“Then call her at my place. We’ll both head back here, to your apartment, or wherever you want us.” I mean to sound relaxed, but in truth, I’m worried about my girl. Her finals wore her out, and she’s still waiting on grades for three classes. Yet despite her stress and the demands of finishing law school, she’s helped Declan with all the last-minute legal shit he’s needed.
What bugs me, too, is how quiet she’s been since I arrived. I can’t shake the feeling that something’s wrong. At first I thought maybe her chicken-neck father was causing trouble. She denied it in the few seconds I managed to get her alone, but she can’t seem to meet me square in the eye.
“What’s up?” I whisper in her ear.
She shifts uncomfortably in my lap, and keeps her arms crossed in front of her. “Later, okay?” she says quietly, her attention trailing in the direction from which Declan’s eyeing us.
Tess wants me to drop things, but the worry shadowing her beautiful face tells me I shouldn’t. “You know, Deck, the reason you’re prepared is because your sexy intern here has worked her ass off—making up for all the help you could’ve gotten if you’d only asked. She’s tired—she’s had a rough week. Just give her the night off. We’ll be back tomorrow—sooner if you really need us.”
“A lot could change,” he mutters.
“Between now and the time it takes to get back to my place? Come on, weren’t you the same guy who told me yesterday that you were ready to make Montenegro and his entire family your bitches?” I frown when he doesn’t answer. “What’s changed? And why the hell are you pissed?”
Declan considers me for a beat, his face tightening. “We’ve heard that Montenegro will put hits on his attorney’s family if he loses this case,” he answers. “His attorney denies it, but if there’s any truth to it, I’m going to have a lot more to deal with than just this case.”
I hear the unease in his voice, and what goes unsaid. My hold on Tess turns protective. “More reason to put this asshole and his cronies away for life.”
“I know. He thinks he’s untouchable.” His voice hardens. “We’ll see how he feels when I send him to prison to rot.”
The silence grows an edge that matches my brother’s tone. If most DAs are pit bulls, Declan is a damn bull. His horns are out, ready to ram anyone in his path and toss their limp bodies aside.
His eyes cut to Tess. She’s quiet, barely moving. Like me, he senses her exhaustion and maybe something more. “Tess, you can have the rest of the night off. I’ll call if I need you.”
“Are you sure?” she asks, straightening.
For her not to argue rubs me and Deck the wrong way. We exchange glances. Yeah, something’s definitely brewing. Declan nods. “I’m sure. Besides, I think I know where I can find you.”
Her face turns that bright shade of pink I can’t get enough of. I laugh and nibble behind her ear.
Declan rolls his eyes. “Jesus, Curran, what are you, twelve? Get a damn room.”
“If I were twelve this shit would be illegal,” I fire back.
“Christ” is his response.
A knock at the door shuts us up and sends Tess scrambling off my lap. She reaches for her discarded law journal and fumbles through the pages while Declan resumes his DA pose. The annoyance eases from his face, replaced by the neutral demeanor of a consummate professional. I chuckle, seeing as I know better.
Miles Fenske’s voice booms from the other side of the door. “Declan? May I come in? There’s someone I’d like you to meet.”
Declan sits straighter and clasps his hands in front of him. “Of course, Miles, please enter.”
Miles strolls in first…followed by the hearing-impaired lady from the bistro Declan had crashed and burned with. Both she and Declan go stone still. But where the woman’s skin heats, and her scowl fixes on my brother, Declan’s face turns the color of ash.
Miles’s patient smile fades as his attention drifts between Declan and his companion. “Ah, this is my daughter, Melissa. She’s taking over as director of the Victim Services Unit.”