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Declan
HE RAN LATE FOR THE lunch. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he started to dial Elle and let her know she had to handle the meeting. Staring at the screen, he felt the anger rising inside of him. Let her figure it out. She was capable. She had all the necessary documents.
The horrendous tourist traffic slowed his progress to a crawl. They had blocks still to drive in the brain-numbing stop and go traffic. Henry would never find a parking spot on the street.
Declan told Henry to pull the car to the curb, and he jumped out. He’d walk the last few blocks to the cafe. If he was fortunate, he’d miss the lunch and catch up with Elle later in the office.
Strolling toward the café, he spied her sitting at one of the umbrella-covered bistro tables with the man and woman they’d scheduled to meet. They stood, shook hands, and walked away. She sat back down and motioned for the waiter. Good.
Declan slowed down, prepared to walk back the way he’d come when a familiar man sat at the table with Elle. LaRose. No! Declan took off, running on the fuel of adrenaline and fear. He had to stop and wait at the crosswalk with sweat and anxiety pouring over him. If LaRose hurt her, touched her, he’d tear his arms off.
LaRose leaned forward into Elle’s face. She stood from her chair with her shoulders back and her chin lifted. Pride surged through Declan as he watched her stand up to the crooked lawyer.
Then LaRose made a mistake. He grabbed Elle’s shoulders and shook her.
Declan surged across the crosswalk to the café table. He didn’t consciously move. He only saw LaRose’s hands on Elle. He only felt a protective rage overpowering him.
Grabbing LaRose’s jacket, Declan jerked him from Elle and twisted him around to look him face-to-face. “Don’t touch her!”
LaRose’s face went from blank with shock to a sneer. “Are you hot for the new legal rep, O’Hanrahan?”
“You’re scum, LaRose!”
“Declan, let him go.” Elle touched his shoulder. “I’m all right.”
Declan tossed him, making him stumble into the next table and chairs. “Stay away from our offices and our employees.”
LaRose glared at Declan but moved on down the sidewalk. The manager and two waiters came out to check on the commotion.
“It’s fine. The man left.” Elle reassured the café workers while Declan seethed.
She looked up at him and smoothed a shaking hand over his jacket lapels. All his rage dissolved in an instant as regret enveloped him. He dragged her against him, holding her tight and running his hand over her hair.
“I’m sorry, Elle. That was my fault. I should’ve been here. I should’ve been with you.”
“I’m ok. He didn’t hurt me.”
He breathed in the scent of her, citrus and spice, allowing himself to enjoy the feel of her pressed against him for another moment. But she wasn’t his. He had to let her go. It hurt. It hurt so much.
Pushing her away, he studied her face. “You’re sure you’re ok? What did he say?”
“I’m fine. He said he has a source to discredit the family, tear apart our goody goody image. What could he have?”
Declan took a breath and shook his head. Dropping his hands from her shoulders, he tried to smile. “I’m sure it’s nothing. Unless it’s related to Shannon, and she assures us that’s impossible.”
He pulled out his cell to call Henry. “You can take the car back to the office.”
“What about you?” Her eyes roved over his face, lingered.
“I’ll take a cab.”
“Why? C-can’t we ride in a car together?”
He took a step away, distancing himself from her entrancing eyes and alluring scent that messed with his brain. “No, but I’ll wait with you.”
A flash of hurt appeared in her eyes. “I understand.”
“Henry will be here in a few minutes.” He settled down at the table to wait for the driver and focused on his email.
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INSTEAD OF GOING BACK to the office, Declan made a detour to Shannon’s house. She looked surprised when she answered the door to find him standing on her stoop. Leading him into her kitchen, she eyed him warily.
She poured him lemonade and joined him at the table. “What’s wrong?”
“LaRose caught Elle today at a café.”
“How did he know where she was?”
“Good question. Maybe he ate there and saw her. I’ll ask Laurie if anyone wanted her whereabouts at lunch today.”
“What did he do?”
“He grabbed her, shook her, scared her. She insisted she was fine, but she was trembling. It made me insane. I wanted to maim him.”
“You love her, don’t you?”
“No.” He glared out the window. “No, I don’t.”
“Did something happen?”
“She has a fiancé.”
Shannon gaped. “No way.”
“Yes. He came to the office.”
“I can’t believe it.”
He laughed a bitter sound. “I know. She had me fooled.”
Shannon laid her hand over his and squeezed. “I’m sorry. When I asked if she had a man back home, she said, ‘not anymore’. Are you sure there’s no explanation?”
