Chapter Nine

 

Declan looked at his clock again and scowled. Had the damn thing stopped working? He’d only had two appointments with students to discuss how they could improve their grades, but he was required to keep his door open to walk-ins for another twenty minutes.

Jennifer would be out of her last class by now. She was no doubt on her way back to her apartment for the night. Damn it. He’d wanted to see her before she left. Wanted to kiss her and convince her that it would be just as easy for her to come back home after her family obligations. That she could study for her exams until she fell asleep on her books just as easily with them as she could in her apartment. He’d been working on being less distracting.

It had only been a week since Jen’s sister-in-law, Natasha, had been hospitalized with what seemed to be a combination of Braxton Hicks contractions, or false labor, and preeclampsia. The first wasn’t anything to be the concerned about, but the second meant the Finn family lockdown would continue until the twins were born and Natasha Finn was out of the woods.

Jen had been struggling to keep up with schoolwork and being there for Tasha, which meant a lot of their time together over the last week had been comparatively tame, after what had come before.

Declan didn’t care. He still craved her, now more than ever, but as long as he could take care of her, talk to her, he was able to maintain. She slept in his bed. The smell of her shampoo filled his bathroom every morning. And Trick was more than willing to help him take the edge off.

He couldn’t describe the new peace he’d found with this arrangement. It was like a switch flipped inside him, and it had happened the morning he’d woken up in his bed with both of them curled around him like cats.

He whistled now, for God sake. He’d sat on his living room couch and watched Jennifer attach something to his cable box that put every National Geographic and History Channel documentary at his fingertips. And he could watch them with Trick and Jen lounging beside him.

But nights like these, when her family took her away and she stayed in her own apartment, complete with alarms, locks and a diligent roommate… He didn’t enjoy the reminder that she wasn’t actually living with him.

He felt like a selfish ass. He loved how close she was with her family. Despite her complaints about their overprotective nature, he appreciated how well taken care of she was. She was loved and she loved them in return. Declan actually wanted to be a part of that now. Because it was a part of her.

He thought about Trick. He couldn’t push so hard he pushed her out the door. He’d learned that lesson. Trick always came back, but he had a feeling Jennifer Finn wanted something more than on again, off again. She’d said it herself. She wasn’t a halfway kind of girl. Which worked out well because he was definitely not a halfway kind of guy.

He wanted everything. Trick and Jennifer in his house and in his bed. In his life in every way possible. He knew, more than most, how complicated their relationship would be on a long-term basis. But what they had was worth the complications. It was too good, and they were too completely fucking perfect for him, for it not to work.

The knock on his door made him glance at his clock again. Fifteen more minutes. “Come in.”

“Professor Kelley?”

His blood heated and his heart started to race. “Miss Finn.”

She smiled and ducked her head coyly, her glorious hair swooping down to cast half her face in shadow. She was playing with him. God, she made him smile. “Can I be your last appointment for the day?”

“I always have time for my students.” He stood, desperate to kiss her, but the door was open and the building was still buzzing with activity. “Close the door and sit down.”

She closed and locked it, and Declan could only be thankful that his office was a cramped cubicle with no windows but the one behind him, covered with a closed blind. “Jen.”

“Yes, Professor?”

“Come here.”

She set down her book bag and walked toward his desk. She wasn’t wearing white today. She had on a fuzzy purple sweater and a black, knee-length skirt with matching thigh-high stockings. She was covered head to toe, but it didn’t seem to make a difference to his erection.

Jen walked around his desk and slid past him until she was sitting on his desk. “I wanted to see you before I left.”

“I’m glad, Jen.”

“Where’s Trick? He didn’t call at lunch.”

“I wouldn’t worry. You know that case he’s been working on seems to be heating up. I’m starting to think it’s not the usual cheating spouse.”

She nodded, her smile dimming. “I don’t think so either. But I wanted to thank you both for being so understanding this week.”

“Is she doing better?”

“Tasha’s meds are helping a lot. Her swelling is down, and she’s already complaining about the bed rest order.”

“I have a feeling your brother can’t be swayed.”

Jen smiled. “Not when it’s about her health, no.”

Maybe she didn’t want more than this. Just to touch base. He could do that. Declan sat down in his chair and steeled himself to resist her, caressing her concealed calves and counting backward from one hundred. “We’ll do whatever we need to do to help, you know that.”

