Page 21 of Arranged Addiction

It’s a nice picture. I’m happy for my brothers. Both Seamus and Cormac found love and have built good lives for themselves. My father might think I’m being difficult, sticking to a dead and gone promise, but it gives my life meaning. In the same way those children enrich their parents.

My phone rings before I can join everyone. I hesitate, prepared to send it to voicemail, but I stop and stare.

Casey’s name appears on the screen.

She never calls my cell. Not unless it’s an emergency. I’ve made that extremely clear over the years. This number is off limits for normal workday problems.

I answer, my heart skipping in my chest. “Hello, Ms. Brennan. You didn’t come to work today.”

“Declan, it’s Natalie. I went to her apartment… I went there and she’s…” The panic in her voice immediately rings a thousand alarm bells in my head. I’ve never heard her like this before.

“Slow down. Tell me what happened.”

“I’m at Natalie’s apartment… Declan, oh my god, there’s blood… there’s blood everywhere…”

She’s sobbing inconsolably.

I try to get her to talk, but she’s not making any sense.

“I’m coming,” I snarl into the phone, already running for my car. “I’m coming, Casey, just wait for me.”

Chapter 6

Casey

Hours earlier…

I can’t bringmyself to show up at the office.

Which means I’m pretty sure he’s going to fire me for sure. Declan’s fair when it comes to sick days and vacations, but there’s no way he’ll tolerate me just not showing up.

Although we did have sex last night.

That could maybe sort of change things a little bit?

I try calling Natalie the second I leave Declan’s apartment. I need to tell someone what happened and she’s the only person I trust. But she doesn’t pick up. I leave a voicemail, send a text, even shoot her an email in case she forgot her phone and is at her desk already, but I don’t get any replies.

The ring feels like a thousand tons of weight in my pocket.

I sneak into the house. Aunt Sheila is out, probably running errands. She doesn’t work, and from what I’ve gathered over theyears, she inherited a sizable bit of money from some relatives, including my parents, which she uses for our expenses.

I don’t know the details, and I don’t feel like it’s my place to ask, since I’ve basically never been denied anything in my life.

I should call him. The second I flop down on my own bed, I know I’m being stupid and childish. I’ll only make it worse if I try to avoid it.

There’s probably some super reasonable explanation.

I bet I’ll feel embarrassed and stupid the second I hear it.

But I still don’t try him. Instead, I keep reaching out to Natalie, only to get silence in return. This isn’t crazy unusual for her, since she’s always forgetting her phone places and she can be pretty oblivious to everything when she’s in the zone at work, but it’s frustrating.

I need to vent.

Because, seriously, what the hell happened last night?

I had sex with Declan. That definitely happened. I have the memories and at least one little bruise to prove it.

Then there’s the ring.