“Snitch!” Sasha hisses in the back.
I shrug, leaning forward to press random buttons on the console. Declan watches with amusement but doesn’t stop me as I erase all his preset radio stations. “Lucas just told us that we’re pregnant with an imaginary baby and that’s why we’re, you know, annulled.”
There’s a long pause as Declan’s mouth works, clearly unsure what to make of all that. “Nope, I need more information.”
“Oh, come on,” Sasha pipes up. “It’s easy. Silvia told everyone that Lily baby-trapped you.”
CHAPTER 29
Declan
I’m clenching my teeth so tightly, I’m surprised they don’t crack; my anger volatile and seething as I work to keep it off my face. The girls are wasted enough that they don’t notice. Instead, they’re mouthing off about Lucas again, calling himthat lawyer fuck.
I pull up to the entrance of the secured underground parking in Sasha’s complex, using the code she gives me, and pull into a visitor park. Leaving the car running to keep the heat going, I look at Lily. “Wait here.”
Her eyes are drooping, but they still flare wide like she’s about to argue when Sasha pipes up, “You don’t have to walk me up.” She’s slurring, her words running together so fast it takes a second to untangle them. She shoves her door open and spills out onto the concrete floor with a shriek. Lily spins with a gasp, staring back at the open door before a sweet giggle escapes her. She claps a hand over her mouth before looking back at me, whispering, “I’ll wait here.”
“Thank you.” I reach out, brushing my knuckles down her cheek, wondering if the pink color is all alcohol-induced.
A pitiful moan reaches us and I shake my head with a chuckle, getting out and quickly heading around to lift Sasha to her feet, even as she gives the best damned impression of a newborn giraffe. “C’mon, Sash.”
The apartment complex she lives in is decent, with good security, and the parking garage is well lit and monitored, so I’m confident that Lily will be safe. Still, I beep the locks of the car, ignoring the dark glare Lily levels at me, and lead Sasha over to the elevator.
We don’t talk as we head up, Sasha concentrating everything she has on just keeping her balance. Even then, she still ends up leaning against me, forcing me to take her weight. The elevator stops on the ground floor, opening to reveal an older woman, her eyes taking in Sasha before narrowing on me. She leans forward, hissing, “Sasha. Are you okay? Do you know him?” Her lashes flutter dramatically as she flicks another fierce look in my direction. “Has he drugged you?”
Sasha doesn’t help the situation at all by laughing uproariously. “Yeah, Mrs. P., he’s an asshole.” Just when I think the lady might beat me with her oversized purse, Sasha adds, “This is Lily’s husband.” A frown. “Ex-husband.” A head shake. “Man friend?”
Man friend,I mouth to myself, deciding that next time Lucas messages me to give these two a ride, I’ll tell him to do it himself. It’s a full-out lie, because I’ll always be there for Lily, but the illusion makes me feel a little better.
“Oh,” the woman says, leaning back and smoothing back a strand of gray hair. “Well…” she hesitates, still looking at me suspiciously. “If you’re sure.”
She finally comes in, pressing the button for her floor and letting the doors shut.
“I’m just making sure Sasha gets home,” I tell her smoothly. “Lily is waiting for me in the car.”
Her shoulders ease down slightly, but her eyes are still wary. “I like Lily.” There’s a tense pause before the elevator stops, the doors opening. “This is my floor.” She backs slowly out of the car, almost like she doesn’t want to take her eyes off me. “Sasha, come find me tomorrow. I’ll bake cookies.”And make sure you’re alive,I finish in my head.
The doors shut, cutting off her view, leaving us alone. Every so often, Sasha will break the silence with a drunken snort-giggle, and then we’re stumbling down her hallway. I grab her keys out of her bag and unlock the door, practically dragging her inside to set her down on her sofa.
She peers up at me, her grin crooked. “Thanks for the ride, but you’re still a dick.”
My lips curl up. “And tequila only makes you more charming.” Her eyes slide shut, and she slumps over. “You gonna be okay?”
“Yep!” She wiggles further down until she’s lying flat. “I have painkillers and water. And I messaged another instructor before the first shot to take over my morning classes.”
“Good.” I watch her for a moment to be sure, but the urge to get back to Lily is riding me hard. “I’ll head out. Got another passenger to taxi home.”
She makes a soft noise and I pause, looking back down to find her eyes on me and clear. “She told me everything.”
I nod. “I figured.”
“She wants to trust you.” Her mouth twists. “If you hurt her again…”
“What?”
“I’ll bury you so deep, even archeologists won’t be able to find you.”
My eyebrows lift, but I don’t make the mistake of laughing. She might be drunk, but Lily is her chosen family. I met her eyes, not hiding anything. “I’ll spend the rest of my life making up for my mistakes, Sasha. I’ll never forget the pain I caused or the ego that led me to make those choices.” I give her a gentle smile. “Lily makes me a better man, but she doesn’t need me. If she chooses to let me go after everything, I’ll respect that.”
