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Chapter twenty-six

Declan

“ A aaaccckkk!”

Jumping up to the sound, I feel around in the dark and can’t find Noel.

“Noel!” I shout, jumping out of bed.

“Uuugghh!”

“NOEL!” I bellow, my voice croaking from sleep.

I’m running toward the bathroom where the sound is coming from, stopping in my tracks when I see her hurling into the toilet.

Taking a deep breath, I try to hide my smile of relief when she looks up at me in misery. I walk over to hold her hair and rub her back.

“Go aw—, ughh!” She heaves into the toilet again before she can finish telling me to leave.

“Shhh,” I soothe, rubbing her back.

When she seems to have stopped, I get her water and a cold wash cloth. She drinks then leans against the wall, letting me wipe her face and neck. I was surprised she wasn’t this sick yesterday, but she slept so much. Whatever they gave her to keep her out so long is finally making its way out of her system.

“This is worse than a bad hangover,” she groans.

My jaw clenches, but I say nothing.

“Speaking of hangovers, I need to call Kate today. ”

“I’m not following,” I say confused at the connection.

“She was hungover when I called to tell her we got married. She had gone out the night before with Rocky, and he was still at her house. We didn’t talk long. I’ll invite her over for dinner, so I can see her before we leave for France. I’m guessing it’s best I don’t tell her about anything,” she says, rambling with her eyes closed.

“Let’s get you back to bed,” I say, lifting her up from the floor and carrying her to bed. “I’ll be in the gym.”

After I kiss her forehead, I slip out and go into my home gym. It’s a little farther away than my office, and I don’t want her to overhear anything when I call Chance.

It sounds like he’s driving when he answers, and I check the time. It’s just after 8:00 AM.

“You got time for a loose end today?” I ask.

“Yep.”

“Rocky is dating Kate Hartford, Noel’s friend.”

“Fuck. Alright, I’ll take care of it,” he says and hangs up.

I decide to get a workout in before I check on things at Velocity. I’m sure Claire has handled most things, but Zander and I have to get started on scheduling Isaiah’s shipment next week.

The last thing I want is to leave Zander with this when we move to Tennessee. It’s possible that it will take over a year to get us there, but something tells me this is the direction he’s wanted to take things for a while now. If I’m not here to make sure it ends by the expiration date, he may not end it at all.

Zander and I met not long after I started Velocity. He was trying to sneak drugs onto one of my trucks, and I beat the shit out of him. He showed up the next day asking for a job, and he’s lived up to the promises he made. But he craves chaos and loves violence. Going into business with Isaiah will give him both. He may not be able to walk away a second time.

After my workout, I check in on Noel to see she has gotten up and showered and is almost finished doing her hair. Watching her get dolled up might become a new hobby for me. She smiles through the mirror but doesn’t stop what she’s doing, and I’m glad to see she’s feeling better.

My phone beeps letting me know someone is at the door. I leave her to go see who is coming over unannounced, grabbing the gun off the dresser on my way through the bedroom. Coming into the open living room, I see Isaiah’s Bentley through the windows and set the gun down on a shelf to open the door he’s knocking on.

“Got the results,” he says, holding up a piece of paper.

“You could’ve called,” I tell him but let him in anyway.

He scoffs on his way past me.

Noel walks into the room from the hallway and freezes. She hasn’t actually spoken to him since all of this happened.

“I’m here as a friend,” he says to her, holding both hands in the air.

She looks at me for approval, and I give her a nod.

“I guess I owe you a ‘thank you’ for helping rescue me, but I don’t trust you Isaiah,” she tells him.

“Fair enough,” he says as he sits down on my couch and sets the paper on the coffee table.

“What is that?” She asks, walking into the room.

“Veronica’s paternity test results.”

“And?” She presses.

“It’s not Nate’s baby,” he states.

Noel gasps, and I walk over to see the paper for myself .

“There’s something else you both should know,” he pauses to look at us. “I knew Nate was trying to get you pregnant. I didn’t know he was using one of my girls like this, but he told me years ago that he had a deal with your pharmacist. Nate had him on payroll to give you placebo packs of birth control pills. I’d imagine he’s still doing it if money still hits his account. Thought y’all may want to know that since you’re married now.”

My eyes meet Noel’s from across the room, and I can tell by her expression that she’s thinking the same thing I am. Before I can speak, she takes off down the hall.

“Thanks, Isaiah. Now, with all due respect, get the fuck out,” I tell him as I step toward the hall.

“Well, congratulations then!” He calls out behind me laughing.

Fuck!

I find her sitting on our bed with her knees pulled to her chest. Walking over to her, I keep my thoughts to myself and rest my hands on her ankles. When she looks up at me, her eyes are full of tears.

Fuck, fuck, fuck!

“I thought I was late from all the stress. Oh, god, Dec,” She puts her head down into her knees again.

“Noel, I’m so sorry,” I tell her.

She looks back up at me. “I don’t even know if you even want children. We only ever talked about it when we assumed I couldn’t have them.”

Putting her face in my hands, I wipe her tears with my thumbs.

“I’ll admit I would’ve liked to have waited a while. But fuck yes, I want kids with you. You are going to look so beautiful with our baby growing inside of you, sunshine.”

She leans over to wrap her arms around me, and I grab her knees to pull her into my lap.

“I love you, Declan.”

“Mmm. And you know what these tear-filled green eyes do to me,” I tell her as I grind her hips into my hard cock.

Her eyes blaze as she whispers, “Yours.”