Page 43 of Declan's Dove

“Does your head hurt?”

“Mmm.”

“Emilia?” Vincenzo calls from the bedroom. I’m not halfway out of the bathroom door before Vincenzo comes, pushing his way past me. He kneels in front of Mili, her face in his palms. Turning to me, he asks, “What happened?”

“I don’t know. She was taking a shower. I was waiting by the door when she called for me to help her.” I shrug. “I was just going to find you to get the doctor.”

“Go get Matteo. Tell him we’re leaving and to have the doctor meet us at the tarmac.”

“Mili?” I don’t want to piss him off, but my friend is sitting in nothing but a towel in front of a man she doesn’t know and doesn’t seem too fond of. I want to be sure she’s okay with this before I just run off and leave her with him.

“Go. Now,” Vincenzo barks.

“I’m fine, Vi,” she says from behind him. “You know, you don’t have to be an asshole all the time.” She glares at Vincenzo.

I leave to do as he’s asked and find Matteo when my phone vibrates in my pocket.

CHAPTER TWELVE

Declan

It’s nearly nine in the morning when my phone rings. Caleb glances my way from his chair on the porch. We’ve been out here shooting the shit while Liz loads Carter up with a hearty breakfast before we take him out to start on the farm chores. The kid was happier than shit when I told him we were coming over here today. He’s been worried about his mama.

She hasn’t called, only sent a few texts every day telling him she loves him and to be good while she’s away. It hasn’t slipped past me she’s only texting him and not me. Which tells me she’s avoiding telling me what kind of shit she’s in.

My phone rings again. The screen lighting up with an unknown caller.

“Hello.”

“Who the hell do you have fucking around in my system, Shamus?” Kayce’s gruff, very pissed off voice asks.

Too bad he can’t see the smirk on my face. It would piss him off even more, but I’m sure I’ll have plenty of time for that later.

“I’m not sure I know what you’re talking about,” I lie. Caleb gets up from his seat and heads into the house. I hear him asking Liz if she needs any help cleaning up.

“Don’t give me that shit, O’Malley. My screen went black and then a message that read ‘call Shamus motherfucker’ and this number bounced around my screen for ten fucking minutes before it went back to my regular screen. Tate has been going fucking nuts trying to track the bastard and pay him back.”

I laugh. “What is it with tech nerds and needing to one up each other?”

Kayce laughs, his previous anger slipping away. “I don’t know, man. But if you went through all that trouble to get my attention, you must need something. So, what is it?”

I don’t hesitate. “Violet Dupree. What do you know about her and her kid?”

“Name doesn’t sound familiar.”

“Cut the shit, Kayce. She had your card on her dresser, and she left her kid at school with me as his sole guardian. Start talking.”

“Fuck.” Kayce sighs. “What do you know about Violet Dupree? Let’s start there.”

“Very little since every time my guy goes digging, someone cuts off his search, replacing anything we find with an old video game screen, and deleting anything we find.”

“I can’t help you with that.” Kayce says. “Sounds like someone doesn’t want you digging around this woman’s information.”

“Someone?” I question. “Well, someone better change their fucking mind fast.”

“Who is she to you, anyway? How do you know her?” He’s asking me the questions, but something in his tone tells me he already knows, and not just because I have the kid.

“She’s mine.”

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