Fuck.
How much farther south can this dinner go before we’re at hell’s doorstep?
Declan chuckles and pins her hand under one of his scarred palms, thwarting her struggle to extricate herself. My fantasy of shoving that steak knife through his flesh intensifies.
“Sweetheart, surely Kellin knew exactly what type of family the Gallaghers were long before he approached you.”
He finally releases her, and she hides her hand in her lap, out of sight.
Declan waves in a dismissive gesture. “You know, you can always find a new hobby if this doesn’t fall your way. You’re a resourceful girl.”
That’s it.
I pivot my body, along with my chair, in Declan’s direction. The wood scrapes the terracotta tiles with a high-pitched squeak.
Declan and I are eye to eye now. His sons fall away. Sophia, who’s just waltzed in with the tiramisu, is a blur at the edges of my vision.
Even Maeve—beautiful, seductive, smartly dressed, big-hearted Maeve—leaves the forefront of my consciousness as I narrow in on the pariah before me.
“Declan.” I keep my voice calm. Calculated. Pleasant. “There seems to be a misunderstanding. My firm’s not interested in the building. We’re interested in the brand, the vision. That’s all Maeve.”
I pause to sip my drink so I can sneak a glance at her and allow my words to sink in. Then I set the whiskey down and resume glowering at her father.
“She’s what all the hype’s about. Without her, the Cypress is just brick and mortar, steel and wood, glass and stone, and a few nice-looking plants.” I have to acknowledge the stunning palms that flank the lobby entrance. She loves those things. “It’s lifeless. Nothing. The deal is with her. As far as Zenith’s concerned, she’s the asset here, Declan. Without her, there is no deal.”
Brody exhales an “uh-oh” under his breath while Declan Gallagher grows scarlet before my very eyes. I think the man might kill me with his bare hands. He’s sure glaring at me like he might.
Maeve says nothing. From the corner of my eye, though, I glimpse her shoulders relaxing. She exhales, frustration bleeding out of her limbs.
I’m not fool enough to believe my fleeting endorsement compensates for my actions, but I meant every damn word.
Chapter 34
Maeve
What the hell do I do with that?
My brain floats in a sea of fury and pheromones. The fact that I can focus on the road at all is a minor miracle. Thank goodness the drive is a familiar one I’ve completed a thousand times.
No one’s ever confronted my father like that before, especially not on my behalf.
No one’s ever had my back.
Validated me.
Still, Kellin lied to me. Used me to get to my father. Aiming for Declan, the owner of the hotel? Or Declan, the head of the Port Kings? What’s Kellin’s real motive here?
I have no idea. I doubt the truth matters anymore anyway.
All I know for certain is that tonight’s meal saddled me with a case of emotional whiplash.
The most terrifying man I know and the man I thought I was falling in love with just went head-to-head while both my brothers stuffed their faces with tiramisu.
Connor has always functioned as a robotic yes-man, and I understand why Brody avoids confronting our father. My younger brother’s sought Dad’s acceptance for as long as Ican remember. Plus, as the spare, Declan often treats him as expendable.
Kellin’s in amazing shape, secondary to none, but even he would probably struggle against my father in a one-on-one battle.
Shit, Dad was livid, and I tore out of that house before Kellin. For all I know, my father commanded his guys to stop Kellin at the end of the driveway and beat him bloody.
