Page 97 of Destined Lovers

“We can?” I perk up, and he nods his head.

“If I wanted to move her here for six months, how much of a fight would she put up?” he asks, and I can’t help but laugh thinking of Agnes moving to the big city.

“She will kick and scream the whole way here.” I smirk.

“Figured as much. As soon as she’s recovered, I’m moving her. I’m not letting her stay by herself out on that big plot of land. Even if I sent guards there, I wouldn’t feel comfortable.”

I agree, and I want her here with me. Maybe she’ll love it and want to stay forever.

“So you stayed in touch with her?” I look out my window, not wanting to make eye contact, I can see him staring at me through the reflection.

“Aye, we talk once a week.” I figured as much. Declan and Agnes hit it off from the word go.

“So can we go over the guard situation? I still think it’s overkill.” Like, who are we?

“You will get four—”

“Four? Are you insane?” I cry.

“Don’t start giving me shit, Nora. Four is nonnegotiable. I want one walking ahead, one behind, and then two on either side of you whenever you are out of the house.”

I rub my forehead back and forth. This is too much. “You don’t think two is sufficient?”

“Last year, sure. But not right before the case. I’m not taking any chances.”

I can already see there is no fighting him on this, and for once in my life, I have no energy to do so anyway.

“Fine.” I close my eyes to relieve the headache I can feel coming.

“Maeve will get two, same with Agnes. Then all my girlfriends will get one, as well as me.”

“You’ll have a bodyguard?” I ask, surprised. He must mean business if he’s taking one. He probably could be one himself, if I’m being honest.

“Aye, only when I travel alone for business.”

“What are your friends’ names who will get the bodyguards?”

“Sadie, Evelyn, Annabelle, Lola, and Charlie,” he states, clearly fond of all these women.

“You won’t get any for your mates?”

“No, I think that’s a stretch. Even the girls, I think, will be fine, but I’d rather be safe than sorry. I won’t assign them someone until after they meet you,” he says, which makes sense.

“How does Bennett play into all of this?”

“He doesn’t,” he deadpans, leaving no room for discussion.

I don’t reply because it will turn into a fight, and I’m not in the mood right now. So I lean back and close my eyes again to get some rest.

Bennett is my close friend, and he will want to continue to protect me in some way or another. I’ll leave it for now with Declan until after I speak to Bennett.

Declan

I lightly brush the hair from Nora’s eyes and kiss her pouty lips softly before I wake her up. God, I missed her so much. Simply staring at her face makes me feel so emotional. What would have happened to her if I didn’t run into her today?

It makes me sick thinking about the possibilities, with only the one fecking guy watching over her.

I want to pull her in my lap, hold her tight, kiss her, and tell her everything will be okay. I can see in her eyes that it’s all she wants from me. She wants my love, my touch, my compassion.

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