She frowned. Why do you care? Hell, you aren’t even his old girlfriend. You had one night together and that was it, which he clearly regretted or, at the very least, wished he could take it back.
“Relax, they don’t bite.” Declan squeezed her arm as she spotted a small group already sitting at the U-shaped booth. She’d immediately tensed and he’d sensed it. She smiled brightly, placing her best foot forward all the while cringing inside. This was going to turn out a big mistake, she could feel it.
She quickly took stock of the six people chatting happily away. She recognised the man from the funeral, Bethany hadn’t caught his name but she would know him anywhere. He sat next to a brunette with cobalt blue eyes and she guessed that they were married. It was the way they acted towards one another that gave it away, small things they probably didn’t even realise they were doing such as a covert touch here and there, a secret smile between the two of them, a closeness that couldn’t be replicated.
Across from the clearly loved up couple, was another very happy couple. She hadn’t seen either of them before, the man sported a closely cut hairstyle and had shrewd, accessing brown eyes. The blonde woman beside him, snuggled against his body, her own slightly pudgy and wore loose fitting clothes to hide it.
The only other couple at the table was a honey blond man with chocolate brown eyes who held his wife protectively to him with a possessive arm about her waist, the woman, blessed with gorgeous mahogany hair and jade eyes didn’t appear to mind and was the first of the six to spot them. Her face broke out in a smile as they approached, making her even more beautiful.
“O’Neill, good to see you’re recovering nicely. When’s Donovan going to allow you to come back to work?” The second man shook Declan’s hand.
“It’s still early days yet.” Declan began the introductions. The first couple were Matt and Natalie Murphy, the second couple and the man who spoke to Declan were Darryl and Kellie Hill and the last couple with the woman who had smiled at them were Dean and Megan Matthews.
They all welcomed her cheerfully and she relaxed somewhat as she took her seat, Megan shuffling everyone along to make room.
Declan’s gaze searched the room. “So where is everyone else?”
“Hawke called me and said he was running late and you know Donovan she’s always the last to arrive.”
“What about the happy couple?” She guessed he referred to his sister and her husband.
Dean Matthews coughed. “Probably getting it on. They still have a lot of time to make up.”
Beth frowned and felt awkward. This was why she hated going places. She was always the odd man—woman out. These people knew about each other’s lives and she was going to be feeling like she’s come in at the middle of a TV show’s season, missing the beginning and struggling to catch up.
“Nick and Riley met over a year ago at mine and Dean’s engagement party and hit it off.” Megan kindly filled her in. “But Nick was worried about the repercussions about starting up a relationship with one of my best friends should it go south. Luckily he got over that.”
Declan turned his head toward the door when he heard new arrivals. He soon returned his attention back to the table, clearly not knowing the people who had just entered.
Natalie Murphy laughed. “You know I find it strange that the three couples who have kids are the first ones here.”
“Where are they tonight?” Her face flamed as everyone turned to her. She wanted to crawl under the table and die.
“The girls are watching them.” Natalie took a sip of her drink.
“Girls?”
“They’re not really girls…young women is more appropriate. Megan’s cousin, Stacey and mine and Matt’s adopted daughter, Hallie are both in their early twenties. We have a four-year-old, Darryl and Kellie have two boys. One almost two months old and Dean and Megan have an eight-month-old little girl.”
That explained the loose clothes on Kellie. The woman was in that between weight after the baby is born where you no longer fit into your maternity clothes and not quite ready for your normal, pre-baby clothes.
Bethany nodded.
“Hey, here you all are.” James Hawke removed his wife’s jacket and threw it over the booth’s seat. He waited until the chestnut-haired beauty sat down and then slid in beside her. “Bethany Bennett, my wife, Aimee.”
They exchanged pleasantries.
James filled a clean glass with beer from the pitcher for Aimee then one for himself. “So how are you feeling?”
Again, all eyes fell on her.
She bit her lip. “I’m fine.”
Maybe she could just smile all night, that way she can seem friendly and maybe everyone will forget she’s here if she doesn’t comment.
“Bethany is a little sore at the moment. She was injured recently and had to have stitches.”
Bethany glared at Declan before she was then assaulted with a strew of questions from how she was injured to how long before she could get the stitches removed.
She had barely finished answering the last question when she was blissfully interrupted by the arrival of three new people, one of which was Declan’s sister Riley and her husband. It didn’t take much to decide which woman she was. Even if the other woman hadn’t had obsidian dark hair, and caramel coloured eyes that gave her an exotic look, Bethany would have recognised Riley in an instant. She had the exact same shade eyes as Declan, although Riley had an abundance of fiery, red curly hair. She stood beside a raven-haired, cornflower blue-eyed hunk that looked like he belonged on the cover of a magazine or a calendar. Riley was one lucky lady.
Declan stood to hug his sister and shake Nick’s hand. After some shuffling about they all managed to fit in and within ten minutes’ orders had been made.
Declan drew her attention. “Beth, this is Superintendent Amelia Donovan, my sort of boss.”