“I do.” She paused. “I’ve missed you.”

“I’m right here. Always.”

She placed her low-heeled shoes on either side of his thighs and started tugging up her skirt until it was bunched around the tops of her thighs.

“I mean I’ve really missed you, Professor. Let me prove how much.”

Declan dropped his gaze and let out a low, agonized breath. “Jesus, Jen.”

“They came with a matching bra.”

“We’re in my office during office hours.”

“You’re right.” She sighed in disappointment and started to close her knees slowly. “I guess we can do this another time.”

“No.” His hands stopped her and pushed her legs farther apart. “It’s too late for that now, Miss Finn.”

She was wearing white lace underwear.

“Take off your sweater,” he ordered, his desire drowning out his common sense.

Jen obeyed and he felt a growl growing in his chest when he saw her breasts encased in lace. “You’re going to have to stay quiet. I know how loud you can get.”

Her light blue eyes were bright with need and she swallowed. “I’ll be quiet.”

“You won’t.” He unzipped her skirt and pushed it up until she could pull it over her head, leaving her on his desk in nothing but her heels, thigh-highs and delicate white lace. “You’ll want to scream, need to, because you’re a bad girl, Miss Finn. And you want to be punished.”

“You like me bad, Professor.”

“I love it.” He gripped her thighs and lowered his head between them, kissing and tonguing her through the lace, over it. Teasing her until she squirmed and scattered his papers.

“Declan, please.”

He blew on her clit. “These are still office hours, Miss Finn. Do you need to be spanked until you remember?”

“Yes,” she moaned. “I mean no, Professor. Oh God, you know what I want. It’s been so long.”

Two days. He pushed back his chair and stood, hands tangled in the lace and smiling when it tore apart easily in his fingers. He kissed her and she moaned at her taste on his tongue. He drank in the sound, loving that she came to see him. Loving her.

“Right here?” he rasped, his hands caressing her through the shredded lace. “On this desk?”

“Please, Declan.”

He quickly undid his pants and shuddered when he gripped his cock. “Shit,” he growled. “I don’t have a damn condom.”

Since they’d been together, he’d started stocking up. He had them in the car. He had them in every room of his house. He didn’t have them in his campus office and he’d used the two that had been in his wallet on Trick.

“It’s safe. I’m… You know it’s safe.”

“Wrap your legs around me.” He swore and guided his erection inside her hot, tight pussy. “Just for a minute. Fuck. Fuck, Jen.” He looked up at the ceiling and bared his teeth, already close at the feel of her around him with nothing between them.

“Yes,” she cried as quietly as she could. “Fuck me, Declan.”

He had to. And it was good. It was fucking heaven and the Fourth of July being inside her like this. Every primal instinct, every possessive thought he’d ever had, came rushing back at the feel of her heat squeezing him. He wanted her to be his. Completely his.

He wasn’t gentle. He growled, covering her mouth with his as he took her so hard and deep the heavy desk rocked. She loved it. “I’ve never taken anyone like this, Jen. Without a condom. Not even the first time.”

“Do you like how it feels?”

He growled. “I knew a spanking wouldn’t be enough for such a bad girl. You needed the lesson to really sink in.” He sank all the way in and she trembled against him. “We’re going to pound it into you and go over it again…fuck…and again until you want to scream.”

Declan was close to losing it. She was clinging to him and moaning his name, making him weak. He couldn’t last; he needed her to come too badly.

“Come for me. Right here, so every time I sit in my office I’ll get hard thinking of my dick deep inside you. Of tearing pretty white lace panties and tasting you on my tongue.”

She cried out, her body jerking against him. Yes. He came with her, unable to hold back. Unable to restrain his hoarse shout of completion as he burned up in her flames.

Mercy. He touched his forehead to hers and fought to catch his breath. He couldn’t remember ever coming so hard. He moaned again as he felt it drip out of her.

Mine.

He was a troglodyte but he didn’t care. He’d marked her again. She wouldn’t sleep in his arms, but he would be what she went to bed thinking about. He’d made sure of it.

As long as you don’t make it a habit.

Jen’s weak laugh drew his attention. “Do you have a towel or an extra shirt in that desk? If you don’t, I’m not sure how I’ll be able to leave with my dignity intact.”

“I don’t want you to leave at all.” He slid out of her with a groan and opened his bottom draw, pulling out a white undershirt. “There it is. Stand up for me.”

