6. Declan

Chapter 6

Declan

R ing ring. Buzz buzz. Ring ring. Buzz buzz. Ring ring. Buzz buzz.

“What the fu—” I shoot straight up in bed, confused as all hell. Fumbling for the nightstand, I grab my phone, stupid offending piece of technology, and look at the time.

Why the fuck is my sister calling me at five o’clock in the morning? Isn’t she supposed to be at work?

I swipe the screen to answer. “Someone better be dead.”

“Not quite, brother,” Kiera’s way too happy voice chirps on the other end. “Sorry for waking you, but I wanted to see if you’d join me for breakfast when I get my break in an hour. There’s something I need to talk to you about.’’

“You’re lucky I love you,” I throw back the covers and swing my legs over the side of the mattress, feet hitting the freezing cold floor. “‘cause you’re a pain in my arse.”

“I wouldn’t be asking if it wasn’t important.”

“Can’t this wait ‘til I’ve gotten a few more hours of sleep? I closed the bar last night and just fell asleep two hours ago.”

“Sorry, but no. This is a bit time sensitive. ”

“Fine,” I hear the grumpiness in my own voice, “but you’re paying.”

“I’ll meet you down by the E.R. doors.” She hangs up on me.

What the hell?

“Why are we up here?” I ask Kiera as she leads me off the elevator. I make it three steps before I read the sign on the wall and freeze where I’m standing. “Gynecology and Obstetrics? What a minute. Are you pregnant?”

“Nope.” Her chuckle is nervous, but she continues. “But someone else you know is and you need to see her. That’s really why I called you to come.”

“So I’m not going to get breakfast?” I grumble as I dig my palms into my eyes. “I need coffee to wake up my brain.”

“I’ll buy you coffee and an omelet after you talk to Frankie.”

“Excuse me?” That bomb gives me a jolt of a dozen cups of coffee. “Did you just say ‘Frankie’? Like the woman-whose-name-shall-not-said-in-my-bar? That Frankie?”

“Well,” Kiera crosses her arms and starts tapping one foot, “it’s a good thing we’re not in your bar , now are we?”

“Kiera,” I growl as I stalk toward her, “why do I need to talk to Frankie?”

“Because I said so. She’ll explain everything. I hope.” And she walks away.

“Come back here, you brat,” I snap between gritted teeth as I follow her around a corner and into a room. “I need answers.”

“So do we,” a voice I haven’t heard in two months calls out from behind a closed curtain. It slides open in a flash revealing the very angry face of Toni, standing just like Kiera was, arms folded, foot tapping, but she has an extra surprise behind her… Frankie in a hospital bed.

I. See. Red .

“Is this some kind of sick joke?” I start going off the rails. “Did the three of you concoct some evil plan to prank me? Sorry ladies, it may be April but I’m far from being fooled… again.” One time was enough for me and I’m not falling for this again. I just can’t believe they roped Kiera into their sick joke this time too.

“It’s real, Dec,” Kiera grabs hold of my forearm as I turn to march out. “Please listen. You’ll want to hear this. I swear on Uncle Paddy’s grave.”

“That’s a low blow.” I glare at my sister before turning to the two conniving troublemakers, zeroing in on the worst offender. “You think you can just blow me off and I’ll come running whenever you need something? I finally think I've found someone worth my time, have what I thought was a great time connecting, and then what does she do? Gives me a bogus number and disappears. I don’t think so.”

Frankie starts crying and my bullshit meter taps out.

“Oh, come on,” I groan and roll my eyes. “Don't play that with bullshit with me. I won't fall for your fake arse tears. Save it for some other dumbarse who gives a damn.”

“How dare you!” Toni stomps forward and stabs her sharp-ass fingernail into my chest. “This mix up wasn't her fault. Do you think she's in the hospital for no reason? I don’t think so, asshole. She's here, sick after vomiting for two days straight, pregnant with your baby.”

The world stops spinning.

“What?” And it all goes black.