Page 94 of Come Back for Me
She settles against my side. “I would rather have you. I don’t think my heart was ever really anyone else’s. I’m where I belong.”
“I hate that you went through so much in the time it took for me to find you again.”
Ellie tilts her face so she’s looking up at me and gives me a soft smile. “It’s all over now. My divorce will be final soon and Hadley is ours. We can figure the rest out and move on from our pasts.”
I start to say more, but there’s a pounding on the door. “Stay here,” I command.
No one ever drops by here. I go to the shelf that houses a hidden gun safe. It takes a second to scan my finger, but then the front drops open, and I grab the gun.
Ellie’s eyes widen, but she doesn’t move. I probably should’ve mentioned the house has many things like this. When I promised to protect her, I meant it.
I hold the gun down at my side, ready to eliminate any threat.
There’s another knock.
“What can I do for you?” I say, hand ready to react.
“You can open the fucking door before I freeze my ass off.”
Fuck. I really didn’t need this tonight.
I put the gun down on the side table, open the door, and release a sigh while glaring at the asshole standing on the porch. Declan has come for a visit, I wonder why.
“What? Not happy to see me? No welcome home, brother . . . it’s nice to see you?”
“Unexpected to see you, Dec, didn’t know you’d be coming by.”
“Yeah, I talked to Jacob and Sean and drew the short straw to come check on things, make sure the conversation we had wasn’t because of some head injury, and meet your girl.”
Good for him, but I don’t want him here. I was about to have a happy night, and that has just disappeared.
“Go find a hotel,” I say and try to shut the door.
“Connor?” Ellie says from the other side. “Is everything okay?”
My brother pushes through the door, his smile as wide and as charming as ever. “You must be Ellie, I’m Declan, this ingrates older and more dashing brother.” His hand slaps on my shoulder. “I didn’t mean to intrude on your night, but I had a few days with no meetings and wanted to come out.”
“Oh!” She rushes forward with her hand out. “It’s so nice to meet you. I’m Ellie, which you knew, and well, I’ve heard so much about you.” Ellie’s voice is soft, and then she looks down. “I’m a mess. Please don’t judge me on this.”
“Of course not, it’s late, and I dropped by unexpected. Please don’t judge me on whatever manners my brother doesn’t have, and we’ll call it even.”
She laughs, and I shoot daggers at the back of his head. Such a fucking tool. “Dec was going to find a hotel.”
I make my way to stand beside Ellie. I have no idea what exactly my brother’s motives are for coming here. I don’t think it’s just for a friendly visit, though. If I had to guess, he’s here to make sure Ellie is real and that my request for land isn’t because I’m being run around by my cock. God forbid I be happy. Just because he’s too chicken shit to go for what he wants, doesn’t mean I am.
“A hotel?” Ellie asks.
Declan looks back to me and then to Ellie. “Is there even a hotel in Sugarloaf? I figured you’d offer me a room at least.”
Ellie slaps my chest. “You can’t make him go to a hotel!”
“Yes, I can.”
“I wasn’t interrupting an important evening, was I?” Declan’s grin makes me want to punch him.
“Yes.”
“No,” Ellie answers at the same time.
