Page 86 of Declan

Declan

IwasrelievedIssadecided to go with Jessica. Not that I would’ve thought anything bad about her if she had chosen to stay and seek out her own vengeance, but I know how difficult it can be to come back from that kind of chaos. I’m not sure she would be able to.

Matt had instructed Jessica to take my car and head back to my penthouse, and we’d catch a ride back with Joe. Worst-case scenario, we’d walk a ways, but either way, I knew it was going to be a long night with all the loose ends that we needed to clean up to ensure the investigation would go in the direction that best suited our agenda.

We were lucky there weren’t a lot of cameras between this industrial park and the freeway, so once we moved the SUV Issa was driven here in, there wouldn’t be any connection to it.

Even more shocking was the lack of operating cameras outside of the courthouse that should’ve caught Issa being taken. Finding the person responsible for this accomplishment has Matt all in a lather, a mission I’m sure he will accomplish eventually.

When we arrive back at my penthouse, we find Issa and Jessica sitting in my study, with Issa curled up in one of my oversized chairs. I walk directly to her, bending down and sliding my arms beneath her and lifting her. She yelps in alarm, clutching my shoulders as she says, “Declan, I’m too–”

“Nope,” I interrupt, tossing her higher on my chest as I turn and sit in the chair with her in my lap. Her arm settles over my shoulders, and I clutch her to me at an awkward angle, my arms wrapping tightly around her waist and my head pressing against her chest. She moves her other arm up so she’s hugging my head to her, and she must be looking around the room questioningly because Dare says, “He just needs a minute.”

And then Tony adds, “Yeah, it’ll pass. Then he’ll be right back to the same old asshole.”

She laughs, and the vibrations against my ear fill me with warmth. I press closer and inhale through my nose, and then exhale out my mouth a few times until I feel some of that deep-rooted panic start to recede.

After a few more moments, I lift my head, and she releases me and then watches me as I straighten. She wiggles like she’s going to stand, but I tighten my hands on her, shake my head, and say a bit brokenly, “Stay. Please.”

She gives me a small smile and nods, then wiggles around some more until she finds a comfortable position. The room is quiet for a moment, and then Jessica asks, “Is it over?”

I nod, but Matt replies, “For now, but since I’m getting the impression your guys’ little operation has probably pissed off quite a few people over the years, I’m guessing more people are gonna come out of the woodwork, thinking they have a target.”

Issa and Jessica share a look, but neither of them says anything, so I say, “I get it if you don’t wanna talk about it, but we have to. You don’t have to do it now, but soon. You don’t even have to talk to me about it if you don’t want to, but if nothing else, you need to give Matt a list of people to follow up on. He won’t show it to anyone unless he has to.”

Jessica looks at Issa again, and she nods, so Jessica turns her gaze to Matt and says, “We’ll talk about it. I’ll get you whatever you need.”

He nods, and then the room is once again quiet as everyone gets lost in their own thoughts. Eventually, Issa murmurs, “Do you think one of those assholes had Bobby killed?”

I freeze and look to Jessica, who’s also frozen on the sofa next to Matt. We all look at each other, wide-eyed and not at all slyly, and when no one says anything, Issa looks at me, her eyes narrowing as she says, “You know who killed him.”

It’s clearly a statement, and my attempt to school my features is pointless because we’ve already said too much by saying nothing. I clear my throat and reply, “It’s not my story to tell.”

Her eyes narrow further, and she pokes me in the chest, but I’m saved from having to answer when Jessica interrupts, “It was me.”

Issa’s eyes widen, and her mouth falls open as her head swivels around. She stares at Jessica in shock, completely silent for a few long moments, and then she laughs. I’m not sure if it’s because she doesn’t believe her or if she just thinks it’s really funny, but we all sit back and watch her as she laughs for a couple of minutes and then leans back against me and says, “Good.”

Jessica frowns, her attention turning to Matt briefly before focusing back on Issa. “That’s all you have to say?”

She shrugs and makes a dismissive motion with her hands. “What else is there to say? If you ended up having to kill him, it can only be because he decided to stop pretending to be the villain and escalated into the villain. Fuck him.”

“Do you want me to tell you the whole story?”

Issa shakes her head and says, “All I need to know is if you’re okay.”

“I am,” Jessica replies firmly. “It was kind of touch and go there for a few, but I’m good.”

Issa remains quiet for a moment and then says, “Seriously, Jessica. Touch and go seems a bit of an understatement on the situation, and there’s no way you’re just good now.”

Jessica swallows and then sighs, looking incredibly uncomfortable, as she whispers, “I’m mostly good, and I will be entirely good. In time.”

Issa pushes off of my lap, and I release her, knowing she needs to be there for her friend.

She squishes between Jessica and Matt on the loveseat, and I hide my smile behind my hand at the affronted look on Matt’s face. I clear my throat, and his eyes meet mine, and I waggle my brows, earning me a dirty look as if I don’t know what’s going on in his head.

I turn back to Issa and Jessica, and I see that their hands are clasped, and they’re staring at each other a bit glassy-eyed, and finally, Issa says, “I wish you would’ve come to me. I wish I could’ve been there for you.”

Jessica chokes out of laugh and leans forward, wrapping her arms around Issa as she says in a harsh whisper, “I know what you did for me. He told me. Don’t you ever fucking do that again. Do not ever blindly sacrifice your happiness for me.”

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