Never Been Ready (34 page)

"Well, well...if it isn't the movie star. Haven't gotten tired of my daughter yet, huh?"

My fist collided with his face so fast that I barely saw it. I only registered his head snapping back afterward.

"You shut the fuck up, do you understand? The police are going to be here in less than five minutes. Then, you will finally be arrested and punished for the multitude of sins you've committed over the years, including when you tried to kidnap my son today. You're going away for a long time, Mr. Morgan."

He just sneered at me, giving me that evil smile that said he didn't give a fuck about what I'd said.

"Do you remember what I told you about how much they love child abusers in prison?"

His eyes went wide just as I heard the sirens pulling into the parking lot. I gave a wave, and the police cars headed in our direction.

Turning my head back to Clayton, I gave a wicked grin and said, "You have fun in prison, you hear?"

His pleas for help and his cries declaring his innocence were the last things I heard as the cops shoved him in the police car before driving away.

~Leah~

I broke down the last box and took a final look around. We'd done it. Every box was unpacked, and everything was put away.

We had a new place to call home.

It had taken a solid week to unpack. Between my work schedule and driving back and forth to Williamsburg to visit Connor, we'd managed to cram the entire week full of activities, leaving little time for thinking.

I thought we were both avoiding the inevitable, but sooner or later, we'd have to talk about it.

Hands slid around my waist as Declan pulled me close.

"Looks good," he said, his mouth hovering over my shoulder.

"It does, doesn't it?"

"I wasn't talking about the room."

He dusted featherlight kisses on my skin that sent shivers down to my toes. He spun me around, and I immediately became lost in his dark gaze. Declan had the ability to say so much with even the slightest expression. Right now, I saw a million emotions churning under the surface of his intense stare.

"I love you, Leah," he said intently before bending down to touch my lips with his. "I love you so much," he murmured.

"I love you, too," I whispered.

He trailed kisses down my neck and shoulder. "The thought of losing you...I was sure I'd go mad from it," he admitted, bending down to bury his head in my shoulder.

I stroked his chestnut hair as he held my waist.

"I'm right here. Connor and I are fine. You saved us."

"I wanted to kill him. It took every ounce of control I had not to rip him apart right in the middle of that parking lot. If he had hurt you again, I don't know that I would have been able to control myself."

"Shhh...he's where he's supposed to be, Declan. He can't hurt any of us anymore."

"I was so stupid, Leah. So stupid. I should have let the police handle it in the beginning. I should have had him arrested the minute I saw the bruises on your face. None of this would have ever happened then."

"Declan," I said, pulling his face up to my eye level, "none of this is your fault. Do you hear me? None of it. You've done nothing but protect Connor and me. We could have never known what my father was capable of. Please don't let guilt take over."

He gave a brief nod, bending down to take my lips again, as if he needed proof that I was still there. I eagerly gave him all the reassurance he needed as I returned his kiss. I slightly moaned as he deepened it, sweeping his tongue against mine, like two bodies making love. He slowly led me across the room until I felt the back of the couch bump against my legs, and I fell backward. He laid me down and settled his weight on top of me, his eyes full of heat and need.

"I'm right here," I reminded him. I placed his hand on my heart, so he could feel it beating inside my chest.

"Show me," he said.

Declan's world had been rocked last week, and I could see in his eyes that he needed this. He needed me to show him we were still
us
. I was still Leah, and he was still Declan, and nothing could change that.

"Take off your clothes," I instructed.

He stood and shed his clothes, and then he watched as I did the same. I had him sit down and face me. If he needed to see, then I would show him.

I straddled him, placing one leg on each side of his massive thighs, and then I took him inside me. He hissed in pleasure, but his eyes never wavered from mine as I slowly slid myself down his length.

"Do you see me?" I asked.

"I see you," he answered.

I lifted, sliding up, and then I went back down again, slowly riding him. I grabbed the back of the couch for leverage as Declan wrapped his hands around my waist. He buried his head into my breasts, taking one nipple and then the other into his mouth.

"Do you feel me, Declan?"

"Yes...fuck yes."

I continued my torturous pace, over and over, moving my hips back and forth. As I hit all the right places at once, I threw my head back and screamed my release just as Declan let out a guttural moan of his own.

"I'm yours, remember? I'm yours, and you are mine," I said breathlessly.

"Forever," he agreed.

~Declan~

The vision of Leah and Connor being pushed through that parking lot had startled me, and I awoke on the couch with the afternoon sun streaming through the curtains. I was alone, but I could hear Leah walking around upstairs, no doubt finishing up some odds and ends leftover from moving.

I wiped my brow and leaned back on the pillow, still trying to catch my breath. The image had been haunting me for days, so much so that I'd barely slept. Every morning since then, I'd woken up early to jog, unpack, or run errands. I'd done anything to keep my mind off of what had happened...what I'd almost lost.

Seeing that maniacal gleam in Clayton's eyes as he'd smiled at me before the police had come, I knew he would have done anything to get the money he'd so desperately believed he deserved. Leah and Connor had been nothing more than his ticket to an unlimited supply of booze, and that had been the one thing he needed above all else in life, the one thing he would do anything for.

That scared me beyond belief.

The police had tried to convince me that Clayton's threats were most likely those of a drunk man, and therefore, they were idle, but I had known better. Clayton had been desperate, having gone through half a million dollars in the blink of an eye. He'd needed more...and he hadn't planned on taking no for an answer.

