“Adopted?” I feel sick. In fact, I might be sick with all the feelings and emotions washing over me and infiltrating every fibre of my being.
“Yeah, and there was fuck all I could do about it and God knows, I tried.”
I am stunned. What the hell am I supposed to say to this. I had no right to be part of this. It was private and personal to him and Amber and I felt as though I was intruding now.
“I’m sorry,” I decide on saying, reaching for him, to pull him closer. “I’m sorry,” I repeat, not really knowing what else to say. “I’m sure they found her a wonderful home, so you and Amber have nothing to feel bad about.”
In an instant, Dec has pulled away and is storming in the opposite direction to me. “Her home should have been here, with me, with her family, and I do feel bad. Bad that I trusted Amber enough that she was able to do this to me. Oh, and as for her—” The venom in that one word,her, stuns me. “She deserves to feel bad about it all. She made the choices, the decisions she had no right to make without me and I hope she feels guilty for what she did for the rest of her life because that is what she deserves. So, you see, Anita, we might have to agree to disagree on this because for me she has everything to feel bad about.”
I am rooted to my seat and have no idea what I should or shouldn’t say or do to avoid making things worse.
“I need to get out for a while,” Dec announces, reaching for his phone. “I just need some space, sorry.”
He heads for the door and then turns to look at me.
“Cupcake, this is not your fault, and I am sorry that I can’t stay here right now, but please, don’t go. I don’t talk about this often…like ever, so I just need some space and air, alone.”
I nod, silently begging him to leave so I can fall apart in private.
Chapter 25
Declan
Standing in the doorway, I smile a truly contented smile. Anita is in the kitchen at my mother’s home, putting the final touches to a cake for Liv’s baby shower. The same baby shower neither she nor Mase wanted, but after our mother began to plan one anyway, they gave in gracefully.
“I am getting a strong sense of déjà vu, Cupcake.”
Anita spins and giggles at me. “Yeah, well, it might be wise for you to keep your hands, lips and everything else to yourself here, Stud.”
I laugh, remembering our first encounter in the kitchen at Dazzler. “You’re probably right. My mother does not need to walk in on that.”
“Agreed.” She turns back to the cake.
I close the distance and once I am close enough, slide an arm around her middle where she willingly allows me to pull her backwards to rest against my front. Leaning in, I inhale her glorious scent before lowering my lips to gently kiss her neck. She relaxes into my touch and kiss, and in this split second, I have never been happier. I love that her immediate, her reflex action is to soften into me and embrace everything I have to offer.
Life with Anita is as near to perfect as I have ever known. Since we put all our cards on the table a couple of months ago, life has just got better and better. Even her dad doesn’t seem to entirely hate me, well maybe a little, but I can live with that.
A loud cough pulls us both up short. Mase.
Turning, I smile while Anita blushes a little and if that doesn’t make her look even more adorable.
“I know we have had this conversation before, Dec, but please, don’t contaminate the cakes my wife is going to eat. Technically, my baby is going to eat those cakes too, so doubly don’t contaminate them.
Anita and I share a roll of our eyes and laugh. Mase doesn’t.
“Can I have a word? Business,” he says and although I see Anita raise a slightly disbelieving brow, my brother may well want to talk business.
He has money invested in the club and we have talked about adding more bars and clubs to form a chain. Also, Mase knows his shit when it comes to investments and often makes recommendations or shares information with me.
I lean down and land a single, almost chaste kiss to my lady’s cheek and prepare to leave with Mase, but not before dipping a finger into the frosting on the top of the cake.
“Declan!” Mase says through gritted teeth. “What have I just said? I don’t know where those fingers have been!”
Anita and I both laugh, knowing exactly where my fingers have been.
“I don’t want to know!” Mase calls but does throw in a token laugh as he leaves with me following behind.
Once we’re out of the kitchen, Mase heads towards the sunroom and takes a seat near the open door.
