“Tell me again.”
I blinked and tried to focus on him but it was difficult. He felt so good inside of me. He stopped moving when I didn’t say anything and my fingers dug into his hips, trying to push him forward.
“Tell me, Trina.”
I dragged my eyes up to his and smirked. “You first.”
He dropped one elbow next to me and his hand pressed against my check, sliding his thumb over my lips. “I love you, Trina.”
“Wow,” I sighed. “You’re good at that.”
I was shocked at how I could tease him. Between the day we had and the overwhelming sensation those words caused, I was still having a hard time thinking clearly.
“Sweetheart,” he murmured, leaning closer to me. I was the one who benefited from this change in the way he leaned his body, because it forced his cock deeper inside me.
“Yes.” My eyes began to roll back and I slid my hands from his hips to his back, holding him to me. “I love you, Declan. So much. Thank you for taking care of me.”
“Always,” he grunted and pushed himself in until he couldn’t go further. “I’ll always take care of you.”
Then he began to move, and after another orgasm, he cleaned us up and climbed into bed with me, pulled me to his chest, held me close, and proved that he was always going to take care of me when he quietly whispered, “Nothing will ever hurt you again, and tomorrow, when we’re rested, we can talk more about what happened today and what’s going to happen next.”
I was so sated from the multiple orgasms, drunk on not only admitting that I was in love with this man, but realizing that he loved me too, that I couldn’t say anything except, “Okay, honey.”
His arms tightened and he kissed the top of my head.
And on a day when I’d witnessed the most horrific things I’d ever seen in my life, I was somehow still able to close my eyes, lean in closer to Declan until I draped myself all over his body, and fall into a restful sleep.
Because I knew that no matter what happened, regardless of my future, I knew that Declan would be there for me.
We’d walk through whatever difficulties life brought our way together. I just hoped that walk grew easier than our beginning had been.
Chapter 21
Trina
It was after breakfast the next day, after Declan took a call from Tyson and the local police officer working the case, and after he’d made a phone call to Gabriella checking in on the status of Boomer. Declan had told me to sit down, eat, and take a load off, and that he’d take care of everything, which he did, and then he turned to me.
“If you’re full and ready, we need to talk.”
I took a sip of my coffee. “Okay.”
“First, Blue spoke to the vet hospital this morning and Boomer is still sedated, but he’s going to be fine.” A forceful breath left my lips, loosening a tightness in my chest.
“Oh my God,” I gasped, and pressed my hands to my chest. Tears stung my eyes, but I fought them back. “Can I see him?”
Declan nodded. “Later today we can go in, but he’s going to have to stay at the hospital for a few more days so they can keep an eye on him.”
I didn’t hear anything after “later.” My dog was okay. Kevin hadn’t hurt him too badly. I pressed my lips together and swallowed to get rid of my tears.
“First, though, we have to head to the police station so you can give your statement about what happened yesterday.”
I flashed him wide eyes. “I do?”
“They just need to know what happened before we got there, and I’ll be there with you.”
My brow furrowed. “Do you have to give a statement?”
“Told them everything I could while you were sleeping in the hospital.”
He reached out and slid his hand to my neck and squeezed. Immediately, my pulse began to slow. “I still can’t believe this is happening. What did Tyson mean yesterday about the embezzlement charges?”
In all the mayhem, I’d completely forgotten about all that. Not that it was high on my priority list by any means, but I was still curious.
“That was one of the things Tyson told me he’d uncovered, that some men were looking for Kevin. It was all started very quietly, so he didn’t become suspicious, but I suspect that along with the suicide, that this will be public knowledge soon.”
“Public knowledge,” I muttered and once again my heart began racing. “Public? As in media?”
“Relax, sweetheart. Nothing will harm you. I won’t let them.”
“But the media. Senator Morgenson. Oh my God. Are there reporters here?”
I’d seen what happened when someone connected with a public official caused a scandal. That Kevin died would make all of this so much worse.
Declan’s lip twisted and he cursed. “His father has been notified and, last I heard, he’s on his way here.”
My hand flew to my chest. “No.”
“We can keep you from them as long as possible.”
I chewed on my bottom lip. “I can’t see them.”
“We’ll hold that off for as long as possible.”
Several moments passed with us staring at each other, me freaking out slightly, Declan calmly taking my pulse and measuring my reaction.
“Is that it?” I asked once I calmed down and decided to trust him. If Declan said he’d protect me from Senator Morgenson, I believed him.
He smiled. “Vet visits, police-station visits, reporters and in-laws heading into town?”
“Well when you put it like that…”
He stood up and dropped his hand from my neck. I felt the loss as my skin cooled. “No.”
My eyes jumped open. “No?”
He grinned. “My mom called. She and my dad are on their way here, too. They’re flying in later and should be here by dinner.”
I jumped out of my chair. “Your parents?”
“Their son was almost shot yesterday, sweetheart. You didn’t think they’d come see me? Plus, they want to meet you.”
His grin was larger. He looked so damn sexy dressed in his typical faded jeans and simple white shirt. With one hand holding a mug of coffee, he looked delicious, too good to be true. And too amused.
“You think this is funny?” I shrieked. Yes, shrieked. I pointed my finger at my chest. “I could have gotten you shot and now they’re coming here? And I’m going to meet them? They’re going to hate me!”
My hands flailed out at my sides before slapping against my thighs. “This is horrible.”
He laughed and I glared at him. “This isn’t funny.”
Setting his coffee cup down, he failed to wipe the smile off his face as he stepped toward me and pulled me into his arms. “What I think is funny is that after everything else I just told you, you freak out the most about meeting my parents.”
“They’re going to hate me.” And it was important they didn’t. I already knew they didn’t like Mara.
“They’ll love you because I do, and they’ll see that. Talked to them this morning before you woke up and it’s all good, Trina, swear to you. Trust me.”
“I do.”
“Then go get ready, we’ve got a full day ahead of us.”
Right.
Police station. Vet hospital.
Just a typical Sunday.
“Okay,” I muttered, and dropped my forehead to his chest before stepping out of his arms.
He didn’t let me go, though. “You forgetting something?” he asked.
I was probably forgetting a lot of things. Like my sanity, which had somehow been misplaced. “Um.”
“Kiss me.”
I was given no time to comply before his hands slid up my back to my shoulders and then wrapped around the sides of my throat. Declan’s lips hit mine and his tongue slid right in. I succumbed and kissed him back, pressing my chest against his, and holding on for dear life.
When I ended the kiss, Declan’s eyes were soft as he looked at me. “Love you, sweetheart.”
“You too, honey,” I replied, feeling slightly dazzled.
His eyes softened further before his hands dropped from my neck and he dipped his chin in the direction of the doorway. “Go shower before I have to call the police station and tell them why we’re going to be delayed.”
I flashed him wide eyes and watched his lips curl into a seductive grin.
“I’m going.” I held up my hands and took two steps back before I turned and ran out of the kitchen.
Behind me, all I heard was Declan’s laughter.
And I couldn’t stop a smile from spreading on my cheeks.
Only Declan would give me something like this. In the face of something horrific, something horribly scary, he not only made me safe…he made me feel safe. He was taking care of me and making things easy for me, and I knew he didn’t mind, because he wanted to do it.
And while I was in the shower, trying not to think about everything that was going to happen later, I decided that as long as he was willing to take care of me, I was willing to let him.
Because while I didn’t make him safe, the way he did for me, I knew that I gave him other things he needed, and that was the true measure of a healthy relationship: knowing what your partner needed and breaking your back to give it to them; knowing that they were breaking their back to give you what you needed, so you both ended up fulfilled and satisfied.