10. Declan #2
“I’m not old,” I said to her, then reminded her, “I’m close to twenty-nine, and what do you mean about most women wanting threesomes or worse?”
She grinned wider. “Enslee has a bunch of reverse harem books, and—”
“Reverse what?”
“Books about one woman with multiple men. She might not know it now, but she likely fantasized about being dicked down by two alphas like you and Brogan. Me too, but not with you both because that is boss/employee trope which I’m not personally into.”
“Boss/employee what?”
“If you have to ask, it isn’t important. Just know that whatever fucked up kink thing you and Brogan have going on with this woman, she might not be as uninterested in it as you might think. That’s all.”
I thought about her words and would let Brogan know what Jenni had uncovered later. As I thought about him, I looked down at my cell phone and frowned when there was no message even letting me know that he would call me back. It actually made me worry because this was unusual for him.
I pulled up the internet and did a search for Brogan to see if any new stories had come out in the last twenty-four hours, but there had been nothing but the one story that had sent me to Sinclair Pharmaceuticals the night before.
It was one where the police said they were piecing together evidence, but what that was, neither he nor I knew.
I also looked up Enslee’s name, and other than message boards talking about her latest podcast or just normal things, nothing that hinted at her disappearance.
Relief filled me once more and just in time, as I was finally home.
Jenni left in her car right after, and I headed inside to see how the girl was doing.
I thought she might be in her bedroom or something, but when I entered the great room, I saw her lying across the couch covered with the blanket Jenni had found in her van, and a book half-open across her chest.
I moved in closer, making sure to quiet my footsteps the best I could as I approached her.
She was so peaceful, and it was a state I desperately wished I could find myself in once more.
As it was, it seemed like ages since I had been that relaxed anywhere, and I could remember it had likely been about a year ago when Brogan had come to see me at my La Jolla penthouse.
We’d stayed in bed in each other’s arms, and I likely wore the same content expression that she now did.
Only my peace at that time was real.
My peace was also pure despite the naysayers.
I slowly picked up the book, and when I turned it to the front, I saw the cover, which was exactly what Jenni had said to me on the ride home.
She was mistaken. Just because Enslee read this type of material, it didn’t mean anything.
Fiction was not reality, but as I stared down at her face, which was partially hidden behind a curtain of dark brown silk, I realized that this whole scheme was also fiction.
It was where reality and fantasy blurred.
Like the line between love and hate, this was the line between real and fake.
I placed the book onto the coffee table and turned to leave but stopped when I heard a slight rustling and a soft voice. “D-Declan,” she said, and when she did, it sounded so natural.
I slowly spun around. “Are you in discomfort, Enslee? Do you need something?”
She scrambled upright on the couch, then patted the spot next to her so I moved over and sat down. “I want some answers. Really, any that you can give me.”
“Answers about?”
“Just anything. What is my favorite song?”
I remembered Jenni mentioning Enslee’s great taste in music because the girl had been listening to a favorite song of hers the last time she’d been in her van. “Unstoppable,” I repeated.
“Hmmm. It doesn’t sound familiar. My favorite movie?”
“Any that I’m in,” I lied. It would make sense if we were dating for her to think so.
“That’s a cop out,” she said with a smile.
“Favorite food?”
Again, I had no idea what she liked and didn’t like, but I did remember seeing a number of ice cream cones when I’d glanced through her Instagram profile. “Ice cream.”
“That sounds believable. And I like to read. What else did I do for fun or as a hobby?”
“Stir up trouble” had almost been my response, but I shrugged. “I’m away a lot filming, so I’m not a hundred percent sure.”
“What about you?”
“What are my favorites?” When she nodded enthusiastically, I leaned back on the couch, and she cuddled close to me.
I had to resist the urge to flinch as this should be a natural thing.
Remember the game, I reminded myself, then wrapped one arm around her to hold her in place before rattling off what she had asked me.
“Favorite song is ‘Take me to church,’ favorite food is pizza, favorite movie is debatable, and hobbies are…” My voice trailed off as my favorite one included fucking my man, but I couldn’t say that, so I thought about the ones I would rattle off in an interview.
“They’d include the three S’s: swimming, skiing, and…
” I caught myself from saying sex and thought quickly. “Ummm… surfing.”
“Wow, very outdoorsy. I don’t think that I am. At least, I don’t feel like I would be. Did we ever do any of those things together?”
“Not yet, but once you heal up, we’ll have to do that.”
She beamed at that, then tightened her hold on me. “Do you have any pictures of us together? Me… and you… and ahh, Brogan.”
Fuck! That did present a problem. Thinking quickly, I replied. “I’ll find some of us.”
“Thanks,” she said, and it wasn’t long before her body went still and she fell back asleep.
Pulling out my cell phone, I found my last message to Jenni, then quickly typed a text.
I need your help again. Come through for me with this, and I might set up something more than a meet and greet.
I told her what I needed, then leaned back and soon my breaths fell in rhythm with her breathing, and I fell asleep with her in my arms.