Page 98 of A Dangerous Proposal

Chapter Thirty

The sound of distant laughter and the soft clink of glasses drifted through the air as Alex walked toward the private dining area. Spotting his target, Alex observed the man as he approached the table.

Declan was a little paler than normal, and his enormous frame, while still powerful, was slightly thinner. For a man who had essentially been dead a month ago, he looked pretty good.

“Do you want to take a picture?” Declan drawled in his slight Irish accent.

“Nah, I’ll just observe your pretty face from here.” Alex took a seat across from him. “I hear you’re in Atlanta for good.”

Declan sipped what Alex knew would be whiskey. “This is where Olivia’s company is located, and my family all live here now, so…”

He shrugged as if it was of no consequence, but Alex knew the truth. This was a massive shift in the billionaire’s life.

“Congratulations by the way.” Alex waved the server over.

Declan waited until Alex ordered a drink and the server walked away before answering. “Thank you. To you as well, I hear.”

The two of them shared a friendship of sorts—though competitive alliance might be a more accurate term. Their bond had been forged over a decade ago, in the aftermath of a bloodbath in a Dublin pub. Since that night, they had traded favors back and forth.

The truth was, aside from Liev and Madison, Declan was the only person Alex truly trusted.

“I’m guessing we’re at this pompous place for a reason?”

Alex smirked. “Why do you say that? Maybe I just missed you, and with the whole almost dying thing, I wanted to spend some quality time with you.”

Declan arched a dark brow. “I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact that a certain Senator and his family—a family I believe you and your lovely new bride are engaged in a nasty custody battle with—are sitting over there.”

“Are they?” Alex feigned surprise, and Declan shook his head with a low chuckle.

“What do you want me to do?”

“Why do you think I want you to do anything?”

“Because you never call me unless you want something.”

“Uh, I believe on tally you are three, or is it four, favors behind?”

Declan’s voice hardened. “I didn’t ask for your help with the Albanians.”

“Tut tut. How soon he forgets. I told you that one didn’t count.”

The Albanian threat to Declan had been neutralized because Alex had asked his brother for a favor, and he didn’t look forward to the day Mikhail wanted payment for it.

“I was referring to my endeavors regarding your lovely fiancée’s ex-husband.”

Declan’s face darkened at the mention of Olivia’s abusive ex-husband. “As I recall, your failure to find him resulted in Olivia’s kidnapping.”

“True.” Alex spread his hands wide. “But I tried.”

Declan glowered at him.

“Fine. We’ll call it two favors still owed then. You owed me one already, and then I saved your sister-in-law’s life.”

“Cut the bullshit. What do you want?”

“I just need you to stand next to me and look vaguely menacing with all your Bloom power on display. You’ll love it. No one does sneering condescension the way you do,” Alex mocked.

“Why haven’t you already put a stop to this shit? Wouldn’t it be easier to resolve this with a more direct approach?” Declan frowned. “From what I’ve learned about the kid’s dad, he’s a nasty little fucker, no one will miss.”

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