She pushed herself up and he watched the proof of his claim dripping down the inside of her thighs.

“Declan!”

“Sorry. Got distracted.” He cleaned her as thoroughly as he could, drying himself as well before he tucked and zipped and made himself presentable.

She was slipping on her skirt when he realized, “Your bra.”

Jen looked down. “What about it?”

He stalked her and her lips parted. “Wait, Declan. You can’t mean to—Oh, damn it, Declan.”

Declan grinned at his handiwork. The lace was dangling from the bra’s frame, both her breasts bared. “That’s better.” He playfully kissed each nipple until she swatted him away.

“I’m never buying anything with lace again.”

“You don’t have to,” he assured her. “Trick and I will make sure you never run out.”

She tried to glare but her blue eyes were sparkling with laughter. She was so beautiful it hurt. He was crazy about her. Head over heels.

He couldn’t say it now. It was too soon. Just because he’d known for a while didn’t mean she’d feel the same. He’d known with Trick too, told him, and that son of a bitch was apparently waiting for retirement to set in before he responded in kind.

They want you. They’re with you.

For now he would make that enough.

When she was dressed she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him. “Thank you, Professor.”

“My door is always open.” He leaned his forehead against hers. “Your mother is taking you over to your brother’s?”

“Yes. She wants it to be just the girls, so she’s sending everyone else away for some quality time with Tasha.”

“Will you call us when you get back to the apartment?”

“I will.”

“Then I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She kissed him once more. “Don’t have too much fun without me.”

“If we do, we’ll reenact it for your viewing pleasure when you get home.”

Jen stuck out her tongue and opened his office door, waving before she disappeared.

“Love you,” he murmured, licking his lips to savor her taste.

He looked around his office at all the papers that had fallen to the floor and sighed. She’d left chaos in her wake.

A scrap of torn lace was dangling from his inbox.

He could get used to it.

 

***

 

He’d just gotten out of the shower and was walking toward the library in his pajama bottoms when he heard the doorbell. Declan grinned like an idiot at the sound, hoping it was another delivery. He’d gone on a small shopping binge in the last few weeks. Toys. Restraints. A gaming system, because apparently the Finns had a thing for Xbox and Jen was sure he’d enjoy a particular fantasy game. Two kilts—because even though Declan had found some fairly compelling evidence that the Irish invented the damn things—Jennifer had read a book and now she wanted a night with two “Highlanders”.

And he and Trick wanted Jennifer to have everything she wanted.

His smile disappeared when he opened the door. “Hello again, Seamus Finn.”

Jen’s brother wasn’t alone. Four Finns stood with him in Declan’s doorway, doing their best to form a well-muscled wall of intimidation. Memories of holidays with the Kelleys and the stories they told about Finn vengeance and betrayal made him hesitate and study each of their faces.

The blond Finn’s eyes reminded him of Jennifer’s and something inside him relaxed. He stepped back and motioned them inside. “I wasn’t expecting company. Do you mind if I find a shirt?”

“We’ll wait,” Seamus said, looking around the cavernous foyer that led to the living room he’d only just started to enjoy.

By the time he got back, they’d all come inside, wandering around as if they were lost in a foreign land. He remembered Jen’s reaction to his house and smiled. It was a ridiculous house.

“I don’t understand,” one of them was saying.

“The whole wall,” the blond insisted. “He doesn’t have a monitor because the whole wall is his television.”

Declan grinned. There was only one Finn that would be that impressed. “You must be Owen,” he said to the blond. “Congratulations on your engagement.”

Owen started to smile until he glanced at the tall man beside Seamus. “Yeah, thanks.”

Seamus completed the rest of the introductions, and Declan realized he already knew them well from his conversations with Jen and Trick. Chief of Police Solomon Finn was a tall lean drink of water. Serious, smart and potentially sexually repressed. At least, according to Trick. “As in, walk straight into the closet and shut the door behind you,” he’d laughed when Jennifer pinched him in response.

Jen’s brother Owen was everything she’d described. Attractive and confident in his skin. His boyish charm concealed some iron. He was used to going after—and getting—what he wanted. Solomon’s brother Noah Finn was a pretty boy who loved a laugh but never seemed to miss anything. It was clear he didn’t think they should be here.