We'd been assured that Clayton would be put away for a long time, but there was still a court hearing and a trial to go through —the very things I'd tried to avoid in the beginning with my ill-fated plan.

I'd thought I could fix everything with my money.

And it'd almost cost me everything.

Leah and Connor had recovered well, considering what they'd experienced. Leah had spent a lifetime with her father, and for her, seeing Clayton behind bars had been worth the fear. The only thing she'd had problems overcoming was that Connor was involved. After everything Connor had already been through in his short life, she hated that he'd had to go through something else horrific. But I'd assured her that he was fine. He'd told me shortly afterward that he'd known Leah would protect him and take care of him, no matter what. He saw her for more than she gave herself credit for.

I jumped to my feet, raking my hands through my hair. I looked around the house that was now void of the boxes that had invaded every square inch only days earlier. Now, it looked more like a home —our home.

I'd had a plan —buy the house, get settled, figure everything out with Connor. Once our lives had slowed down, I would propose, and then we could begin our lives together, finally.

But the only thoughts racing through my mind when I had seen her in that parking lot was the fact that I'd never asked her to marry me, I'd never told her that I wanted her to be my wife, that I wanted to love her for eternity.

In my old life, I'd lived from one day to another, never taking life too seriously. Since meeting Leah, I'd done nothing but plan —when I would first tell her I loved her, when I wanted to leave L.A. for her, and then when I wanted to marry her. I'd done nothing but plan.

It turned out the old Declan might have had the right idea.

Sometimes, you just had to fuck the plans and live. Otherwise, life would pass you by, and all you'd be left with was a bunch of useless, unexecuted plans.

It was time I started living.

"Hey, Leah...I have to run out for a bit. I'll be back."

I heard a mumbled, "Okay," as I hurried out the door.

If I wanted to get everything done, I needed to hurry.

~Leah~

"So, do you think he got lost?" I asked Clare, holding the phone against my ear.

I sorted through the box of picture frames, trying to decide how to arrange them. I smiled, seeing a photo of Declan and me from Christmas. We were laughing, and Declan was looking at me with those eyes that made me melt. Those eyes could make me want to smile, cry with joy, and jump him all at the same time.

"How long has he been gone?" she asked.

"Um, about three hours, maybe four. He said he needed to run a few errands, but that was a while ago. I was going to order a pizza, but I wanted to wait for him."

"Ugh, don't mention food. Right now, food makes me want to hurl."

I laughed. "Morning sickness? Aren't you past three months? Shouldn't you be over that?"

"You'd think so, but apparently, Logan Matthew's child is an overachiever."

"It's Logan's child now?" I tried not to giggle.

"Yes. Until it does something redeeming, like flutter or kick, it's Logan's child."

"When was the last time you got laid, Clare?"

"What?"

"Seriously, you're about to explode. I'm going to hang up now, and you are going to go find that hot doctor of yours. Have him perform some sort of naughty exam on you, and you'll feel better soon, I promise."

"You're really bossy...and nosy. You know that, right?"

"Yes, and you love me anyway. Now, go have sexy time. I don't want my little goddaughter or godson coming out all frustrated and mean because of you."

She laughed, and we said our good-byes.

Just as I was setting the last photo on the mantle, I heard the door.

"Well, it's about time. I thought you got —"

I turned and saw Declan standing in the doorway, holding the biggest bouquet of red roses I'd ever seen. Next to him was Connor, holding a smaller version of the same bouquet.

"Connor! I thought we weren't going to see you until Saturday!"

"I needed him to help me with a small favor," Declan said, closing the door and walking into the room with a slow swagger.

He had changed somewhere along the way during his errands. He was now dressed in dark jeans and a green button-up that brought out the green in his eyes.

"I should put these in water," I said, reaching out to grab the flowers.

He just set them down on the coffee table. "They can wait."

My heart kicked up a notch, and I looked from Declan to Connor, who had a huge smile on his face.

Declan bent down, and he kissed me slow and with purpose. "Do you remember asking me a long time ago about the tattoo on my chest?"

I nodded.

"And what did I tell you?"

I remembered that day in bed so long ago when I'd first run my fingers over the circular design on his chest. "You said people were essentially selfish, and when it came down to it, we would always choose ourselves because we loved ourselves first," I answered.

"God, hearing you say it makes me feel like even more of a moron," he said, shaking his head. "I got that tattoo when I was in a dark place. I thought I'd experienced love and loss, but I hadn't even scratched the surface. When I met you, I couldn't keep my eyes off you. I tried to tell myself it was because you were beautiful, attractive, and alluring. But it wasn't one particular thing that drew me in. It was you as a whole that I couldn't walk away from."

I was dumbstruck. I looked briefly down at Connor and he was just staring up at his father beaming. My eyes met Declan's again and he continued.

"You are my other half, Leah, my soul mate, my missing piece. You showed me that there are still selfless people in this world who are worth all the risk that we go through to love another."

He reached up and wiped away my tears before turning to Connor.

He gave him a wink. "You ready?" he asked.

Connor gave an enthusiastic nod. Declan started undoing the buttons to his shirt, and Connor mimicked his father. When the two undid the last button and parted their shirts together, I gasped.

Where Declan's tattoo had been empty in the middle, it was now filled with an intricate
L
. I looked over at Connor, and he proudly displayed a smaller matching version of his father's tattoo.

"Oh my God, that better not be permanent!" I said quickly, pointing at Connor.