Page 87 of Declan

The two women pull away from each other, sharing a somewhat watery laugh as they sit side by side against each other. Again, Matt frowns, and I’m hiding my smile behind my hand.

I look over and see Dare and Tony also doing their best to hide their smiles because we all know, and then we sober as Jessica asks, “So is there going to be any blowback from whatever went down after we left?”

Matt answers, “There shouldn’t be. I feel we covered enough of our tracks that any kind of connection will be nearly impossible. Even if someone launches a different investigation, they won’t be able to come up with anything.”

“What happened?”

Matt goes to answer, but I interrupt, “We’re gonna let that be a surprise. That way, if someone blindsides you with it in public, your reaction will be genuine.”

Issa frowns, and I meet her gaze steadily, and after a few moments, she asks, “Do you not think I can handle it?”

“‘Course you can handle it, doll face,” I answer calmly. “But people are going to be looking for any possible indication that you had something to do with this. There will be people linked to those men who will know that somehow, someway, you were involved. There are probably even people who know you were there because they knew those men’s intentions toward you. Of course, they can’t put that out to anybody without incriminating themselves, so if they’re smart, they’ll let it go.”

“We’ve already established that people are not smart,” Jessica replies dryly. “But I get what you’re saying.”

“You won’t have to wait long since it will hit the news cycle before anyone has a chance to catch you unaware. But it’s best if you don’t know any specific details since you’ll have to do the media tap dance eventually.”

Jessica snorts and pats Issa’s hand as she says, “Oh, I’ll handle that. This one here’s likely to reply with some variation of ‘good riddance’, then we’ll really be in hot water.”

“Seems fitting to me,” Issa replies.

“It’s gonna be enough work trying to get around that little stunt you pulled in court.”

She waves her hand dismissively. “Well, I’m operating under the assumption that the people I mentioned in my little stunt are no longer a threat, so it should be pretty easy to figure out.”

Jessica gives her a disgruntled look and shakes her head but says nothing else on the matter. Then Issa asks, “What happened to Joe?”

“He was gonna go finish tying up some loose ends,” Matt replies.

“Then what’s he gonna do?”

“Whatever he wants,” Tony responds. “We also have some job opportunities for him if he feels so inclined, but it’s entirely up to him.”

Everyone falls silent, and then all of a sudden, Issa’s eyes widen, and she gasps, “Wait a minute,” she pauses and turns to Jessica as she continues, “If you knew Bobby wasn’t coming to the wedding, then that means you had me sign that marriage license, knowing who was waiting behind the wings with a goddamn pen.”

Jessica makes a face that’s a cross between innocent and guilty, and she lifts her shoulder, saying nothing, so Issa adds, “And the dress, the music—all of it was you.” Then Issa pokes Jessica in the side hard enough for her to flinch as she exclaims, “You little bitch. I was set up.”

Jessica’s lips twitch, and then she laughs. “Maybe. But look how well it turned out.”

Issa turns her eyes to me, and I’m sure the smile on my face is incredibly smug because she narrows her eyes and lifts her chin stubbornly as she replies, “I don’t know. The jury’s still out on that.”

I chuckle and lift my hand, beckoning her closer.

At first, she cocks her head at me and crosses her arms over her chest, then shakes her head, so I make a sad face that has her rolling her eyes, and then I bring up my other hand and beckon again.

This time, she stands, slowly closing the short distance between us. “Are you trying to seduce me, Mr. Hughes?”

“Is it working?”

She purses her lips for a moment as if she’s considering my question. Then, she responds, “Maybe. But I’m also incredibly tired.”

I grab her hand and pull her back down into my lap, and she curls into me, her head resting on my shoulder. I turn my head, pressing my face against her neck and whispering into her ear, “I just need to touch you. Reassure myself that you’re okay.”

“I’m okay, baby.”

She snuggles into me with a sigh, but then our moment is ruined as Jessica gasps from her spot on the sofa. I look up, and Issa cranes her head around and asks, “What’s wrong?”

Jessica is staring at her phone, and I already know what she’s gasping at, and her eyes fly to mine as she says, “Media moguls dead in an apparent suicide pact.”

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