Page 36 of Arranged Addiction

I flush with embarrassment. “I don’t use it around him!”

“I’m sure he knows. Oh, don’t worry. Declan knows he’s a pain in the ass. He just doesn’t care.” She drinks the water and sighs happily. “I really hope you’re a match for him. Life’s going to get hard soon.”

“Do you mean the Senesi stuff?”

Her smile fades away. “In part, but it’s more than that. Did he mention what’s going on with his father?”

“He did. I’m really sorry to hear about his health struggles, Mrs. Whelan.”

“Please, call me Siobhan. And thank you. I think we’ve all been slightly in denial except for Declan until recently. Now it’s very clear that he’ll be taking over the family business sooner rather than later, and he’s going to need help.”

“We talked about that some.”

“Good. I’m glad he’s setting expectations.” She straightens up and looks at me seriously. “Your job is going to be difficult very soon, but you have to support him no matter what. He won’t admit it, but he’s going to need you.”

“Declan doesn’t seem like the kind of man who needs anyone.”

“That’s exactly the sort of person who needs a good wife the most.” She moves slightly closer, staring at me with those deep green eyes of hers. I can see so much of her son in that look, except her warmth and charm must’ve passed him over, and he only inherited her cold grumpiness. “Your job will be to support and protect him.”

I laugh awkwardly, even though she’s clearly not kidding. “He’s the one protecting me.”

“I don’t mean physically. Protect him here.” She touches her chest, right over her heart. “I need to know we can count on you, Casey. There’s a lot at stake for our family.”

I don’t know what to say. I understood marrying Declan might be complicated, but his mother’s acting like I’m going to play an active role in whatever transition is about to happen.

But that’s not how I see it.

I’ll show up to events. I’ll smile and be friendly. But I’m just a name and a face. I’m not actually involved in any of this. I barely understand what his family does, only that they’re powerful and somehow, they’re criminals.

Only I just know Declan as the CEO of a shipping company.

This aspect of him is totally new, and I don’t know how to deal with it yet.

But his mother’s looking at me like she expects something, and I don’t want to let her down.

“I’ll do everything I can to help,” I say, feeling totally lame, since it’s probably not true.

“Thank you.” She seems genuinely relieved though, and I feel guilty. “My son is a good man, but when he makes up his mind about something, he never changes it. No matter how long he has to wait.” She walks to the door on that enigmatic note. I go with her, even though I feel like I’m the guest and she’s the host. “I’ll be seeing you again shortly. Dinner is every Sunday. Declan rarely misses a meal, and I’d like it if you’d come as well. It’s time to integrate yourself into the family.”

“Uh, totally, that’d be great.” I force myself to smile, even though the idea of meeting Declan’s entire scary family sounds horrible. “I’ll see you then.”

Siobhan pulls me into a quick hug.

When she’s gone, I feel like a hurricane just ripped into the apartment, tore me to pieces, and left me bleeding on the beach.

Chapter 11

Declan

Every morning I’m greeted with ten thousand emails.

This isn’t how I pictured my life would go. Back when I was still young, I daydreamed about being the leader of the Whelan clan.

In my head, it’d be all fancy parties and brutal violence. I’d ride around in nice cars, steal gold from banks, and retire to my beautiful penthouse suite to sleep on a bed of hundred-dollar bills.

Instead, there are way more fucking spreadsheets than I ever pictured.

Mostly because our companies are legit.