Chapter 29
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
Atlanta—Present Day
Fiona’s scowl was scorching when he rejoined their table. “Darling.” Fiona lay her hand on his forearm, and Declan did his best not to wince.
Why had he never noticed how much she touched him before? Was Olivia right? Did Fiona not understand the nature of their relationship?
“You were gone so long,” she said.
“I had to take care of something.”
“Something or someone?” Fiona’s directness surprised Declan. Her nails briefly dug into his sleeve. “I noticed you and that woman disappeared at the same time.”
“Fiona,” Declan warned.
Fiona jerked her hand away, and then flung her fork onto her plate with a loud clatter. “I’m not a fool. You have been staring at her all night. This is the second time you’ve behaved that way.”
Declan didn’t spare her a glance, lifting his glass and taking a slow sip of whiskey. He set the glass down before speaking. “How is my interest, or lack of interest, in another woman any of your business?”
Fiona gasped. Declan was being harsh, but she had tried to put on a show all night for her friends, and he was tired of it. Her falsity was more grating than normal, and Declan knew the entire reason behind that was Olivia.
Olivia, who had just left the restaurant with Chris Keller. His mood darkened. “I played along tonight because you’ve obviously told your friends we are a couple, but I want to make something clear. Our merger is not a sure thing, and your threats are making it less likely to occur.”
Fiona’s face turned red. “You are acting like an asshole.”
“I am an asshole,” he bit out. “You should think about that. If we marry, that won’t change. We both know what this is. Don’t pretend I’ve ever told you differently.”
“Are you fucking her?”
Declan finished his whiskey in one shot. He didn’t bother to ask who she meant. “I work with Olivia, but even if I were, it has nothing to do with you. Just like whoever you are fucking has nothing to do with me.”
Fiona tapped her nails against her wineglass. “I’ve never seen you like this”
Declan sighed. “Like what?”
“I’ve watched you cycle through countless women, never dating anyone more than a few times. But I saw how you couldn’t keep your eyes off her in New York, and then again tonight. It’s different. We are getting married?—”
“Last I checked, I haven’t proposed.”
“Quit the games, Declan. I know how your family feels about me, but I also know you need my father’s vote. This arrangement is mutually beneficial.”
The whiskey in his belly turned sour. Fiona was right. Without her father’s support, Declan would have a hard time swaying enough shareholders to get a majority vote. But for the first time in his life, he was wondering if it was all worth it.