“You took over for Uncle Alec.” She attempted to wrap her head around the new faces and names. She hadn’t met this many people in her life let alone one night.
Two winged eyebrows drew down. “Uncle Alec?”
“The Bennett’s and Harris’s go way back. Did you know the Harris’s are grandparents?” Declan appeared to sense her discomfit.
Kellie’s eyes lit up. “Sophie has a child?”
“A son, Scotty, wasn’t it?” Declan turned to her for confirmation.
Beth nodded.
Nick stood. “Well on that note, I’d just like to say there will be another addition to the family in oh about seven months.”
A round of congratulations rose from the table.
“Oh lord help us there’s going to be a Nick Junior.” Dean added just enough apprehension to his voice to make it sound like he was generally concerned which had everyone laughing.
Dinner was served, eaten and the plates cleared away. Bethany was feeling full and sleepy. She stifled a yawn. Surprisingly, she found herself having a wonderful time, enjoying herself and she didn’t want the night to end. Nor did she want to think about how she would never see these great people again.
Amelia turned to Riley. “Aidan doesn’t believe you’ll need to testify but I doubt you’ll have an issue with it should it become necessary.”
“Not at all, that man ruined my best stiletto.”
Nick’s face scrunched up. “Yeah, you don’t want to mess with her shoes, she gets vicious.”
“And just how did you discover that?” Megan leaned into her husband as his arm curled around her shoulders.
Nick shrugged. “I was making room in the closet.”
Megan gasped.
“I learned from my mistake.”
Bethany listened as they all laughed and told stories, particularly of Riley using her stiletto heel as a weapon against the man who’d kidnapped her. Each and every one of them made sure to include her in the conversation no matter the topic, taking turns providing backstory when necessary. They welcomed her without question and she loved seeing the friendship and love between
them. The family James had spoken about. Her earlier discomfort faded away. Having Declan beside her solid as a rock helped, his muscular thigh pressed up against her own.
Comfortable, her body melted against the back of the booth and she allowed herself to enjoy the night, laughing along with the rest of them.
***
“Okay, big brother, spill.” Riley cornered him coming out of the restroom an hour later. Declan should’ve expected it but foolishly he’d allowed his guard to lower.
“Spill what?”
“Don’t play dumb with me, Deckie. What is going on with you and Miss Millionaire out there?”
“I wanted to see you. Since my job is to protect her, I couldn’t just leave her at home.”
“Really? That’s the story you’re going with? Do I look stupid?”
Declan raised a halting hand. “Don’t make anything out of this. Bethany’s had a rough couple of weeks. I’m just looking out for her. That’s all.”
His gut had burned when she’d paled, her eyes haunted when he’d asked her out. Seeing her fright had almost floored him. He couldn’t blame her. Her life had been filled with nightmares these past three visits outside her gilded walls. First, she had been shot at, the second, her friends had been murdered and the third, she had been stabbed.
He’d wanted to help her, give her a taste of freedom and all he’d done was give her more heartache. He may have kept her safe but to what end?
Riley grinned and nodded shrewdly. “You keep telling yourself that, Dec. I give you until the end of the year before you marry her. I noticed the way you look at her. Look around, it’s exactly the same way all of them do when they look at their wives.” She indicated their table across the room. “I like Beth, she’s going to make a great sister-in-law.”
A heavy weight settled on his chest. “Whoa, Riley-O. That’s not what’s going on here.”
“Really? You’re saying you’re not even a tad bit attracted to Bethany? Liar.”
“She’s only twenty-five. I’m an old man compared to her.”
Riley cocked her head to the side. “You’re gone and you haven’t even realised it. Word of advice. Don’t fight it. You’ve been given a gift big brother. Listen to your heart and don’t have regrets. Don’t waste time looking for an exit clause. Embrace it.”
With that said, Riley moved past him and entered the restroom.
He liked Beth and it would hurt him to walk away. To know she may move on one day and the thought of another guy touching her had an ache throb in his heart. There were many reasons they shouldn’t be together but only one why they should. He loved her.
He acknowledged it. Embraced it as Riley said.
Declan made his way back to the table and leaned down towards Bethany’s ear. “Come on.”
Beth jumped, taken by surprise and twisted in her seat so she faced him. She smiled when her gaze locked on his. “Where?”
“To the dance floor, it’s getting late and we should head back soon but not before we’ve had a dance.”
“Okay.” He heard the hesitation. She’d been quiet most of the night. Unsure. His heart ached. A pretty girl like her should never feel so uncertain.
He waited for her to stand and when she didn’t she had a helping hand in the form of a gentle push on her back, he smiled at Megan as it was the right prod to get Beth moving.
Declan took her into his arms, his left-hand splaying across the small of her back as he drew her closer. “Did you have fun tonight?”
She smiled up at him as his heart damn near stopped at the brilliance. “Yes, I did thank you. You have a lovely family. It was nice being a part of it—for tonight.”
He’d had an idea dinner at Tanner’s would be more her style than a party at Velocity and he’d been right. Bethany fit in well with the crowd and in particular the group.
