AFTER A NINETY-MINUTE ferry ride, followed by a two-and-a-half-hour drive south to Portland, Declan and Lydia pulled up to Watermark Tower – where Brother’s Keeper was run and each of the O’Reilly brothers lived. The couple was meeting with all four of the brothers as well as their cousins for a debriefing and to get Lydia up to speed on the who’s who in McKenzie Ridge before their stealth-like arrival – so she knew who was safe, who she could trust.
“This building…it’s enormous. Is it all yours?” she asked as they pulled into the gated underground garage.
He nodded.
“How the heck do ex-military, security guys manage a place like this…it’s incredible,” she admitted, in total awe as they took the elevator several floors up to the conference room they would be using.
“It’s high end security. Our clients aren’t your average citizens. They are corporate tycoons, celebrities, government officials, and some are just private sector citizens with more money than God. The rich don’t always deal in money; they deal in assets, too. That’s how we landed Watermark Tower.”
“Someone paid you with a building, a skyscraper no less…I don’t even know what to think of that,” she laughed. “For such a privacy driven business, you’re sure out in the open, sitting here in the hustle and bustle of Portland.”
“That’s intentional and actually what Watermark’s namesake is derived from. Just like a watermark on a dollar bill, it’s in plain sight but not to the naked eye. This place is more secure than Fort Knox, completely untraceable in every way, doesn’t even show up on a Google map.”
“That is brilliant.”
Watermark Tower sat on the trendy waterfront area of Portland where urban lifestyle was all the hype. Waterfront meaning the district that literally sat on the Willamette River. Like all of the buildings in this particular waterfront neighborhood, the street level floor was all retail – from grocery, to boutiques, florists, coffee shops and salons, even restaurants, and insurance agents. Above, was the urban lifestyle living – apartments. The neighborhood boasted area parks, recreational attractions, and public transit. One never had to go far from home for anything.
“We lease out all of the retail space – it lends to the disguise. Some of the business owners live in the building but only on one floor. The rest is all us,” he informed.
“You and your brothers use an entire skyscraper…” A statement not a question.
“Sure. We each live here on our own floor for space and privacy so we don’t feel like we are living on top of each other. We also have guest quarters for our cousins and close family friends. The only other person that lives here is our one and only employee. She sort of works around the clock, so it’s just…easy. The rest is Brother’s Keeper Security, which includes a few temporary housing arrangements for relocations.”
“That’s – impressive. I had no idea,” she admitted.
“Well, the less you knew…” he teased, tossing one of his favorite old sayings that used to bother her to her core.
She giggled at the reference. “Right…the safer I was.”
They stood outside the conference room door, ready to go in. “Tomorrow, everything changes. Are you ready for that?”
She smiled shyly, feeling a bit nervous. “I guess I’m as ready as I’ll ever be. I can’t believe, after all of this time, it’s going to be…over.”
“Yeah,” he said, with sadness in his eyes, “over.”
Both hung on those words, reading into them what they really meant. They didn’t know what was next for them. Once Esteban was out of the picture, they were no longer forced to be together. Dec said he had a past to sort but didn’t mention if she was a part of that process. Time would tell – one day at a time – first they had to catch the bad guy.
They entered the room where everyone was already seated. First, they passed her pictures with quick bios so she would know who everyone was, the people they would be working with and engaging with. Her sister’s new family-like friends.
It was overwhelming at first, but she went through the pictures over and over, learning names and faces. One in particular stood out. Colton Sparks. He was Trinity’s love interest, well, Meg’s…she needed to remember her name was now Meg. She was happy that her sister was able to build such a good life for herself, and even find love in what could have been the worst of situations. She really did make the best of it and gave Jax the life she promised she would.
“You’re awfully quiet tonight.” Declan said, stepping out onto his balcony where she was sitting.
She sipped her glass of wine and smiled, her gaze stuck on the view that twenty something stories above the city boasted. “Just a lot to think about. Today was pretty crazy, right?”
