Page 87 of Starting Over

King took my hand and led me to the front of the room. “I want you to sit with me, darlin’.”

Declan growled, then walked over and took the seat next to me. We all sat in silence for a few minutes before Blade walked in.

“Who the fuck is out there? I was trying to take a nap with my pregnant old lady. If she doesn’t get enough sleep, she getsmean.” He laughed, then halted when he saw Sal sitting at the table.

“Fuck,” he groaned, hung his head briefly, then moved to his seat and dropped into his chair.

“Now that everyone is here. Dec, what the hell is going on?”

I looked at Declan, wondering whether he would come clean and tell King the truth. I understood now why he didn’t want me here. Why he never wanted King to meet Sal.

Placing my hand on his arm, I whispered, “I’m sorry.”

He rested his hand over mine and smiled as he squeezed, trying to reassure me, I’m sure. But I felt awful. If I hadn’t reacted the way I did, I could have asked him in private.

“It’s not your fault. Secrets never stay hidden.” He sighed.

He took a ragged breath and began, “Last I knew, Darcy moved to Ireland. She showed up at our house one night, scared, and told Mom she was pregnant. She said she was too young to have a child and wanted to get an abortion.”

I stole a glance at Sal. He sat in his chair, listening and looking at the table. Unless you were watching him closely, you would think he had no reaction. But I saw the slight flex of fingers, the flare of his nostrils, and the tightening of his jaw.

He hadn’t known.

Darcy never told him.

“Why did she go to your mother and not her own?” Cash asked.

Declan closed his eyes again. I knew he didn’t want to say it. I squeezed his arm and spoke for him.

“Because Kathleen’s son was her boyfriend. Darcy and Sal had been together for almost a year when Darcy left town.”

“We never knew,” Duncan whispered. “She just left. No one knew where she went or why.”

“What happened to her?” King asked, his voice tight with emotion.

“Mom talked Darcy into having the baby and letting her raise him.”

No one moved.

No one said a word.

We all just sat there, a room filled with over a dozen people, and everyone remained silent while we all processed what Declan had just revealed.

Chapter Twenty-Three

Declan

Sal stood from his chair. I watched his every move, as did Duncan. He was a ticking bomb, and we both knew it.

He walked around behind his chair, placing both hands on the back of it. His knuckles turned white with the force of his grip. He lifted it inches off the ground before slamming it back down on the floor.

Before anyone could move, he lifted the chair again and threw it across the room.

At me.

I grabbed Maureen and dove to the floor, my hand on the back of her head, my body lying over hers so she wouldn’t get hurt when the chair smashed and broke apart against the wall behind us.

“YOU SON OF A BITCH!” Sal roared.

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