Mary closed her eyes. “You were so angry at Dec. I could feel it. I could even possibly understand it. I know what that kind of betrayal feels like.”
Sinead shook her head and looked at Declan. “No. I promise you I didn’t tell him where I was. Where you were. I lost the only tail I had back in San Francisco. I didn’t even tell my dad where I was.”
“Mary, Sinead wasn’t responsible,” Declan said calmly.
“How can you know that for sure?” she said, clearly upset. “You don’t know what it’s like to be deceived. I do. I know how angry it makes you feel. I know it because I was that angry. That’s how this all started, remember? By being so angry I told them who you were and what you were going to do to them.”
Declan walked over to his sister and gripped her shoulders firmly until she took a breath and looked at him.
“Mary, we’ve had this discussion. We’re done with the blame. On both sides. The only bad actors in all of this are Huntley and his father. Now that we’re aware of their imminent arrival, we’ll plan accordingly.”
“I can’t… see him again,” she whispered. “I wish I could be strong enough for some type of confrontation. I know I’m not.”
“If we do this correctly you won’t have to.” Declan turned to Jillian. “You never answered my question. Did you do what I asked?”
“Of course.”
“Then there is nothing to do other than wait,” Declan said. “Jill, find a spare room. No sense in you leaving tonight when you’ll have to come back tomorrow. With the time change Flynn won’t be here until early morning. Dare I suggest we all put our jammies on and watch movies?”
“You’re treating this like a game,” Mary said tightly. “This is my life.”
“And mine and Sinead’s,” Declan said sternly. “Trust me when I tell you I will let no harm come to anyone because of Garrett Huntley or his father.”
“I’m going to bed,” Mary said quietly. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
He watched her walk up the stairs, her shoulders back, her chin straight but inside he knew she was struggling. That she had to admit she couldn’t handle seeing him again. It cost her. In addition to being stubborn, Mary was also very proud.
Declan looked to Jillian and she nodded. “I’ll talk to her.”
“Thank you. She listens to you.”
“Because I’m not her big brother.”
When it was just the two of them, Sinead walked over to him.
“You and the ex seem pretty friendly.”
Declan closed his eyes. He really wished Jill would have stayed away for at least another day. He needed more time to fix Sinead’s impression of him, and no one was ever comfortable with an ex around while a new relationship was starting.
“I need to explain her.”
“You don’t. I’m not the jealous type.”
“You need to understand we still work together. I met Jillian during an assignment. She got dragged into something as a civilian and the next thing I knew… well, she was hooked on the work. Our affair was brief because I thought for certain she was going to do something to get herself killed. Now that I’ve come to accept who she is, we manage well enough as co-workers.”
“So you’re partners.”
“Not exactly. I’m still considered the head of the firm. But yes, Flynn, who you will meet tomorrow, and Jillian are essentially my partners. Sometimes we work assignments together. Sometimes they take independent contracts.”
“Garrett Huntley is an assignment for them, then.”
“No. Huntley is personal. As I said, only three people know who I am really. As a result we’ve all become quite close. Mary and I are as much family to them as their own. They were not happy with how we left the Huntley situation. Flynn in particular will be more satisfied with the outcome tomorrow.”
Sinead cupped his cheek and Declan instantly leaned into it. Jillian hadn’t been lying earlier. He had been in a foul mood for weeks and only now that she was here did he feel a sense of being centered. Something he needed to be if he was going to face off against Huntley and his people tomorrow.
“You ground me,” he confessed to her.
“That’s funny,” she replied. “Because you lift me.”
He leaned forward and kissed her and then pulled away because he wanted to see the desire in her face. Wanted to stoke it a little before he gave her satisfaction.
“Jammies and movies?” he asked her.
“I don’t know. Are there rules to this particular event?”
“Yes, at some point you need to make out with me. On my command.”