He sat next to her in the corner of the plush outdoor loveseat and took her wine glass, placing it on the small table next to him. He pulled her back against him and held her. “I know this is hard, but we are so close to getting him. You can do this, Lydee. You’re strong, smart, and you can beat him. You’re going to get your son back and won’t have to worry or run anymore.”
“I know. It seems so weird to be so sullen. I should be happy, and I am, but it’s all so overwhelming, ya know?” A single tear streaked her cheek; she didn’t know if it was one of joy or sorrow.
“I know. This is what we have been fighting for, and it’s all about to come together, but then what…” he said, knowing her sadness was less to do with a chapter closing and more to do with them possibly ending. He had the same fear and worry. “Once we get what we’ve wanted, and Esteban goes away, what do we do the day after?”
“Exactly.” It was like he was reading her mind. She was getting her son back, her sister…but where did Dec fit into all that? If they weren’t running, what were they doing?
“How about we go back to one day at a time. It’s all we can do, focus on the now, deal with tomorrow when we have to. You know I love you, Lydia, and that doesn’t change just because our circumstance does,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
She turned her head to look up at him, taking his mouth in a long kiss that was full of meaning. Turning the rest of her body to face him, she straddled him, her kiss becoming more urgent. Her hands running through his hair.
With his hands on her ass, they slid up her back, under her shirt where his fingers raked against her skin, setting her on fire. He stood, her legs still around his waist, and he moved inside the sleek penthouse-like apartment. Down the long hall, he ended in his bedroom where he finally broke their kiss.
“Let me show you – let me show you how much I love you,” Declan said in a deep seductive timbre.
His words were as sensual as his hands under her shirt, massaging her body. When he climbed into the middle of the bed and set her down, she pulled her white fitted t-shirt over her head. He followed by unclasping her bra and tossing it aside. His hand landed on her chest, and he dragged it down between her breasts, feeling her silky soft skin.
Eyes heavily hooded, a breathy sigh of pleasure trailed as her tight rosy buds tightened in response to his smoldering provocative touch. Laying back slowly, she arched her back in an alluring come hither way, inviting him to take more of her.
With his shirt over his head and his gym shorts shed, he sat bare and looked at the beauty that was Lydia. He was hungry for her, every inch of her, and he knew this night was perhaps his last to leave his mark. Grabbing the waist of her legging style yoga pants, he pulled them down her body; she wasn’t wearing anything underneath.
Surprised by his findings, he let out a moan of his own. The sight of her, laying there, writhing in desire, was something he had no words for. Grabbing each ankle, he widened her legs, exposing the very thing he hungered for most.
At first, she was shy – the move had been bold, intimate, and left her feeling vulnerable. But when she saw the pleasure the sight of her body brought him, she felt brazen and sexy, widening her legs even more, dropping her knees to the sides, arching, tempting him, daring him…begging him.
“You’re so beautiful,” he said before dipping his head between her legs and pleasuring her.
He brought her to the edge, several times, but wouldn’t give her the euphoria she desired. Not until he was done tasting every inch of her body. He stroked her with his fingers, dipping inside of her every few strokes, teasing her as he licked and bit his way up her body.
Spending time at each breast, he loved on her, showed her how much she meant to him with every kiss, every lick, and every nip along the way. When he finally made it up her collar bone and to her neck, he stopped and looked her into the eyes.
They were swirling with delight, pure ecstasy; she was lost in him. He didn’t want to forget a single moment of his night. He positioned his body above her, his heavy length at her entrance, and he just looked at her. He wanted to remember every sound she made, every sultry expression. He finally entered her, causing her to arch even more from the pleasure it brought her.
It was clear to him, she was hanging on every moment too, taking everything she could and committing it to memory. They had made love many times and enjoyed each other thoroughly each and every time. This time, however, there was something different. Something deeper. Something more meaningful.
It felt like an emotional, heartfelt, goodbye.