25. Bree

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When I wake up,Declan is gone, but he's left me a note.

Tonight, we're having a private dinner together. Wear something sexy.

I smile a little, looking down at the paper in my hand.

It seems such a sweet idea, but then, in the back of my mind, I'm questioning it.

What if he knows? What if today is my last day on earth because he's figured it out, and he's going to take me out?

I need a distraction, so I throw on my bikini and head out to the pool. It's quiet out there, no one at the patio or in the water, so I'll have some time alone.

I jump into the end of the pool, doing a few laps back and forth until my muscles are tired and trembling.

There's no way I can think when I exhaust myself, so I do it again, only stopping when my thighs are cramping. I don't want to drown. Or do I?

I get out of the pool and head to one of the patio chairs, sitting down and finishing reading my book.

It's an interesting plot, and it's even more interesting when I relate it to my own life. Capote starts to believe and trust the man who killed all those people, and he doesn't know how to feel about it.

It reminds me of myself and Declan. At first, I'd thought he was going to kill me. I thought he was really the Irish scourge, really a brutal, hateful man who wanted me and my family dead.

And I guess he does want my father dead, but I cannot blame him. If he had done that to my mother, I don't know what I would do.

It reminds me, though, that I don't really know what happened to my mother. She was just gone. Can I trust my father to have told me the truth?

I used to believe him. Now? I just don't know.

There's so much that I don't know, but I do know that if I die tonight, I want to go out in style.

I make my way back to my bedroom and take a quick shower before rifling through my closet.

There's a knock on my open door, and I turn with a huff.

It's Paige. "Just wondered if you wanted anything for lunch," she says. "Da said we could order takeout."

"Sure," I mutter, still flipping through my clothes.

"What are you looking for?"

"Some outfit to wear tonight. Declan wants to have a private dinner."

"Ooh la la," Paige teases. "Why don't you come up with me and we'll look through my things? I know you have a little more junk in the trunk than I do, but we're pretty much the same size otherwise."

I laugh softly. "Thanks, Paige. I appreciate it, but I don't know..." I pause, trying to figure out how to say we have different styles without being offensive.

"I bet I have something you can wear." Paige takes my hand tugging me toward her suite.

I walk into her huge closet, and I almost lose myself in all the clothes.

She's right, she has to have something in here I can wear.

I pick out a few outfits, and Paige picks out some shoes, a pair of bright red heels and a pair of strappy black sandals.

I choose the sandals and pair it with a cream-colored dress that fits me a little snug around the backside.

Declan likes my curves, though, and the plunging neckline shows off what I have for cleavage.

"My brother's eyes will pop out of his head," Paige says happily as I tie the sandals on to be sure they fit.

"What are we getting for takeout?" I ask, but I'm so anxious I'm not sure I can eat.

We go down to the dining room after the food gets there, Thai food, and I pick at my glass noodles.

"You seem nervous about this dinner," Paige points out. "What's going on? Is Declan still being an ass?"

I blink. "Has he been?"

"To me, he has," Paige huffs. "He told me I talked too much the other day at dinner."

"I'm sorry, Paige," I grumble. "It's probably my fault he's been such a jerk."

"Why? What happened?"

"I can't really talk about it," I mutter, hoping she'll drop it, and wonder of wonders, she does.

She pushes her salad to me. "Take a few bites. You're wasting away, you know? I've barely seen you eat in the last couple weeks."

I take a couple bites just to placate her, smiling.

"You know, Paige, whatever happens.... I want you and Lara to know that you've been great sisters to me."

Paige frowns. "Why are you talking like that?"

I shake my head. "No reason. Just overthinking things, I guess."

"Well, stop it. We're going to be sisters forever."

I chuckle a little, and then head back up to the bedroom, taking a hot bath and shaving everything so that I'll be fresh and bare for Declan. I want him to know what he's missing if he decides to off me, and if he doesn't.... well, I'm hoping for some post-dinner sex.

It's the one thing we're good at, after all.

As I'm doing my hair, just curling it at the ends, someone knocks on the door. It's Marisol and another maid, one I haven't met, and they smile sheepishly.

There's a small table out in the hallway.

"We need to set up, ma'am," Marisol says.

"Please, call me Bree."

She smiles wider but just ushers me out.

I finish getting ready in the hallway bathroom, taking my makeup with me.

When I return, the small dining table is set up in the middle of the room with a candelabra in the middle. There's a white, lacy tablecloth covering it, and I find it quite adorable.

