Page 95 of Destined Lovers

“W-What are you talking about?I can’t move to London!” I stammer.

“Now, Nora! Start packing.” Declan starts frantically pacing, looking around my flat to pack things for me.

“Bennett, I’ll call you right back,” I say into the phone before he starts to freak out too.

I walk over to Declan and put my hands on his shoulders, stopping him from wearing out the carpet below him.

“Declan, this is where I live. I can’t just move,” I say to his worried-looking face. “What’s wrong with you? Why are you freaking out all of a sudden?”

“What’s thisBennett’splan for the next six months when Conor has his crew looking everywhere for you? Because that’s exactly what he will do. I was looking him up, he is a ruthless fecker, and I don’t like you here all alone.” His eyes hold him, daring me to fight him on this. I can’t because I think about this all the time. Every time I step outside, my head is on a swivel. Petrified that I’ll end up just like my parents.

“I also found some other interesting information in the two minutes I was on my phone. Do you not find it strange that only Bennett watches over you?”

“What are you talking about? What does Bennett have to do with anything?” I don’t understand where he is going with this. Bennett has taken care of me since I was eighteen years old.

“In America, witness protection is a high functioning operation. You’re as safe as possible. In Ireland, that is not always the case. There is no legislation governing the program, Garda runs it, and they don’t have the time and resources to make you a priority like they do in America. I understand you’ve been safe, or maybe just lucky, the last decade, but with the case coming up, you can’t rely on only Bennett. He’s only one person. I will hire you bodyguards, until the case, and you will come live with Maeve and me. This is how it should have been from day one. I would have kept you safer than one guy from fucking Garda.” He spits.

“Maeve moved in with you?”

“That’s what you got from everything I just said?” He widens his eyes and shakes his head annoyed.

“Sorry, I’m just a little shocked. I just… I don’t know what to say, honestly.” I shrug. My fiery redhead side wants to rip into him for being so bossy, but my rational side understands and is even thankful for having someone in my life who wants to take care of me.

The other positive thing is that he isn’t leaving me. He’s moving me in, which only means one thing.

He still loves me.Right?

“My car leaves in an hour, so we need to pack up. Tell me what I should put these paints in.”

I stare at him, not moving. Do I even have a say in this, or do I want a say? After all these years, I only wanted a life with Declan. I sacrificed everything. I thought I was doing the right thing, and now in a split second, it’s as if none of it mattered because I’m still waiting on the case, yet I’ll be living with Declan.

“Nora?”

“I just didn’t think it would be like this,” I whisper, and he raises his brows in question.

I shrug and look down at the floor nervously. All of a sudden emotional, not able to get the words out. Declan puts down my paint supplies and walks back to me, lifting my chin with his finger.

“Be like what?”

“Finding you, moving to London. I thought the case would be over and it would be a happy celebration. It’s different now. I’m fleeing, and you’re only moving me because you feel obligated. And you’re so mad at me. I can see it every time I look at you. How will we live together if you can barely stand the sight of me?”

He breathes a deep breath. “I don’t have all the answers right now because I won’t lie. I am mad, Nora. I’m disappointed too, but at the end of the day, all that matters is your safety. And no matter how angry I am, you’ll never be an obligation to me. If we’re not together, we were always friends first, right?”

My eyes fly to his. What does he mean,not together? Does he want to be just friends after all this time? I don’t understand. I’m to move in with him, and what… sleep in a different room and act like we’re teenagers again? Feck off, I’m not doing that.

“Dec—”

He cuts me off. “We will figure it all out in time, Nora. Where would you be if this was six months from now and the case was over?”

“Finding you in London, no doubt in my mind.”

“Exactly, so you’re making it to London just a few months earlier. I don’t see the issue.” I rub my hands up and down my face. I’m too tired to go back and forth on this.

If this is how he feels, I’ll have to give him time and remind him why he loves me more than a friend and that, even though he doesn’t think so, he can trust me with his life.

I go to take his hand, but he pulls back again, and I can see the hurt in his eyes. I sigh, knowing this is going to be tough for a while.

“Okay, Dec, let’s go to London.”

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