Bang(78)

“Thank you. We just finished a remodel. For the past few months we’ve been living in a construction site,” she says in playful displeasure.

I snicker at her mock exasperation, and she turns to me with a smile and adds, “You have no idea how many filthy ass cracks I had to look at during the process.”

We both laugh at her crass words as she leads us through the impressive house.

“Cal, the Vanderwals are here,” she announces as we walk into a large home office which looks to double as a library as well, but I immediately stumble when I see Declan standing next to his father in front of the large, wood-burning fireplace.

“Bennett,” Cal calls out as he walks over to us, but my eyes remain locked on Declan.

What the f*ck is he doing here?

My neck heats in anxiety, almost instantly, as I stand arm in arm with my husband. Declan’s eyes are dark as he looks at me with Bennett, and I give him the best “What the hell are you doing here?” look I can muster without drawing attention to myself.

“Nina,” Cal greets, snapping me out of my nonverbal exchange with his son, and when I turn my attention to the silver-haired man, I smile.

“Mr. McKinnon, it’s so good to see you again. It’s been far too long.”

“Enough formalities. Call me Cal and do an old man a favor,” he says, opening his arms to me for an embrace. As I give him a hug, I look over his shoulder to Declan who is taking a long sip out of his brandy glass. When Cal draws back with a pleased grin, he looks to Bennett, saying, “You’re one lucky man.”

“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Bennett remarks. “She’s stunning.”

My eyes turn to Declan as my husband speaks his doting words. His face has a hard set to it as he begins to walk over, and in a powerful tone, he speaks to Bennett with his eyes remaining on me, “Entirely stunning. Yet somehow she married you.”

I narrow my eyes at him before he looks to Bennett. His jealousy, if he doesn’t get it under wraps, could ignite danger in this delicate situation, but Bennett takes it as manly banter and responds, “Indeed. Maybe it was a moment of weakness when she said yes to my proposal, which is why we married within months. I couldn’t risk losing her when she finally came to her senses.”

As awkward as it is, I have to keep the jig up as his wife, so I turn to him, laughing in false amusement, giving him a taste of the sass he enjoys so much. “Please, I had already figured you for another helpless man in need of a woman’s influence before we ever said our ‘I do’s.’”

“And yet you still married me,” he laughs.

“Smart woman,” Cal boasts.

“And why’s that?” I ask slyly.

“Well,” he starts as he steps towards Bennett, clapping his hand on to my husband’s shoulder, “most men only strive to be half of what he has become, and they still fail. I can only admire a man who works hard for everything he has. No handouts taken.”

I note the underlying passive aggressive statement. That he’s implying Declan is of the latter. His remark irritates me, and the need to speak up and defend the guy I feel is becoming a friend of mine pangs at me, so I snap in haste, “If nobody took those handouts, Cal, then everything would simply be left to die. Is that what you want to see? The death of everything you’ve worked so hard for? Or rather, you could take pride in the person who gives a shit enough to step in to ensure your dream continues to thrive. Seems you’ve got priorities a tad misappropriated and you should start respecting those that don’t follow in your macho do-for-yourself attitude.”

The look on Cal’s face is of priceless shock that I would speak so bluntly to him. The two of us just look at each other when Bennett finally speaks. “Honey—”

“Don’t,” I snap, interrupting him. “Don’t defend his way of thinking. It’s sophomoric.”

“You’ll have to excuse her. She’s a feisty one,” he remarks, trying to lighten the tension I just created.

When I look over to Declan, the air suddenly feels a little too thick to breathe.

“I can appreciate fire,” Cal responds, giving me a wink, which irks me.

“Camilla,” I say, turning my attention to her while she stands stoically at Cal’s side, keeping a tight lip this whole time. “Could you show me to the powder room?”

After she gives me directions to the restroom, I excuse myself from the group for a much needed breather. Closing the door behind me, I lean against it and drop my head. I’m not sure what I was thinking, making a fool out of myself back there for a guy that’s nothing more than a con to me.

“He’s more than a con,” the voice inside my head tells me. But the fact is, no matter how I identify with Declan, he is, at the end of the day, a con that I’m working. The fact that I can relate to him on certain levels isn’t ideal, but it doesn’t change the bottom line either. I need to pull my shit together, be the loving wife right now, and deal with Declan later. Preferably back in Chicago.

The turning of the door handle against my back causes me to startle and jump away.

“What the hell are you doing?” I seethe under my breath when Declan steps in, closing and locking the door behind him. “Why are you even here?”

He completely ignores my questioning and starts on his own, asking, “Why do you look at him like you do?”