Chapter 14

Declan

I was sitting in the boardroom. The ministers began talking about the problems that were going on, and they went on and on and on, and all I did was sit there, my legs crossed, my back leaning on the chair, watching their lips move. But all that was on my mind was the smile that rested on Maria’s lips as she watched me eat.

I’m so glad I went back home.

“Mr Declan, are you listening?” One of the ministers asked, yanking me out of my thoughts. I tilted my head in his direction, my eyes flashed to Josh and he gestured for me to act more present.

Was it really that obvious that my mind was elsewhere?

Ugh.

“Mr Declan, forgive me for saying this but first you arrived late, leaving us here to wait for you.,. We all left something important because we believed this meeting was important and now we are talking about something more important and your mind is far away from here…”

“Mr Tush, relax.” Elle, one of the Ministers tried to control him but he gestured for her to stop.

“Elle, I know you and Mr Tush are close, maybe closer than normal, so of course you would take his side. This meeting is important, he needs to start taking responsibility.”

Mr Tush, the Minister of Road and Transport, is forty years old, tall but his pot belly and lack of proper upkeep despite his wealth make him look older than his age. He hates me… yes because I caught him cheating on his wife who was at the time pregnant with his second son. I humiliated him in front of his family, she divorced him, took away his kids with my help of course and I made sure she had a good life where she was.

He is good at his job so I left him with his title but everyone knows his scandal and won’t want to have anything to do with him.

Poor man.

He also thinks I slept with his wife… she is beautiful but I didn’t.

I returned my gaze to him, “So what you are saying is, there is a chance that the Alpha is using the funds we provide, the support we provide for himself, leaving his pack members unkept and ensuring they never leave?” I asked, summarizing everything they said, leaving every one of them stunned.

I might have been carried away with my thoughts of Maria, but it doesn’t mean I am deaf.

“I need two people to be sent down there in disguise and report to me everything, You have a week to figure that out.”I blurted. “And Tush!”

His throat bobbed as our eyes met, I grinned, “How is your wife doing? Oh sorry, I meant ex-wife, I heard she married a Duke in London, has a baby girl now, Do you miss her? Is that why you are cranky? Having the guts to talk back at me, raising your voice at me?”

“I was only … I didn’t mean… I … I’m sorry, Mr Declan.” He hissed, the apology didn’t come from his heart, and I didn’t need his apology. I just needed to put him in his place.

“Watch yourself, Tush, remember who the boss is here, I didn’t rip you off your title because you were useful, don’t make me replace you, there are better candidates who are worthy and most importantly… who are not cheats,” I grunted, slamming my hands on the desk, not harshly but enough to get everyone to sit back and bowed their heads.

“Everyone dismissed, if there would he a need for finance, go through Josh.”

I walked out of the office, and Josh was right at my heel.

“You were distracted.” He hummed, finally catching up to me.

“Was I?”

“You were.”

“Okay.”

He chuckled, “Why were you late, What happened? Are you okay? Did something happen? Did Greta do something?” His tone moved from playful to worry then to anger.

He hates Greta as much as I dislike her, she is just a different species that we would never like not after what she did to us.

“No… not Greta.” I hissed. “Don’t worry yourself, I already took care of it. You know me, I handle my own mess.”

“Hmm, do you? Does it include bringing a young lady to your house and making her live with you?” He is teasing but curiosity is at the very edge of every word he muffled.

I halted and tilted my head towards him, my brows furrowed, my eyes squinted, “Are you stalking me, Brother?”

“I wish I could and not get killed before you realize it’s me… no, I called Rose this morning to ask what happened since you didn’t take my calls and she said something about a girl named Maria who you seem attracted to.” he winked and grinned.

Rose and her mouth.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.” I feign ignorance… Josh would never let me hear the end of it if I told him about Maria and besides, Maria is just … a friend.

“Oh come on, Bro, Rose is never wrong, is she Say there is something there, there is something there… no spill it, let me give you some advice as a man with a successful marriage for ten years..”

Oh boy! I rolled my eyes.

“___ if you like her, go for it, man. The worst thing she would say is no and if she says no, you go for it again until she sees your worth and effort and then she lets you in.” He winks, clasping his hands together.

How did I forget that this man stalked his girl for a whole year, she rejected him twice and he kept pursuing her until he won her over and now they are married, one of their kid, James, is 8 years and the daughter is 4 years old and he is happy.

Sometimes I envy what he has. It’s beautiful, I want it … a family, a good life, with no Greta. But I can’t have that, not until after I do right by my son, Jason. I need to make it up to him and maybe show him his mother’s true colors.

“Josh, my dear friend, did you know that your wife came to me to arrest you for stalking her after you rejected her?” I smiled because of course I didn’t tell him that Layla came to my house, banging on my door, telling me to warn him to stay the hell away from her or else she was going to call the cops or I should call the cops, it took a lot to convince her not to. Sometimes I am almost certain that Josh cast a spell on her to make her fall for him.

“So you are not going for it? You won’t give it a chance?”

What? Is that even supposed to be a question, I want her, badly, she occupies my mind every single day. I want her to be mine.

“Oh, you do want her.” He wiggled his brows with a teasing smile.

“Fuck off!” I groaned.

“Declan!” A familiar female-friendly voice came from behind, thank goodness, a rescue.

I turned around, Elle there was, one of the ministers, and my sex partner.

“Should we grab dinner?”