Page 65 of Arranged Addiction

“It’s alright,” he says through his teeth. One arm wraps around my shoulders and pulls me against him. “It’ll be okay. The family’s going to survive.”

“But what about you? I know this means your life is about to change.”

“I don’t matter.”

“You do though. You have a choice. You have…” I shake my head and nuzzle in close. “It isn’t too late.”

“It’s been too late for a very long time, baby.”

I hug him tight. Even though I’m angry. Even though I feel like he’s been misleading me for years.

He needs me right now.

After a moment, I draw him down to the bed. He pulls me tight to his chest, spooning me over the sheets. His heat is like a furnace and his breathing is slow and steady. I can feel how tired he is and I know there’s only going to be more sleepless nights and long days ahead. He made it pretty clear that when his father passed, the Whelan Clan would be in a really precarious position.

But above all that, Declan’s still a man who lost his father.

Any normal human would grieve.

Despite how hard he tried, Declan’s a person. He’s got emotions, even if he struggles to bury them deep.

“What can I do?” I turn to face him. I brush my fingers across his cheek and kiss him lightly. A part of me wonders why I’m even doing this, but I can’t help it.

“Nothing. There’s nothing anyone can do.” He returns my kiss. “Life is going to change. I wish it wouldn’t, but it will. You should prepare yourself for that.”

I nod even though I don’t really understand what’s going to happen. “You can handle this. I know how hard you’ve already been working.”

He smiles slightly but says nothing. His arms hold me tight and I stay there locked against his muscular chest.

Wondering why I’m showing kindness to a man who I barely even know.

Chapter 21

Casey

He was right.

Everything changes.

Things move fast after that night. I want to press him on a thousand different things but Declan practically disappears from my life. We move into the Whelan family house so that he can be close to the center of power, and I’m practically forgotten. I’m stuck in a series of rooms I barely recognize, surrounded by staff I don’t know, and caught feeling both unwanted, foolish, and totally useless.

I keep showing up for work. Every morning there’s a Whelan family driver waiting for me at the curb. I keep thinking this will be the day when Declan finally decides to come into the office, but instead I’m left at my desk all day with nothing to do.

I’m not sure how I feel about it.

Part of me thinks it’s better this way. Let him drown in his family’s business. The man kept important pieces of my life from me. Who knows what else he’s hiding?

But another part of me misses him. A stupid, insane part of me, but still. I miss his taste and his arms. I miss the way he calls meMs. Brennanand orders me around like an asshole.

I actually miss Boss Bastard. Which is patently insane.

I find myself wondering what Natalie would say about all this. Probably something snarky and hilarious. She’d be able to make me see my situation more clearly. Or at least she’d be really funny about it.

But now that she’s gone, it’s like I’m trapped on an island.

I can’t turn to Sheila for help. She’s been a part of this farce for years. I’m not sure exactly how involved, but it’s clear she’s at least known about my connection to the Whelans.

And I don’t have any other close friends. It’s always been Natalie or nothing.