Page 146 of More than Friends

Chapter Fifty-Four

Declan

Things are going betterthan I anticipated. She’s actually letting me help her. I thought every little thing would be a fight, but it’s not. Every time she has a contraction, my stomach threatens to jump out of my throat, but I’m trying not to show her my fear. The last thing I need to do is to add to her anxiety.

She’s reading quietly, and I pull out my laptop and open it. Out of the corner of my eye, I notice her stealing glimpses at my computer screen. Eventually, she sets her book down and says, “Declan Sterling, is that an email?”

Without taking my eyes off the screen, I say, “Yes.”

She shakes her head. “Are youworkingright now?”

I tear my eyes from the screen and say, “Yeah. I am.”

She puts the book on the nightstand and rolls to her side, resting on the pregnancy pillow. “So, tell me about your work.”

I arch my eyebrow.

“I know you said you find it boring to talk about, but I’d like to know.”

I close my computer and turn my body toward her. “James and Will set up all of us with stock in their first company.”

I nod. I figured.

“That’s not where all my money comes from – although if I’m being honest it’s worth enough, I could live off it.”

She doesn’t say anything and just waits for me to continue.

“Years ago, I cashed some of it and started buying real estate. Turns out I have a real knack for it. I have a small empire now.”

She sits up a little. “Empire?”

I shrug. “I’ve hired good people who manage everything, so I don’t have to work very often. It’s really a matter of making some hard decisions every once and a while, and I let my staff handle everything else.”

She’s turning this over in her head and then says, “That’s smart.”

“I’m not as rich as my brothers, but I’m not far off.”

I suppress the urge to grin as this information registers surprise on her face.

“Do your siblings know?”

“Only James. He helped me set up the first company.”

I don’t say anything else, waiting to see if she has any questions.

“Where are these properties? Here in D.C.?” she asks.

“All around the world. But I own things here in D.C.” I pause for a moment considering how much I want to share. What the hell – she should know. “I own this building.”

She sits up quickly. I grab her arm.

“Hey, no fast movements,” I say as I prop some pillows behind her so she can sit up.

“You own this building?” She waves her arms around.

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