“Nothing can explain a man showing up as her fiancé. I questioned her, and she didn’t deny it.” He ran a hand to the back of his neck. “I thought we had something, you know?”
“Yes. I’m shocked, Declan. Shocked.”
“She’s good at her job. I’ll have to deal with her in the office, find some way to see her every day.”
“What did LaRose say?”
Declan looked at his sister, studied her eyes and expression. “Tell me the truth, Shannon. Could LaRose have something on you and Lucas?”
She paled and looked away from him. A stone fell into his stomach.
“I don’t see how. What did he say?”
“He told Elle he has a source who will ruin our image.”
Her mouth trembled, and she pressed her hand against it. “Oh, no.”
“What is it?”
“It’s private. I don’t believe LaRose.” She rubbed her hands on her thighs. “I will take care of this. Somehow, I’ll figure it out and deal with it. I should’ve dealt with it months ago, but I kept hoping...”
“You won’t tell me? Sharing the problem may help you. I hate to see you hurting.”
“I’m sorry. I can’t do that to Lucas, especially since I’m not sure.” Her gaze returned to him, focused and steady. “I’ll take care of my issue. LaRose could be full of hot air, trying to scare us into revealing something.”
“That’s possible.” Declan considered the possibility and liked it.
The baby monitor bleeped, and Gretchen wailed over the speaker.
Shannon grinned. “That’s my cue.”
He laughed and stood, hugged Shannon to him. “I love you. Let me know if I can help you.”
“I love you. I’m sorry about Elle. It’s too hard to believe.”
“I know.” He looked away before she could see the emotion in his eyes.
Elle
Declan’s reaction gave her hope. He still cared for her. She’d seen it in his eyes, felt it in his touch. A giddiness filled her. Somehow, she would win him back to her.
He had been amazing, a knight riding to her rescue. She would never forget the strength that radiated from him. All for her. Because he wanted to protect her. Hope blazed within her heart.
Declan texted her to inform Patrick and Brennan of the encounter with LaRose. He’d be gone the rest of the day.
Staring at the screen, her thumbs poised to text, the desire to tell him became almost unbearable. But she couldn’t text him her feelings. She needed to prove her love.
Love. A rush of longing swept her. She loved Declan O’Hanrahan with every part of her being. He owned her heart.
She went into the marketing section and looked at the campaign mood boards. The idea came to her as she stared at the O’Hanrahan coat of arms. It would take guts, but she could do it.
Not waiting until she went home, she used the office laptop to make a search and place her order. She had a week to plan.
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WORK KEPT HER SWAMPED, so she didn’t have much time to plan her attack on Declan’s heart. She didn’t see him. He stayed at the cabin and worked from his home office. On days he came in, he avoided her.
Frustration weighed over her. She wanted to march into his office and announce Timothy was a liar and a fraud and a waste. But patience would be worth it. She hoped. If she could wait and do it how she planned, it would be what Declan deserved. She had messed up and hurt him more than once. It was important, necessary, that she prove to him she loved him. She wanted to prove she could meet his requirements if he could forgive her.
For herself, she worked toward freedom from her father’s pull. It wasn’t enough to move across state. It wasn’t enough to stand on her own with her new job. If she wanted a healthy future with Declan, she had to be free and strong emotionally. So, she wrote her father a lengthy letter, pouring out her emotions in a way she’d never had the courage to do. She was brutally honest about how he controlled her and forced her into a mold she now rejected. Yes, she loved him. Yes, she wanted them to have a relationship, she always had. But she was a grown, independent woman. It would be on her terms. She cut the marionette strings.
She reached for Prisca. Spending time with the O’Hanrahans showed her what she could have, and she wanted it. When Prisca responded with excitement, Elle felt rejuvenated with hope. They were different, but that was ok. She focused on what they shared as they planned a Mediterranean cruise for next summer, something their mom had always wanted to do but never got the chance. Elle decided to live the life her mother had dreamed for her, full of adventure and new experiences and love.
The day the package arrived, she jumped up and down with glee.
Then she wrapped it up and headed out to her apartment valet. Buying her own car had been in the plan. It felt good to be independent. She still used public transportation and walked to get around the city with the horrendous traffic, but she had her own wheels.
She settled back in the driver’s seat with hope and terror waging war in her chest. She could do this. What if he rejected her? What if he didn’t love her? She’d be embarrassed. But she’d go on, and she had to try. She loved him.