Page 26 of Desired

“I’m waiting for a new business one. Mine was compromised.” I explain.

“Ah, then that’s what this one is. The envelope is unmarked, but it’s a new credit card inside.” Declan says, handing me the envelope.

Next is a letter that looks like it was once addressed to my old office, yet it’s tucked inside a plastic bag, with a note from the post office, explaining and apologizing for the fact that it was damaged in transit. Declan is opening the last two of his envelopes, which appear to be advertisements with the word ‘Confidential’ stamped in red to make them look more professional, which they aren’t. “What the hell is that?” He asks with a playful growl.

“Something that went to my other address. I moved closer to the hospital once a space was vacant. I was only there for a couple of months.” I explain as I open the letter, and my stomach drops.

“What’s wrong, lass?” Declan asks, seeing my expression.

“Fuck.” I say, not answering him.

“What is it?”

I cover my mouth in shock.

I can’t believe what I’m looking at, and my mind reels as I wonder what’s inside the envelope.

I can’t open it.

I can’t face this...not now. Not with Declan sitting right here, ready to witness the horror.

And as I try to get up, the man that I’m falling for stops me.

...and he reminds me just why I’m falling for him.

Chapter 9

Declan

Herfaceturnsaspale as a ghost's,as if she’s seen one, sitting right here, next to us on the bed. The joke I made earlier about envelopes laced with arsenic or anthrax doesn’t seem so funny anymore. And I want to pry the goddamn thing out of her hand to see what’s made her so upset, but I know that if anyone did that to me, I’d be pissed. So I let her tell me of her own accord. My only hope is that after I told her the story about me going to see Krystal, that she’ll still trust me enough to tell me.

I watch her open the letter, so slow that I want to rip it out of her hands and tear the thing in two. I’ve never felt more protective of a woman as I do now. With Krystal, I didn’t really give two shits. She had a mouth on her and half the time she ran it off, and she deserved the bullshit she got handed, but not Moira. This is a lass with class. Respect. Integrity. And as I watch her face drain of color, all I can think about is taking any pain that she’s suffering from, away. “What is it, lass?” I ask again, only this time, softer.

She turns it around so that I can see the address on the upper left-hand corner. It’s from a Correctional Facility, arriving via Airmail. The redirect concealed it so one couldn’t tell its origin until it was opened. “Shit. Is that from your da?” I raise a hand and shake my head. “Sorry, lass. Of all the stupid questions to ask.”

“No, it’s okay.” She says, trying to get a handle of herself. “I’m just glad that Shana didn’t see this. I never told her about my da. I wouldn’t want to scare her off, or anyone, for that matter. That’s why I didn’t want to even tellyouabout him.”

“I get it, Moira. But there’s nothing to fear with me.” I tell her, hoping to bring some comfort. “Go ahead, lass. Open it. It’s just a letter. He can’t hurt you with it.”

“Well, this means that he’s found me, Declan, so that isn’t exactly true.”

I place my hand on her leg. “Aye, but he’s in jail, lass. In Scotland. He has no means to reach you other than by post.”

She lifts a brow. “You don’t know my da, Declan. His relentlessness is the reason why I left Scotland, without a forwarding address. He must have hired someone to find me. I know that Richard wouldn’t do that for him. He would rather have died first.”

“You don’t know that, Moira. Everyone has a price.”

“Aye, but da almost cost Richard a lifetime stay in prison. He wouldn’t have anything to do with him again. He’d be a fool.”

“How about we worry about that after we see what it is he has to say? For all you know, it isn’t even him, maybe it’s a prison guard or someone else. Also, if it is him, he could just be reaching out to make sure that you’re okay, especially if he found out that you emigrated to the states. He may be worried about you.”

“It’s been years, Declan.” She argues kindly. “That’s not the way that my da works.”

“How about you open it and find out? You won’t know until you do. I can give you privacy if you like, lass. I don’t mind.”

She grasps my leg. “No, please. I want you to stay.”

I smile warmly. “Then I’m not going anywhere if you don’t want me to.”

---