintegrity, not yours.”
I could feel my anger reaching dangerous levels. I loved Kasen more than my own life, but she didn’t care what I did with her. If O’Brien wastelling the truth, then Kasen had to really believe that I held no affection for her.
“Anything else?”
This time, he grinned. “She also might have mentioned that men don’t deserve everything that women do for them.” Hecocked his head a bit as he shrugged again. “I agreed with her.”
As clear as day, I said, “Stay away from my wife, O’Brien. I won’t be feeling so cordial the next time.”
“You’re a fool if you don’t love her, Sartori,” he remarked evenly.
I leaned my arms on the table. “Who says that I don’t?”
“She does,” hereplied easily. “She even suggested that you didn’t even like her much.”
“Let me make one thing very clear, O’Brien,” I told him. “Regardless of what my wife might believe, I’m very much in love with her. This past weekend didn’t happen because of pride, territory, or because I’m a Sartori. This past weekend happened because Schulz dared to approach my wife. This weekend happened because Kasen Sartori is the most important thing on this planet to me.” I inclined my head a bit. “Something that you might want to let your people know.”
“I would never let any of my men go after your wife,”he said seriously.
“And what aboutyou?”I challenged.
“I have no desire tostart a war with you, Sartori,” he answered. “And even if I did believe that your wife might be the only woman on the planet worth risking my life for, she’s made it very clear that she belongs to you.” Declan’s lips curled in a rueful grin. “Even if I do think that you don’t deserve her.”
“Nobody deserves her,” I agreed. “However, that doesn’t mean that I’m not going to do everything in my power to keep her with me.”
Declan gave me a terse nod. “I have nothing but the utmost respect for Mrs. Sartori, Nero. You have nothing to be concerned abouton my end.”
“I’m not concerned,” I informed him. “If nothing else, my wife has proven that she can take care of herself. However, I’m going to make sure that she’s never placed in that kind of position ever again.”
“Can I ask you something?”
“You can,” I replied. “However, that doesn’t mean that I’m going to answer.”
“Why have you allowed her to keep her job after all this?”he asked. “I’d think that you’d have her under house arrest after what almost happened to her.”
“Because I already almost lost her once,” Iadmitted regretfully. “If I take away the only thing that makes her happy, I’ll lose her for sure.” I leaned back in my chair. “Besides, I’m not the type of man that makes the same mistake twice, if ever.”
“Duly noted.”
With this conversation over, I stood up. “Just so we’re clear, O’Brien,” I said. “You andmy wife arenotfriends.Weare not friends. We have a mutual understanding and respect for each other, but that is it.” I buttoned my suit jacket. “Am I clear?”
“As crystal,” he chuckled.