And then there was Brady. Declan narrowed his eyes. Brady was the handsome redheaded giant who didn’t approve of Trick’s association with Jen. He’d recently found love with a man named Kenneth Tanaka, according to Jen, but he’d also seen more than his fair share of hell.

Declan shook his hand first. “I’ve heard a lot about you, Brady. You’re a genuine hero, and as little as it means coming from me, you have my gratitude for your service.”

Brady frowned suspiciously. “Thank you. You’re Professor Declan Kelley?”

Did he expect a grizzled old man with a cane up Jen’s skirt? “I am. I saw all of you at the hospital but it wasn’t the right time or place for introductions. Would anyone like a drink? I only have beer or water. I forgot to stop at the store on my way home.”

A few of them looked tempted but Solomon shook his head. “We didn’t come to drink with you. This won’t take long, Professor, but if you don’t mind, we do need to sit down and have a chat.”

Declan nodded and they all moved into the living room. He let them sit and get comfortable while he remained on his feet, pretending to clean his glasses. He studied his guests and considered his next steps.

A few weeks ago he’d worried that the Finns would be mirror images of the dysfunctional Kelleys, something he’d already cut out of his life. Their presence proved he couldn’t have been more wrong.

His mother would have loved this. Even if he explained the obvious masculine posturing for a prospective suitor in psychological terms, she would just sigh and shake her head. “They’re here because they love her. That’s all. That’s family.”

And he had to agree. Everyone in this room loved her. It made him calm. Confident. Clear in his goals.

He knew what and who he was. He wasn’t Trick. He could fight, if he had to, but he’d rather save his aggression for consensual play.

He wasn’t like his father’s family either—angry at them for showing up to defend Jennifer’s honor and ensure her protection. He applauded their good intentions, as long as they understood before they left that there was nothing they could say or do to affect his relationship with Jennifer. She was the only one who could push him away now.

They’d come to educate him, but Declan was the teacher. And if there was going to be a lesson, he was going to be the one to give it. And hopefully, they would all listen. “Since you don’t want drinks…I think it’s safe to infer that your sole purpose in coming en masse to my home is to show a united front while warning me away from Jen. Is that right? I can appreciate that, but before you put your plan into action, I’d appreciate some clarification.”

Noah, his curls a lighter blond than Owen’s and clearly the youngest of the group, leaned back into the couch and crossed his arms. “Handsome, rich, his wall is a television and I feel like listening to him talk is making me smarter. Why are we here again?”

“Shut up, Noah.” Brady sent his brother a look of warning.

“What is it you need clarification on, Kelley? We’re here on Jen’s behalf.” Solomon was leaning forward, elbows on knees. Both his tone and posture were meant to throw him off his game. Declan knew he and Seamus were the ones he needed to direct his attention to. They were in charge of this.

“For the record, she would never ask any of you to come here. If Jeremy Porter were here I’d wonder, but he’s not. The Jennifer Finn I know is a mature, beautiful woman who is more than capable of fighting her own battles.” He saw the agreement in their eyes and continued. “She’s independent and aggravatingly stubborn.”

“Why do you say she wouldn’t ask us to come here?” Seamus asked.

“Because she’s the little sister whose problems everyone wants to fix.” Declan held up his hand when Seamus started to argue. “If she knew about your visit, she’d see it as another sign that she hasn’t earned the trust she believes she lost when she let her ex-fiancé into your lives.”

“So for the record, you’re clarifying that she’ll be pissed? I’m pretty sure I covered that in the car on the way over.” Owen glared at Seamus.

Seamus was looking more than a little uncomfortable. “I can see that you’ve gotten to know Jen, but no matter how old or independent she is, she is my baby sister. She’s a Finn. We take care of each other.”

“And you’re a Kelley.” Solomon studied him carefully. “Any relation to Gerald and Roddy?”

Declan nodded. “We share the same paternal grandfather.”

Brady slapped his hands on his tree trunk thighs, drawing their attention. “Did that grandfather give you all this? Because this is not the house of a college professor.”

Declan sent Brady a small, amused smile. “It isn’t the house of a crime lord, either. The Kelleys aren’t wealthy. I haven’t seen them in years but I’m guessing Solomon can confirm that for me. My mother, who raised me alone, was very wealthy. This is…was all hers.”

“I’m sorry for your loss,” Seamus offered, taking a deep breath and shaking his head. “I recognized your name when I met you. My father doesn’t talk about our grandfather much, or the people he had dealings with. But I know the name Kelley.”

