Chapter 9
Casey
It’s incredible how the mood shifts.
Sheila seemed stressed and slightly afraid, but now it’s like someone wrapped a noose around her neck. Her face shows nothing, no emotions, no worry, but her body is completely tense. She folds her hands in front of her and sits with her back straight like she’s at a job interview.
Declan doesn’t even look at her. He’s staring at me instead.
And he looks tired. But that somehow only makes him seem even more attractive. His clothes are rumpled and there are dark bags under his eyes. The stubble on his cheeks is gray in a few places. I have the sudden urge to get up and run to him.
If it weren’t for him, I don’t know how I ever would’ve gotten out of that apartment in one piece.
He walks toward us, still staring straight at me.
“How much did she tell you?” He stops and waits for an answer.
Anger sparks in my chest. There’s no, how are you feeling? No comment about Natalie. Nothing like I’m so sorry. I don’t know why that bothers me so much. That’s Declan’s personality. It’s straight to business with him.
“Too much.” I stare into his eyes and try to find something to make sense of all this. “Is it true? The man who killed my parents is the one who killed Natalie?”
He nods slowly. “I believe so, yes.”
“But you aren’t positive.”
“I haven’t seen him with my own eyes.” He comes closer. I’m aware of Sheila shrinking back slightly. Like she’s terrified. “Did she make it clear that you don’t have any other options right now?”
I glance at the woman who raised me. “I’m still trying to process.”
“I’m your only hope.” Declan looms over me, beautiful and terrible. There’s no emotion in his cold, brutal stare. He looks like a statue of a god. I know he’s warm, or at least I know his body can make me feel things I’ve never experienced right now, but there’s no hint of that man in this room.
“The police can protect me.”
“No, they can’t. Nobody can, not without serious resources, and the police aren’t equipped.”
“You think you are? Just because you’re some rich CEO?”
He shakes his head slowly. “I’m much more than that.”
“I don’t care.” I push my chair back and stand suddenly. I’m trembling with frustration. “You backed me into a corner.”
“Senesi did. Not me.”
“You’re using it to get what you want.”
“I’m making you an offer.”
“Is that really how you want to propose to me?!” I stare at him, seething and barely keeping myself under control. “You’re using my friend’s murder to make me throw myself at you.”
His face twitches. It’s the first hint of something lurking underneath that frigid exterior. “That’s not my intention.”
“But it’s what you’re doing. I have to marry you if I want you to protect me? Like my life is only worth something if I give myself to you?!”
His lips tilt downward. “That’s how it works in my world.”
“Then screw your world. And screw you too.”
“Casey,” Sheila says calmly, but there’s a warning in her voice. “You should sit back down.”
“He’s blackmailing me. You get that, don’t you? Either marry him or… or…” The image of Natalie stabbed in the chest, her body limp and stiff, her blood splashed all across her room. I have to shake my head. “Marry him or die.”
“I’m making you a reasonable offer.”
“Screw your offer.” I shove past him and storm to the door.
He follows at a distance. “You won’t last with Senesi hunting you. I’m your only hope.”
“I don’t want your kind of hope. Your hope is poison.” I yank his apartment door open and step into the hall.
He doesn’t try to follow me. “You’re making a mistake.”
“At least nobody’s forcing me to make it.”
I walk off, aware of him staring at my back as I go, my head a mess of Natalie’s corpse and his lips on my breasts and Sheila’s insane story all mixing and mingling in my head like some horrible nightmare.
At least it’s a nice day out.
There are a few young kids on the playground nearby. A few young people go jogging past. I guess working from home means they can exercise in the afternoons. That’s a nice little perk. I never got to do the WFH thing, not with Boss Bastard keeping me on a tight leash.
I sink further into myself, my hands shoved in my pockets.
I look up at the trees. This is one of my favorite parks.
The last time I was here, I sat on this bench with Natalie and we drank coffees from this crazy overpriced Turkish place nearby.
We talked about nothing really, mostly complained about work. That was only a couple weeks back.
If I had known it would be the last time we’d sit here together, I would’ve said more.
I would’ve told her how much I loved her. How much she meant to me.
She was my best friend in the world.
And now what am I going to do without her?
There’s this enormous hole in the world. All her potential is missing. All the things she could have been. The family she might’ve made. Children, grandchildren, generations of her, all snuffed out.
A lifetime of friendship now totally gone.
I don’t say anything when he sits on the bench beside me. Declan spreads his knees, taking up more space than he should, but we don’t touch. He stays at his end and I stay at mine.
I know what Natalie would’ve said if she were here.
Are you insane?! You can’t marry Boss Bastard! Working for him is bad enough! Then she would’ve sipped her drink and grinned at me. But he really is hot though, right? You could probably do worse…
That’s her in a nutshell. Practical but totally unable to avoid a good joke. And a total sucker for a beautiful man.
Just like me, apparently.
“My father’s dying.” I start and look over. Declan’s watching the kids play on the playground. Their mother’s young and pretty, but she seems overwhelmed. “When he’s gone, I’m going to take over the family business.”
