Page 93 of Declan

He barks out a laugh and says, “Not at all. I can’t keep up with them women. They’re fucking crazy.”

“Do you worry about them?”

He sighs again, his lips pressing together in contemplation before he answers, “Yes and no. I fully trust they’re capable of taking care of themselves, but at the same time, I’m fully aware that bad shit happens regardless of how prepared you are.”

“Well, they’re not being reckless, right?”

He’s snorts and gives me an incredulous look as he replies, “Are you serious right now? Do you know any of these women at all?”

I chuckle, knowing exactly what he means but also knowing there’s nothing any of us can do about it.

Issa walks back into the room, clothed, with a spring in her step. She stops next to me and asks, “What’s this?”

I put the papers back in the pile in original order, and hand it to her. “This is for you.”

She takes the papers from me, a quizzical expression on her face as she sits in the chair at the end of the coffee table. She sets the papers down on the table and swipes through the pages quietly before finally turning her questioning gaze on me as she whispers, “You bought my masters?”

“Well, technically, yes.” I rise from my chair, and close the short distance between us, kneeling down beside her. I sift through the papers until I find the most important one and add, “We bought the whole company.”

Her eyes widen, and she looks at Dare, and then back to me, then back to Dare, and she asks, “Dare I ask how this happened?”

“You’re welcome to ask, but don’t ask questions you don’t want answered,” Dare answers humorously.

Issa gives him a short nod and then looks back at me as she says, “What about all the other entertainers? What happened to them?”

“Well, that’s up to you. You can choose to renegotiate with everyone and then give them the opportunity to decline. Or you can cut them all loose. It’s entirely your choice.”

She looks back down at the papers, her eyes a little glassy, but she says nothing, so I rest my hand on top of her thigh, squeezing until her eyes meet mine, and then I add, “It’s likely everyone will be dying to stay. And if it isn’t enough you own the company to sway them on your own, some people may be more inclined to find out I joined up, too.”

“Declan,” she exclaims. “That is not necessary.”

“Of course it is. I go where you go. But if you want to liquidate that entire fucking company and start a whole new one, then that’s what we’ll do.”

“I’m sure it could use some restructuring, and a new name, but I don’t see any reason to do anything drastic. Once I find the right people to manage it for me, that is.”

“That’s what I figured you’d say,” Darius replies from his seat on the couch. “Matt is putting together a list of possible candidates for you to go through. Or if you’d rather, he’ll coordinate it with Jessica.”

Dare says this last part with a telling expression on his face, and Issa sighs as she asks, “What do you think is going on there?”

He shrugs and shakes his head, and I reply, “You’d probably have better luck getting an answer to that question.”

“And please do,” Dare adds. “Then let us know because Matt isn’t saying shit.”

“Give the guy a break, Dare. He does have a lot going on right now.”

I turn back to Issa, watching her as she places the papers back in order then sets them on the coffee table, her hands moving to rest on her thighs as she looks at me as she says, “This will have to wait until tomorrow. We have plans today.”

“What kind of plans?” Dare asks.

Issa turns her attention to him and raises her eyebrows. “Plans that do not include you. So, unless you would like a new kind of auditory show, I suggest you skedaddle.”

His eyes move to mine, and he appears to be actually considering staying for the auditory show, and I glare at him. “Don’t even think about it. Come back in the morning, and we’ll talk paperwork.”

He sighs heavily, then rises from his seat. “Well, fine. I’m sure I can find something to amuse myself with.”

“If you want to mess with Matt, go hang out with Jessica,” Issa says helpfully, and Dare’s eyes light up as he walks past us, smiling wickedly.

A few moments later, the door clicks, marking his departure. I’m still kneeling on the floor at her feet, and she leans close, cupping my face in her hands as she presses her lips against mine.

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