“Jen had no idea. But you do?”

Seamus shrugged. “A bit. Bad blood. Rumors. When we were younger, Dad said once every few years a Kelley or two would come into the pub and accuse him of stealing the sunshine in winter, but things never got out of hand.”

“And every time someone named Kelley gets arrested in my precinct, they swear they’ve been framed by a Finn,” Solomon said, his voice wry.

“Reason twenty-six,” Noah snorted.

“Excuse me?”

“Sol the Elder likes to say his father’s Irish luck ran out when he fell in love with a Kelley. That was reason twenty-six on his list of why love is for suckers.”

Declan had never heard about a thwarted romance, but it was apparent that none of them had been inundated with the same negativity the Kelley children had from birth.

He shook his head, laughing softly. “She said my name didn’t matter.”

“It’s not exactly a ringing endorsement,” Brady said, challenge in his blue gaze.

“No, but you’re obviously not here because of it.” He glanced at Seamus, moving to cut off the next potential argument. “I’m a thirty-seven-year old professor with two master’s degrees and tenure. I’m asked to lecture in universities throughout Europe, I’m well-respected by my peers and I’ve never been involved with a student at the college.”

“Until now,” Solomon said.

“Yes. Until now. I struggled with it myself, but I would have made the same decision regardless. And despite my standing, I would accept an offer at another college and commute or stay home and take up baking before I would put her educational goals in jeopardy, or terminate our relationship.”

That statement made an impact.

“Your class is about sex?” This from Solomon.

“I discuss the psychology of sexual identity and gender roles. I allow my students to study sexuality through a broader lens and put modern prejudices and practices into historical context.” He kept his gaze steady on Solomon. “Education and communication is how we eradicate homophobia, interracial prejudice and the violence that follows both. Your family is an outlier, I’m afraid. Whole-hearted acceptance is not the norm.”

“So sex, but not sexy,” Noah said, sounding disappointed. “And just when I was considering a change in careers.”

“Can we go on record again? I’m not enjoying talking about sex and my sister. The last time I found out she was going to the club? I’m still not over it. I’d rather have a beer and watch something on the professor’s wall.” Owen was rubbing his forehead and eyeing the door.

Declan glanced at all of them again and narrowed in on Seamus. He didn’t want to be doing this. He also hadn’t thought it entirely through.

He waited until the pub owner met his gaze. “Why didn’t you tell Owen or Noah about him before you got here?”

Seamus, Solomon and Brady knew what he was talking about, but the other two seemed confused.

Seamus rubbed his face in frustration and sighed. “I didn’t think we were going to have a therapy session about it. I thought we’d say what we were supposed to say and get it over with.”

“What didn’t you tell us, Seamus? Who is him?” Owen leaned forward, staring at his brother. “You’ve been acting off since you got that call. Who was it?”

“Mom.”

“Seriously? Our mom? Bullshit. She wouldn’t approve of strong-arming Jen’s boyfriend, not in a million years.”

Their mother knew about them? How had she found out? Declan got a knot in the pit of his stomach. Jen was spending the evening with her mother and she had no idea.

“Not unless Trick was her boyfriend too,” Brady said quietly.

And then all hell broke loose.

“Brady, damn it—”

“Trick? What the hell does he have to do with—”

“Jennifer and two guys?” Noah’s words silenced everyone. “I could have gone all year without knowing that brat was getting more action than me.”

Declan was losing his calm and his audience. But he didn’t care. All he could think about now was Jennifer being cornered by her family. Her mother. He’d had a scenario forming in his head about her parents for weeks. Winning over the matriarch and author with time and patience. Letting her see how happy and fulfilled her daughter was. Then he’d have a serious talk with Shawn about his intentions.

But if Seamus was any indication, he wasn’t going to get the chance to ease anyone into the idea. Ellen Finn knew and she obviously wasn’t keen on her daughter being in a poly relationship. 

“Talk to us, Professor,” Brady said, his voice still low. “I’ll listen. Tell us why it’s healthy and reasonable for a girl of twenty-six to be shared by two older men—her college professor and an ex-con who stalked her and wore her down. Why shouldn’t her family worry that she might be making a mistake?”

