A few minutes later, spat out onto the right floor, I burst into tears when I saw Declan standing there.
I had no idea how he’d known we were coming, unless Jerry had texted him because George was still on edge—had even patted his gun and stepped in front of me when the elevator doors opened so he hadn’t been the one who’d messaged Dec. How was unclear, but I didn’t give a damn. I was just glad he was waiting for me because I could hurl myself at him and hug him tight.
As scared as I was for my kid, it was way too easy for my ‘programming’ to kick into high gear. This was what I’d been raised with. This was all I knew.
Men got taken down, men got jailed.
Women sat at their bedside, women watched as their men were locked away.
I didn’t like the programming, but it kept me in good stead and would continue to do so, because as much as I hated this, hated what my world was becoming, the second Declan’s arms moved around me, I knew where I was supposed to be.
It was the only thing that made sense, even if he was the source of all my confusion and concern. It didn’t matter.
My body, heart, soul, and mind were all in agreement.
There was no backing out of this.
No moving away.
No hiding behind walls or ignoring my feelings.
I loved this man.
Enough to endure whatever shitstorm was coming our way. Enough to deal with it and take it on the chin, because life was so fucking short.
Brennan was the one being sewn up today, but Dec had only just gotten out of an IC-goddamn-U. There were no guarantees. No promises.
You had to take what you wanted.
What you needed.
And Aela O’Neill?
She wanted Declan O’Donnelly.
Until death did them part.