I smile, looking at it, and then Declan comes in behind me, putting a hand on my hip.

"You look amazing," he says, right in my ear, and I shudder at his low tone.

I turn to look at him, and he's wearing a black pair of tailored slacks and a silk shirt, halfway unbuttoned.

"You look great, too." I smile.

He smiles back and goes to pull one chair back, gesturing for me to sit. I do.

He sits across from me as I cross my legs, and then Marisol and the other maid bring in the food.

The plates are huge, covered in what appears to be shrimp and steak.

My mouth is watering.

"I know how much you like surf and turf," Declan says. "So, I asked for a special dinner."

"Is that a T-bone?" I ask, loving my steak large and rare.

"Rare, just like you like it." He grins at me.

He waits for me to take a bite, and I hesitate, wondering idly if it's poisoned. But then he cuts into his steak, and I do the same.

The first bite tastes like sawdust on the back of my tongue.

Is this it? Is this the last moment I'll have with Declan?

But Declan just frowns, pushing my plate toward me with his fork.

"Eat up, princess." He grins wickedly. "You're going to need your strength."

I nod and continue to eat, and eventually, it starts to taste amazing. "God, it's so good. Perfectly cooked."

"Marisol is a culinary genius." Declan nods, chewing.

Marisol has also poured us a glass of wine—white for me, and red for Declan.

I hate red wine, and I guess she's noticed that over the time I've been here. It strikes me as very sweet, and tears almost come to my eyes.

Declan seems to notice. "Baby, what's wrong?"

"This is just all so sweet," I sniffle. "What made you think of this?"

I freeze, waiting for him to reveal that he knows, that he's cracked the code. But as I wait, looking at him, I realize that there is a bruise across his cheekbone, and his knuckles seem raw.

"Did someone hurt you?" I ask, worried that it was my father's men.

"Gray and I had a difference of opinion."

I can't help but roll my eyes. "Fighting with your brother? Isn't that a little immature?"

"I was defending you," Declan says fiercely. "He said some things that he couldn't take back. Made accusations..." he trails off.

I soften despite myself and put my hand on top of his for a second. "Well, thank you. But still, why are we here tonight?"

"You've just seemed so sad lately, princess. I wanted to cheer you up. See if there was anything I could do to help."

My heart clenches in my chest. I put my fork down, making a decision. Even if this is it, even if this is my last night on earth, I won't end things without telling him the truth.

It's now or never.

"You're right." I take a deep breath. "I haven't been okay lately, and it's all your fault."

Declan looks at me, raising an eyebrow.

"You kidnapped me. You brought me here to your family, forced me to marry you."

Declan's face falls, but I keep going.

"But I've come to realize something. It's not easy for me."

Declan reaches across the table to take my hand.

I squeeze it softly, trembling all over. "I don't even know how it happened. It probably shouldn't have happened, given everything. But I'm in love with you, Declan Burke."

The room falls silent, and I keep searching his face, but his expression is blank.

"You mean that?" His voice is raspy. "You really mean that, princess?"

"I really do," I shrug, looking down at my plate. "I know it's stupid, but?—"

Declan stands up, pulling me to my feet and putting his arms around me. "You don't understand," he says in a low tone. "I'm in love with you, too, Bree."

All the air leaves my lungs. "Wh-What did you say?"

"I'm so fucking in love with you I can't see straight. God help us both."

We laugh almost in unison, and it's the only sound in the room before Declan leans down to kiss me, slowly, sweetly.

I deepen the kiss, sliding my tongue against his.

Declan kisses me over and over, pulling away briefly to look at me and then kissing me again as if he can't get enough.

He pushes me toward the bed, and my knees hit the back of it as I fall back down on it. Instead of covering me with his body, though, he bunches my dress over my hips, sliding down my body until he's crouching on the floor.

He loops my legs over his shoulders, looking down at my bare sex with hunger in his dark blue eyes.

He presses his face against me, and I moan as he laps at my clit, sliding two fingers inside me and angling them up to hit my g-spot.

I can't breathe for a brief moment while he works me over, and then I'm coming, so quickly I can't believe it.

"God, you taste so good," he murmurs against my inner thigh, kissing me there, leaving his mark on me.

I want him to leave it everywhere.

I feel giddy, drunk even though I've only had half a glass of wine.

Declan loves me. He really loves me, feels the same way that I do.