Declan strode over to Brady, his hands clenching at his sides. “You can attack me and make insinuations all you like, but Trick is off the table and you know why. You have no problem using him when it suits you. I know he’s helped you and your boyfriend in the past, and I know you’ve been going after some pretty sick bastards. Maybe that’s warped your perception, I don’t care. Trick Dunham is a good man and he’s been loyal to your family since your only date was a magazine and a hand towel. Show him some damn respect.”

Brady opened his mouth, then closed it again. Declan hoped he was smart enough to keep it that way.

“You’ve been a little bit of an ass lately, Gigantor,” Noah offered. “I wasn’t going to say anything because I thought you and Ken might be having bedroom troubles and you’re, you know, a mutant.” Brady glared and Noah shook his head. “I know. Shut up, Noah.”

“My ears were ringing,” Trick grunted from the foyer, causing six heads to turn his way. “Well hell. You finally throw a party and I miss all the fun.”

“Trick.” Declan ran toward him, catching him as he started to slump. “Damn it, what did you do now?”

Trick shrugged as if his left eye weren’t swollen shut and his lip weren’t open and bleeding. “Me? Don’t be such a nag, Declan. You can have my body anytime you like, but you can’t stop me from hanging out with my friends.”

Seamus knelt down beside Declan. “You need better friends, Trick. Here, I’ll help you get him to the couch. Noah? Find some ice.”

“Finns, Finns, everywhere,” Trick chuckled, wincing. “But I don’t see my Jen.”

“She’s with her mother,” Declan murmured. “She’s fine. You, I’m not so sure about. Is anything broken?”

“Not physically, but can you break pride?” he mused. “A few years ago I took a hit more gracefully. This time I’m fairly certain I threw up on someone’s shoes. He wasn’t happy about it.” Trick tried to focus on Seamus. “You found out, didn’t you?”

“Yes.”

“That’s a relief. It took forever. If you could wait a few more minutes until the room stops spinning, you can hit me if you want. It’s not Declan’s fault. Stephen told me to watch her and I couldn’t stop. She’s so beautiful, Seamus. And funny. She makes Snooty the Hermit Professor over here laugh all the time. Of course, she calls him Professor Hot Lips.”

“I’m sure. I don’t want to hit you, Trick. Hell, I don’t want to hit anybody, except whoever did this to you.” He looked at Declan. “Do you have any idea?”

He shook his head. “He’s been working on something the last week that’s kept him busy. He wouldn’t talk about it.”

“He was trying to get a name for us.”

“Brady.” Trick smiled and winced again as Noah handed Seamus ice wrapped in a hand towel. “I don’t try, it just happens. I’m that good. Top pocket.”

Declan reached into the pocket of his shirt and felt a folded piece of paper. “You’ve got to quit saying yes to these guys. You should stick to lost puppies and cheating wives from now on. Or let me know what the hell you’re doing so I can help.”

“That sounds like a country song. Cheating puppies and lost wives.”

Owen whistled. “Someone really rang his bell.”

Declan forced himself to remain calm as he got to his feet and looked up at Brady. “I hand you this and you thank him for his help. You don’t badmouth him, you don’t treat him like he’s a criminal. You thank him.”

Brady nodded, frowning thoughtfully. “You love him.”

“For most of my life, yeah. Is that a problem?” Declan handed Brady the paper.

He didn’t look away. “That depends. Can you ever love her as much?”

God help him, he already did. “I think that’s something she deserves to know before anyone else does.”

Brady nodded again, moving to sit beside Trick. “Thank you, Trick. Ken and I couldn’t have gotten as far as we have without your help. This has been a difficult job for everyone and I… I’m sorry I’ve been such an ungrateful son of a bitch.”

Trick patted his arm. “I wasn’t going to say anything.”

Solomon laughed, a surprising sound that reminded Declan he was in the room. “I think we should get out of their way now. Professor Kelley? If you wouldn’t mind walking us out?”

He waved the other men out the door, rolling his eyes when Owen paused to look back at the living room. “Are we still mad at him? Because as long as sex-with-my-sister talk is off the table, I vote we have the next Finn Again right here.”

“Out,” Seamus said, shaking his head.

When the three men were alone at the door, Solomon glanced at Seamus, who nodded. “We’re not saying we approve of what’s going on here.”

“And we’re not saying we don’t,” Solomon added carefully. “But out of respect for what Trick just went through for Brady, and in light of today’s conversation, we think there’s something you should know.”

Declan had a sinking feeling he wasn’t going to like it.