The brothers are chest to chest, with Connor basically pinning Declan against the glass exit door.
“You have to trust me on this, Declan.”
Declan takes a moment longer to stare at Connor, but then he slides out of Connor’s way. “It’s not about trust, and you know it. Don’t you dare turn this shit on me.”
Connor laughs again.
Declan flexes his fists.
I think he might sock him. To be fair, Connor made fun of Declan’s worrying. That’s unfair to Dec. But I’m not getting involved.
Connor glances at me.
Declan turns and looks at me too.
I swallow harder. “What?”
“Fine,” Declan says, even though nobody spoke. “But it better be good.”
“It’s good.” Connor lifts the cute pink bear and wiggles it. “I’m going to give this bear to my favorite baby. In the meantime, get our uncles on the phone. Video call. I want to see their faces when I tell them what I found.”
Chapter 23
Renne
Chi-chi stays until the evening because, apparently, Declan decides when we can come and go from the house today, even though Connor is safe. Chi-chi is cleared to leave after dinner, but I’m not.
At nightfall, Hanna fusses and wants her bath-and-bed ritual. I planned to take her home and have a bath with her, then go to bed early. I want some alone time to think about my boss’s offer.
The trouble with the clinic is that it’s above the city, up in the hills here, near where the Crossbows live, and not in the part of the city where my apartment is located. I signed a lease for a year, so I still have about nine months left. Not to mention I got that shitty apartment because of the proximity to the hospital.
I don’t remember the terms of the lease, but I’m sure they’re not in favor of me breaking it.
I’ve got a lot to think about, but one thing is for certain: I have to keep my job. It’s the only thing feeding my baby.
Hanna cries and rubs her eyes. I carry her around the pool, waiting for Declan to emerge from his office so I can get my damn keys and leave.
Dina has apologized on his behalf multiple times, and I’m starting to feel sorry for her for having to do that. Finally, Connor steps outside.
“Are you guys done?” I ask.
Connor takes Hanna from me. It’s almost like it’s second nature for him to just take my baby. She quiets immediately. Because of course she does.I can’t do anything right.
“We’re done for the day.” His gaze finds the diaper bag on my shoulder. “Going somewhere?”
“Yeah, I’m ready to go home.”
He rubs the back of his neck. “Do you mind staying another night?”
I touch my forehead. “I’m not sure that’s such a great idea.”
“Why not?”
I’m not going to spell it out for him. Staying in his house again with all this luxury and him being attentive to my baby and me, and us getting used to all this, means that once we leave, we have to get unused to it, or worse. We could end up dead when Connor finds out I’m testifying in a murder case against a major crime lord.
My life depends on that testimony. I’m in deep, and there’s no swimming to the shore to be saved. I’ll drown.
My contact told me the witness protection unit put me in this city because I’d just be another single mom in a city of millions. But that’s not the only reason. Massio Crossbow hated the man I’m hiding from. It would be difficult to reach me in Crossbow territory.