Declan doesn't let up, pressing his face against me again, locking his lips around my clit and pumping his fingers in and out of me.

Eventually, he adds a third finger, and I feel so full that I come again, crying out his name.

"That"s right, baby. Come all over my tongue," he moans, and then I put my hands in his hair, pulling him up.

"I want you," I pant. "Want you inside me."

"You don't have to ask me twice." He wipes his hand across his mouth.

He takes off his shirt, discarding it, and unbuttons his slacks, stepping out of them and his underwear at once. His dick stands thick and heavy in front of him, and my mouth is watering all over again.

I wish I could have him in my mouth again, but I'm too worked up after two orgasms, want him inside me, looking into my eyes as he makes love to me.

And this time, it will be making love for both of us. Because we love each other.

I'm in awe of it, can't believe that he feels the same way, but I'm grateful nonetheless. I can't believe I thought I might die tonight but in reality, I'm getting everything I want.

Guilt rockets through me, but when Declan guides himself inside me, I moan out his name, unable to think any further.

He looks into my eyes, cupping my face as he moves inside me, and tears start to fill my eyes almost immediately.

"Are you all right?" Declan whispers and stops his movements.

I whine, rocking my hips forward. "I'm fine. I just... I feel a lot."

"I feel a lot too." He groans as he thrusts in and out. "God, I'm so close already. I love the way you taste."

"Don't worry." I giggle. "This can last all night."

"We've got all the time in the world." And he thrusts into me harder, more sloppily.

I know that he's close, and I dig my nails into his shoulders.

He hisses at the sting before spilling inside of me, and when he's done, he collapses on top of me, holding himself up with just his forearms.

I smile, kissing along the side of his face, and Declan chuckles.

"We didn't finish dinner."

"Let's have naked dinner," I say wickedly, wiggling out from under him and standing to take off my dress, unzipping it and letting it fall to the floor.

Declan grins and, already naked, takes the table and pulls it closer to the bed, taking our plates off it and handing me mine.

I take off my strappy shoes while Declan discards his socks and shoes.

"Naked dinner. Can't believe I didn't think of this before." He cuts into his steak and eats a big piece. "It's even good lukewarm," he groans.

I pop a shrimp into my mouth, grinning at him.

"When did you know?" I ask him, and he stops chewing, thinking.

"I honestly don't know," he says quietly. "It happened so gradually that all of a sudden, it just hit me. I think I was watching you sleep, actually."

I've never seen Declan flush, but his cheeks are a little pink as he looks away.

"That"s so sweet." I feel like a girl who's just gotten her first boyfriend, but I can't help it. I'm in love, and we're married, and he feels the same way. It's like everything else doesn"t matter anymore.

"What about you?" he asks.

"Same as you," I answer honestly. "I don't know how it happened, it just... one day, I was in love."

"It's so weird," he comments, finishing his food. "I think there's dessert downstairs."

"I'll put on a robe and get it."

He grabs my wrist as I get out of bed. "Hurry back."

Smiling, I throw on a robe and go downstairs for dessert.

Marisol and Patrick are in the dining room, and they're awfully close to each other.

They break apart as I grab dessert, two individual lava cakes.

"Bree," Patrick says, his cheeks flushed.

"Patrick." I grin. "And Marisol."

She heads into the kitchen, not looking at me, and I wonder what's going on with them.

I head up the stairs, eager to tell Declan what I've just seen.

"Declan, does your da have something going on with Marisol?"

"God, I hope so." Declan takes the cake from me.

I giggle. "I just caught them downstairs standing really close to each other."

"I hope it happens."

"Really?"

Declan nods, eating his cake. "Da's been in love with the memory of my mother since... He deserves some love and happiness."

"You told me she wasn't here before your Ma passed." I still feel a large amount of guilt that it was my father who did it.

"She wasn't. She came shortly after because Da couldn't do it all himself. He soon realized someone had to cook for us."

"Ah," I say quietly. "I understand how that could be hard."

"But he deserves to move on. To love again. To be loved."

"You all do." I think of what Lara told me the other day. They'd all been so affected by their mother's death. I wish there was something I could do.

Declan puts our desserts, mine uneaten, on the nightstand, and pulls me into his lap.

"I hope you didn't think we were done yet, wife." He gives me a wicked grin.

"I was hoping we weren't." I grin back, feeling him hard against my ass as I straddle his lap.

I hope this night lasts forever.