Hush (Black Lotus #3)(19)

His words are harsh, but they’re in jest. These boys go way back to their days at Saint Andrew’s, so it’s no surprise they fight like brothers, despite their age gap.

“Well, then, if all is in place here, I guess I’ll head to my hotel.”

“Lachlan, wait.”

He takes a step closer to me, and I ask, “Have you heard anything about my dad? Good or bad? Has anyone called you?”

“You’ve been with me all day,” he says, but no matter how content I feel, there’s still unsettling anxiety when it comes to my dad.

“I know, I just . . .”

“I promise you I’m doing everything I can, love. We’ll find him for you.”

I nod as I feel the weight of the unknown swell in my chest, and Declan immediately senses it. He quickly dismisses Lachlan when I wander over to the windows and stare out.

“This is a good day,” he tells me when he moves to stand next to me along the window.

“What if he’s down there, right under my nose, among all those people?”

“Then he won’t be too hard to find.”

My eyes skitter over the men and women walking along the sidewalks, enjoying their night, when Declan pulls me away.

“I’m doing everything I can. We have several people at this point that are trying to find him. The manifest is only one angle of the many we are working on. But you heard Lachlan,” he stresses. “He’ll call us with any updates.”

“I know, I’m just—”

“On edge,” he interrupts, finishing my thought, and he’s right.

I want answers, and these past few days of waiting are eating me alive.

“Not tonight. I want to see that smile again.”

“You act like it’s the first time you’ve ever seen me smile.”

“It’s the first time I’ve seen you truly smile from your soul. You—Elizabeth. You wear it differently than the woman I knew in Chicago, and I want to see it again,” he says and then picks me up, hoisting me over his shoulder.

“Declan!” I squeal out in playfulness. “What are you doing?”

“I’m going to get you naked, tie you up, and then order myself dinner,” he teases.

“You’re such a romantic *.”





MY FIRST MORNING here at One Hyde Place was a busy one. No time for lounging in bed until the afternoon. Declan was up early yelling on the phone at a hacker he hired to find out more information on my dad. After that call ended, I sat in his office with him as he proceeded to make more calls about my father, growing more and more impatient as his stress amplified. He’s been putting himself under so much pressure to find him, but I didn’t want him to get any more worked up than he already was, so I convinced him to step away for a while and take a shower with me to calm him down.

After we were dressed, I met with the head of security downstairs to input all my information, along with my iris and fingerprint scans. Declan then introduced me to a few of the employees that I would be seeing on a daily basis before we returned to the apartment. It wasn’t but a few minutes later that the woman who works for the butler service arrived with groceries we requested earlier in the morning.

And now I sit in the living room, reading “A Tourist’s Guide to London” that I asked Lachlan to bring over from his hotel. He dropped it off earlier along with a new cell phone that Declan insisted on me having instead of the cheap disposable one I was using since I left Nina’s phone back in the States. Lachlan input his number along with all of Declan’s before heading back out to run a few errands for us. But it’s now inching closer to one o’clock, and I’m growing hungry.

I rifle through the fridge, looking for something easy, and decide on a simple grilled cheese. It’s practically all I know how to cook, but it’s comforting and reminds me of my brother.

“Is the fire extinguisher handy?” Declan jokes when he walks into the room.

I flip the sandwich with the spatula and then flip him the middle finger.

“What a lovely gesture. If we’re done with the pleasantries, I’d like to make a request.”

Turning the burner off, I slide my grilled cheese onto a plate and walk over to the island bar to sit next to Declan. He hands over an invitation engraved on heavy linen paper with an embossed gold seal at the top.

“What’s the Caledonian Club?” I ask, setting the invitation down on the cold soapstone countertop.

“A private Members’ Club I’ve been associated with my whole life. Both my father and grandfather were members.”

“Is this one of those male-only chauvinist clubs where you all stand around, smoke cigars, and compete with each other to prove who has the biggest dick?” I badger and then take a bite of my food.

“Something like that, but luckily for you, they started to allow women to accompany members at the social events a few years ago.”

“How progressive of them.”

“Yes, well, if you’re done being stabby, I’ve RSVP’d our pleasured acceptance,” he informs me with an appeasing smirk.

“When is it?”

“This evening.”

“Tonight?” I blurt in surprise. “Declan, I don’t have anything to wear. All my formal attire is back in Chicago.”