“I’m sorry to hear that. About your dad, I mean.”
“In our line of work, family is important. Stability is a sign of strength. The fact that I’m as old as I am and don’t have a wife yet is a big mark against me as a leader.”
“Is that why you want to marry me?”
“Among other reasons. I need to lay the groundwork now before my father passes. I have to ensure the transition is smooth.”
“You think taking a wife will help with that. You know it sounds crazy, right?”
He nods slowly, still not looking at me. “If you knew my family, you’d understand.”
“Sheila made it sound like you’re criminals.”
“Among other things, yes. We’re an old clan. The Whelan name goes way back to Ireland where my ancestors controlled territory all across the western coast.”
“Where do my parents fit into that?”
“They had their own organization. We weren’t allies, but we were something close to it. It was a shock to the whole city when your parents were killed.”
“By Senesi.”
“That’s right. Vincenzo Senesi.” He finally looks at me, head tilted to the side.
“I know you feel like I’m blackmailing you.
And maybe that’s exactly what I’m doing.
But we can help each other, Casey. You can become my wife.
Give me the foundation and the legitimacy I need as I take over my family’s business. I can make sure you’re safe.”
I don’t say anything. Instead, I let it sink in. I knew, the second I stormed out of his apartment, that we’d eventually come to this. Sheila made it pretty clear he’s my only option and I trust her more than anyone else in the world. With Natalie gone, she’s all I have.
Maybe coming here was stupid and impulsive… but also a good negotiating strategy.
Show him I’m willing to walk.
“I want more.” Now it’s my turn to look away from him. I’m worried that if I hold his gaze, I won’t be strong enough to keep going. “You need me as much as I need you.”
“What do you want?”
“Protection for Sheila. Make sure Senesi can’t hurt her.”
“I can do my best.”
“I want your word. And more too. Whatever we have, it’ll just be an arrangement. I want the freedom to work when I want to. I’m not going to be some submissive little mouse following you around all the time.”
“I wouldn’t want that.”
“And I want my own bank account with a contractually specific stipend paid every month.”
He sounds amused. “I didn’t realize we were negotiating.”
“I want my own space. I want the freedom to come and go as I please.”
“That will make protecting you very difficult.”
“You’ll figure it out. You’re a smart guy.”
His smile seems bitterly angry. “Alright. You want to negotiate? Then I have my own needs.” He moves closer. His body is so big and strong. I feel small next to him. “You will give me children.”
I pull back. “Excuse me?”
“I told you, family is important. Creating the next generation matters.”
“You’re talking about getting me pregnant like it’s a science experiment.”
“I’m aware of what getting you pregnant will feel like.”
I shiver at the promise in the tone of his voice. “Agree to my terms.”
“Only if you agree to mine.”
I close my eyes. God, is this really happening? Natalie’s dead. There was so much blood. Now I’m negotiating about my future.
I’m going to get money, freedom, an arrangement with a beautiful man, and safety. All in exchange for my hand in marriage… and children.
“I choose when we have sex.”
He dips his head, a slight smile on his lips. “I can live with that.”
Something tells me he doesn’t think much about my self-control.
The bastard.
I shove my hand at him. “I get money, my own space, freedom to work and move around, control over our sex life, and protection. I get to say no when I want to. That means you have to earn me. You don’t get to own me. In exchange, you get a wife and children. Is that about it?”
“We should draw up an official contract.”
“Screw that. Shake on it here and now.” I lean in closer, glaring at him. “Or are you afraid I’m going to get the better end of this deal?”
His hand slips into mine. It’s big and strong as he grips tight. Slowly, he shakes his head.
“No, baby, I’m very sure I just got everything I could want and gave up almost nothing in exchange.”
That’s total bullshit. I got more than I should have.
But there’s one more thing.
“And I want to help you hunt down and kill Vincenzo Senesi.”
His eyes narrow. “That’s not possible.”
“I want revenge, Declan.”
His laugh is low and dangerous. “Do you have any idea what that even means?”
“I don’t care.” I refuse to release his hand. “Give me what I want.”
His gaze sweeps over my mouth before finally nodding. “So long as it doesn’t put you in danger.”
“Pleasure doing business with you.” I pull my hand back and quickly get up. “I’ll be heading home now.”
“Just like that?”
I reach into my pocket. The ring is still there. I pull it out and hold it up, about to slide it onto my finger.
But Declan moves fast. He grabs my wrist, dropping down to one knee in front of me. I stare in surprise as he takes the ring, flips my hand toward him, and slides it down onto my finger.
“Casey Brennan, you’re my wife now.”
Not a proposal. Not a question.
But a statement of blistering, horrible fact.
He stays like that for a long moment, staring up into my face, and I’m reminded of the sinful night we spent together.
I finally pull away, my cheeks turning red, and hurry away.
As much as I hate it, this man still has a wicked power over me, and I’m afraid I’ll give him more than I want if I stick around any longer.