Page 72 of One Hot Chase

Bree laughs. "As tempting as that sounds, I think we've had enough island adventures for now. Besides, I'm dying to see the look on your family's faces when they meet me."

We hail a taxi and settle in for the ride to the airport. As we weave through Seville's streets, Sabrina twines her fingers with my own. It's a small gesture, but it sends a warmth through my chest that has nothing to do with the Spanish sun. I ask if she'd like to check out the duty-free shop at the airport, but she assures me she just wants to get in the air.

Soon, we land at Gatwick airport and jump directly into another taxi. I had texted my brother Julian so he would know to expect Sabrina and myself at Wildewick Manor. I know he will have alerted the rest of the family.

As our car pulls up to the imposing gates of Wildewick Manor, I feel Sabrina tense beside me. Her usual effervescence seems to have dimmed, replaced by a nervous energy I've rarely seen from her.

"Don't worry," I say softly, giving her hand a reassuring squeeze. "They're going to love you. How could they not?"

She offers me a weak smile. "Easy for you to say, Mr. Charming British Accent. I'm just a divorced American girl with a penchant for trouble."

"Darling, if you think my family isn't intimately acquainted with trouble, you're in for quite a surprise."

The gates swing open, revealing the sprawling estate beyond. Sabrina's eyes widen as she takes in the manicured gardens and the grand Georgian mansion looming before us.

"Holy shit," she breathes, her green eyes wide as saucers. "You didn't tell me you lived in Downton Abbey."

I chuckle at her reaction. "It's not quite that grand, love. Though I'm sure my grandmother would be thrilled by the comparison."

As we pull up to the front entrance, I spot a familiar figure waiting on the steps. My brother Julian, looking every bit the proper English gentleman in his tailored suit, stands tall and proud. But there's a mischievous glint in his eye that betrays his polished exterior.

I give Sabrina's hand one last squeeze. "Ready to face the wolves, darling?"

She takes a deep breath, squaring her shoulders. "Bring it on, Sir Declan."

We climb out of the car, and Julian hops down the steps to meet us, his grin widening as looks at Sabrina.

"Well, well, well," Julian drawls. "So, this is the infamous Sabrina who's managed to tame our brother-in-chief."

I roll my eyes at my brother's theatrics. "Tame is hardly the word I'd use, Julian."

Sabrina, bless her, rises to the occasion beautifully. She extends her hand to my brother with a cheeky grin. "Pleasure to meet you. I prefer to think of it as 'expertly wrangled' rather than tamed."

Julian throws his head back and laughs, a rich, warm sound that seems to break the tension. My brother smiles at Sabrina, then winks at me. "Oh, I like her already. Welcome to Wildewick, darling. I hope you're ready for absolute chaos."

"I was born ready," Sabrina quips, her confidence seeming to grow by the second. "I grew up in a commune, after all. Chaos is my middle name."

Julian's eyebrows shoot up at that, but he seems impressed rather than shocked. "A commune, you say? Oh, I absolutely must hear more about that. Come on in, both of you. The rest of the family is dying to meet you, Sabrina."

As we follow Julian into the grand foyer, I am utterly amazed by how deftly Sabrina is handling herself. She's taking in the ornate surroundings with wide-eyed wonder, but there's no trace of intimidation in her expression or her posture.

"So, this is what you ran away from?" she whispers to me, a hint of teasing in her voice. "I'm starting to question your life choices."

I slip my arm around her shoulders, tugging her close. "Trust me, love, I've never made a better choice than the one that led me to you."

Sabrina's cheeks flush a delightful shade of pale pink, but before she can respond, we're interrupted by a whirlwind of excitement barreling down the grand staircase.

"Declan! You're finally here!" My sister Darcy practically launches herself at me, her arms wrapping around my neck in a tight hug. "And you must be Sabrina!"

She releases me and turns to embrace Bree with equal enthusiasm.

I watch, amused, as Sabrina's eyes widen in surprise before she returns the hug. "It's great to meet you, Darcy. The way Declan talks about you, I could tell I'd like you."

Darcy kisses Bree's cheek and commandeers my fiancée's hand, drawing Sabrina away from me. "Oh, we're going to be the best of friends, I can already tell. Come on, let me introduce you to the rest of the family."

I watch with a mixture of amusement and trepidation as my sister whisks Bree away, chattering a mile a minute as she often does. Darcy does seem more animated than usual, though, most likely due to her excitement over meeting Sabrina.

Julian sidles up beside me, an amused smirk playing on his lips, and speaks in a soft voice. "Well, dear brother, you've certainly outdone yourself this time. She's quite something."

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