He was glad he had made Bethany happy. From the moment they’d met she had pulled at his heartstrings, the princess in the tower but she was so much more. Sweet and innocent, sexy and seductive, angry and annoyed—all these things and more described Bethany. His wonderful, caring Bethany. He couldn’t deny it any longer. She had gotten under his skin and turned him inside out. Declan had an idea that now Riley had met Bethany and had an inkling of his feelings towards her his little sister would stop at nothing to get them together.
Declan stroked her back with a gentle caress. He loved the feel of her beneath his hand—beneath him. He had tried unsuccessfully not to think about that night.
He had been haunted ever since, his body forever hard. She had burned so hotly for him. She’d been a virgin and yet she had responded to him like nothing he had ever experienced before.
It had been a first for both of them.
“I like your family. They’re very—” She searched for the right word. “Involved with each other. A real family who would walk over hot coals for one another.”
Declan looked into her eyes and drowned in their depths. He tugged on a curl gently. “You’ve missed out on a lot. I wish things had been different for you.”
She played with the collar of his shirt. “You’ve given me tonight. That’s more than I ever had before. Thank you.”
A sharp pain hit his chest and refused to let go. Bethany had a way of twisting him into knots. “You’re welcome.”
Chapter 38
Isaac Hunter’s whole future depended on the contents of his container. In today’s world money and fear only got you so far, now you needed power and clout and backing. If he was to take over as head of the criminal element in Harbour Bay, he was going to need all the assistance he could get.
He needed the files, weapons and cash secreted behind the false back. His entire play for power depended on him, not the police getting hold of the container.
“You know I don’t like failures.” He pierced each of his men with a dark glance. “The next person to tell me the Bennett bitch is still alive gets shot in the head.”
A few jerked at the harshness of his voice. Good, they realised he meant business. Hunter never said anything he didn’t mean.
He had spent his afternoon going over the plans for the Harbour Bay Terminal. It would be easy enough to break in, the difficulty came when he had to locate his container. They only had one chance at this and time was running out. The cops were preparing to open it and when they did all his dreams would go up in smoke.
No. The time was now. By tonight he would have his container, come hell or high water and pity the man who failed him. He directed his men, dividing them into two groups. His most trusted and ruthless would go for his container, the younger ones—the men who had yet to prove themselves to him—would go after the girl.
He had a plan—or at least Jackson’s plan. The man was a good strategic thinker. Hunter wouldn’t like to play chess with him. He hated losing. He waited to hear back from his man. It was unfortunate Jackson would be leaving him soon. He was a good soldier, did as he was told, no questions asked and was one of the most ruthless men he had ever met bar him. But Jackson had cost him time and frustration. He had failed time and time again. Although Hunter couldn’t blame him entirely for that, apparently, the bodyguard was an admirable foe.
It was too bad Jackson had become a liability. Already the cops were onto his arse and if they linked Jackson to him, the cops would finally have something to come down on him like a ton of bricks. He couldn’t allow that.
No Jackson would finish this one last job and when he did, his men were ordered to take him out. He had even offered a reward to the one who pulled the trigger. On that note. He looked over at his men who stood like well-trained soldiers waiting to be dismissed.
“A position in my inner circle will be offered to the man who brings me back the bodyguards head. You’ll more than prove your adequacy in my eyes.”
With that said and the eager anticipation seen in their young eyes, he turned away. There was only one shot at this. Everything had to go well. First the ambush on the Bennett Mansion, Jack
son was providing them with their own key to the estate so that should be easy enough. The attack on the Terminal was going to be harder. It was operational 24/7 and once they were inside there would be no turning back, the only option to forge ahead.
Rage burned inside him. Nothing could go wrong. The moment the cops opened that damn container it was all over for him. They would have enough to arrest him and more. Time was running out and he was feeling the pinch.
He planted his hands on his hips, his hand brushing against the knife sheath he kept there. It was reassuring. Tonight was going to work out okay, he told himself. It had too.
***
He was desperate.
He was running out of time.
Christian Jackson tapped a tattoo with his fingers on the steering wheel as he watched the last light click off in the house across the road. He had been sitting here since sunset waiting for his opportunity.
He didn’t want to do it. In fact, he hated to involve children having been one himself who had to grow up all too quickly because his parents had no idea what to do with a child. They had been druggies which was why he never touched the stuff, not even in his days living at the Houston, a rundown tenement Coleani had owned and leased to his boys.
He slipped out of the car and blended in with the darkness surrounding him with his black jeans and knit top, covered in a navy jacket. He approached the house, knowing full well that there was no alarm as was indicated on the sticker stuck to the window and to his relief no family dog.
He vaulted over the garden fence into the backyard to limit any accidental sightings. He had learned the hard way that it doesn’t matter how much you plan the shit can always hit the fan. The last thing he wanted was to be caught in the act of kidnapping by a nosy neighbour who couldn’t sleep.
Gilded Cage (Harbour Bay Book 6) Page 19
