They both glanced at me, realization setting in that we as a couple had a lot to discuss. I wasn’t blind to the misery in her expression. Regan planned to dump me for the thug, but that wasn’t my problem. I just wanted answers on how she got taken in the first place. “Oh, of course. How could we be so inconsiderate?” Mrs. Daley said, taking Mr. Daley’s hand and leaving the room.
She turned to me with a look of dismay and discomfort. I hated that she had to feel that way around me. I had a feeling what was going to happen, but I wasn’t bothered by it at all. “Can we take a walk out front?”
“Sure, if ye’re feeling good enough for it,” I told her, smiling and hoping to ease the unnecessary tension.
“I feel fine, confused, but fine,” she confessed. I made her slip on a jacket because it was a breezy day out and she shouldn’t have been out of the hospital yet.
“Where are you going?” the prick asked like it was any of his fucking business.
She glared at the bloody bastard and said, “Frankly, I find it’s none of yer business, but since my uncle asked for yer assistance, I’ll tell ye. I need air and some privacy with my boyfriend, so excuse us.” Her sudden attitude stunned him into silence. We took a long walk, but still in sight of the house.
I pulled her into my arms for a hug. “Say what ye have to say, Regan,” I told her as gently as possible.
She stepped back out of my arms and stammered out, “I’m sorry ye flew all the way over to find and get me back, but I can’t be with ye anymore.”
“I know. I’m not blind or deaf, Regan. I saw the look Mr. Franchetti gave me when he saw me in the waiting room before they arrested him. Then I heard ye call out his name while ye slept on the plane. There’s something between ye two. I’m not upset by it. Ye’re still my friend. We were never meant to be together.” Fear of being watched, I stole a peek back at the house before bringing my attention back to her, leaning down I whispered, “I’ve got the strangest feeling that something funny is going on here, but I think it’s from watching too many American movies.”
“Ye feel something’s wrong, too?”
“Yes. I do not trust that man that came back with us. There is something wrong with the whole situation.”
“I don’t either. There’s a lot that happened, and I can’t go into just in case that prat comes over here. I know this is crazy, but can ye do me a favor and get a hold of Mr. Franchetti, please? I wouldn’t ask if it wasn’t vital to our safety.”
“Of course. If ye think ye can trust them, of course, I will.”
“Thank ye so much. Tell him I’m scared and one of my uncle’s men came with me. He should understand. She handed me a slip of paper with a number on it. I took it with a nod, tucking it in my pocket.
“Ye never had any feelings for me, have ye?” she asked as we made our way back slowly.
I smiled at my best friend. “Nothing more than friends. I promise I’m not hurt by ye and him. Unless it’s true, and he really hurt ye.”
“He didn’t,” she gasped as if insulted her precious thug.
“Crack on. I’ve got a bloody call to make,” I grumbled, walking her back to the house. Once we were inside, I helped her to sit down.
“Mr. and Mrs. Daley, I have to get back to my ranch. I’ve already been gone too long,” I said, then I turned my attention to my friend and added, “Regan, I’ll come and check on ye tomorrow after I finish for the day which will probably be after supper.”
“It’s okay Declan. I’m fine. I’ll probably be sleeping all day anyway. Just be safe.” I left filled with anxiety, but I had something essential to do. As I walked back to my ranch, I felt uneasy. The prick that came with them wasn’t a friend. Her uncle probably sent him to make sure she kept her mouth shut. I needed to call the bastard lover for his help.
Some would say I was crazy for helping the woman who cheated on me and dumped me, but I had been the one afraid to end our relationship. It was stupid of us to get involved in the first place. We were childhood friends and really felt nothing romantic for each other. In our short relationship, I kissed her once and knew that it was wrong, but how could I dump my best friend. She felt the same way. Unfortunately, it took her kidnapping to change things.