We spent the rest of the day holed up in the guest room. I had managed to put all intrusive thoughts at the back of my mind and fully focus on Declan. I was all in.Declan seemed to appreciate that because he became more attentive than ever. He kissed me every time he laid his eyes on me, making my heart flutter. He held me every chance he'd get, like he'd never let go.We barely slept that night. We didn't stand a chance against the soft bed that was definitely made for long, hard nights. Wanting more, I woke up in the middle of the night and touched him subtly. He was soundly asleep, so I had all the time in the world to run my hands along his body.Before I knew it, he growled and pushed me under him, releasing himself in my tight, wet heat. Only after that did we finally find sleep.The next morning, he brought breakfast to me which consisted of pancakes and bacon. We tried to focus on the food, but as I took a bite of the second bite, Declan began running kisses down my neck.
"So, you didn't get your daily dose of your super client, you must be having withdrawals," Marcella said, a smug look on her face.I rolled my eyes at the lame joke; I was in no way addicted to him. After yesterday, I needed some time away from him to clear my head. I might have made some promises, but after having time to think about it, I realized that we both needed to stay away from each other, so I could figure out what to do about Cassandra and a way to keep my job.However, he was not the easiest man to resist. Resisting him at all took a lot of self-control and I didn't think I had much left. So, I was going to bury myself in work and not think about him. Right after I read this really short article about his extra-curricular activities. Maybe I am a little addicted.I felt Marcella's eyes on me and looked up at her. "What do you want?" I asked spitefully."Oh, nothing, just making sure you're okay," she said.I narrowed my eyes at her, but went back to what I was readin
"So, are we going to talk about yesterday, or…?" Marcella said, handing me a cup of coffee.I sipped slowly, wishing the drama in my life moved slowly as well. I glared at her as I rubbed the back of my neck; sleep had escaped me last night. I had spent the night stuck in my head, trying to figure out what to do."I hate to say I told you so, but I do remember telling you so," she said, tapping my shoulder.I swiped her hand off, not in the mood to hear that right now. "You can gloat later. My life is going to pieces.""Okay, okay. I'm sorry," she said, pulling out the bar stool beside me. She placed her coffee cup on the kitchen counter and turned to me. "What are you going to do?""I don't know. I have no f*cking idea." I turned to Marcella, my voice breaking. "I don't want to hurt him, Marcy, I really don't.""It's alright.""No, it's not alright. Things are going to sh*t, and I have no control over it.""Calm down, Leah. Let's figure this out together." She placed a hand o
*Declan*I sat alone in my dimly lit apartment, cradling a glass of whiskey, my mind consumed by the thoughts of Leah Garcia. She had taken control of my mind, body and soul. There was nothing I could do about it. I had no choice but to let her fire consume me, and now I'd gotten burned.Even though she had walked all over my heart repeatedly, if she walked through my door right now, I would be at her feet again. I took a bitter sip of my drink, trying to distract myself with alcohol. My 'relationship' with Leah definitely didn't go how I wanted it to.I was tired of her constant games, lies and inability to trust me enough to tell me whatever it was that was bothering her. I poured my heart out to her on numerous occasions, bared my soul, and yet she still remained elusive. For as hard as I tried, I couldn't get a solid hold of her.But she had managed to get a solid hold of my heart. So solid that it hurt whenever she pulled away from me.I sat on the edge of my couch, staring b
*Leah*Standing in front of Declan's door, I took a deep breath and steadied myself. This was my first time at his apartment. I had to dig through all the documents Janet - his secretary had handed to me just to find his address.I hesitated for a moment before knocking on the door. A few seconds passed, and then I heard footsteps approaching. The door swung open and I was face to face with Declan. I wasn't ready for the look of pure despair in his eyes. I quickly composed myself and opened my mouth to speak."Can I come in?" I asked subtly, hoping I hadn't hurt him enough to make him hate me.Surprisingly, he let me in, making me hopeful, because that meant he didn't hate me… yet. I stepped in tentatively, taking in the sight of the apartment. It wasn't like a typical bachelor's pad, but it was all man.It had gray walls, dark furniture, a bar, and a well-equipped kitchen. I couldn't see the rest of the apartment, but I could tell that it was entirely Declan."Let me take your c
The soft light of the morning streamed through the windows, casting a warm glow across the disheveled sheets of the bed. I pulled the sheets closer to cover my naked body, resting my head on Declan's chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart.Last night was more than what I expected. I hadn't expected much when I made the decision to come here, but I was glad I did. Even though I had hurt him on multiple occasions, Declan still opened his heart to me.I propped myself up on an elbow so I could stare at him. He laid on his back, eyes closed, a contented smile playing at the corners of his mouth. I smiled in return, staring down at him with pure adoration. My heart was filled with so much affection for this man.We had talked for hours throughout the night, and had explored each other's bodies until the early hours of the morning. I moaned softly at the thought of all the activities we had engaged in.At the sound, Declan opened his eyes. "Good morning, Tiger," he said, his vo
As the day dragged on, time seemed to crawl at an unbearable speed, each moment feeling like an eternity. The weight of the impending story hung heavily on my mind, casting a dark cloud over everything else. All I could think about was how to stop Miranda from publishing it, how to prevent the inevitable fallout that would follow.I sat at my desk, my thoughts spiraling out of control, consumed by fear and desperation. "It's too late," a voice inside my head whispered.No! I'm not going to accept that. It's not too late. I can't let this happen. I can't lose Declan over this, not after all the effort I put into getting him back.The question was, what could I do? How could I possibly persuade Miranda to change her mind? I racked my brain, searching for a solution, but nothing seemed to come to mind. Even if I resigned, it wouldn't make a difference – Miranda was determined to publish, regardless of the consequences.But I couldn't give up. I had to try. Maybe I could get her to del
I stumbled back home, my mind racing with thoughts on how to save myself and my relationship. As I thought about it, only one person came to mind, but I didn't want to go to her. I knew she was a compulsive liar that only did things when it benefited her.What leverage could I hold over her? The only thing I could possibly use was Declan. With that, I made the decision to call Cassandra.A voice in my head mocked me as I made the choice, but I had to try. I knew I was grasping at thin threads, but I couldn't give up, not now. She was my last hope, the only person right now that could help me put a stop to this.The adrenaline was pumping through my veins as I dialed her number. I could feel my heart beating faster and faster with each ring, my palms starting to sweat as I waited for her to answer.Maybe this wasn't a good idea, there was no way I could ask Cassandra of all people for help.But before I could change my mind, she picked up on the third ring."You must really love d