Page 121 of See You Maybe

His throat ached, and Declan laughed to cover the feelings crashing over him. “Still reading Blake, huh?” Declan picked up the open book.

Olivia’s head was bent, hands braced on the island as she stared at the food he brought. But she didn’t respond to his teasing the way he hoped.

“Sorry, I know you’re feeling lousy.” Declan shifted on his feet.

Why won’t she look at me?

“Can I make you a cup of tea?”

Olivia sniffed, and if possible, her stance stiffened. Declan joined her in the kitchen and placed his hands on the opposite side of the island, imitating her pose.

“Do you need medicine? I can go—” His heart wrenched at the unmistakable sight of a tear splashing on the marble, swiftly followed by another, and then a steady flow. He rounded the island to her side, but she shook her head violently, her thick hair swishing side to side. Declan’s chest cracked open as hers heaved with silent sobs.

“Ah, Petal. Tell me what you need. I’ll do anything.” Declan reached to pull her into his arms, but she flinched away, turning her back again.

An alarm rang loud and riotous in his brain, and his stomach clenched. “Petal… Baby… What’s wrong?”

Declan saw her shoulders rise and fall with a shuddering breath, and then Olivia straightened and turned to face him.

The world stopped on its axis, and his breath seized in his lungs. Every cell in his body screamed in denial. Her blue eyes were glossy, but the tears no longer fell. Declan instantly registered her swollen, split lip and the bruises on her face.

Pain like he’d never felt before split his ribs, and the monster inside him howled for vengeance. Olivia maintained eye contact with him, her wet eyes daring him to pity her. He raised trembling hands to lift the sides of her hair away from where she had shielded the swelling and bruises on the side of her face.

Calling on every ounce of his control, Declan kept his voice low. He didn’t want to frighten her with the violence raging inside him. A chill dark emotion settled over him.

“Who?”

Olivia’s eyes slid away. “No one. I slipped, coming down the steps. I’m embarrassed for anyone to see me.”

“You can either tell me, or I can figure it out. It’s up to you.”

She scowled at him. “This is none of your business. I fell. It’s not a big deal.”

Declan couldn’t completely hide the tremor of rage in his voice. “Someone hurt you.” Declan stopped as bile rose in his throat at the words, and he swallowed hard. “I need you to tell me who it was.”

“Leave it alone, Declan. I didn’t ask you to come here. Don’t show up now, acting like you have some right to my life because we fucked a lifetime ago.” Her voice broke as she threw his words in New York back at him.

The cord on his self-control was becoming dangerously frayed. Declan hadn’t lied when he said he would do anything for her. And what she needed right now was for him to pretend to be human—to be the man she needed—deserved. Even if he wasn’t.

“You don’t owe me anything,” Declan agreed. “I’m the one who let you down. I'm sorry.”

Olivia blinked at him, his words clearly not what she’d been expecting.

Declan kept his voice calm, even though the tempest inside him was storming almost beyond what he could contain. “You were at that political event last night.” He set his jaw, grinding his teeth to keep from yelling. “Did one of those bastards do this?”

He was going to destroy whoever it was. He didn’t give a fuck who it was or the influence they had. They were a dead man.

“Declan, I don’t want to talk about this.”

“There is a time element, baby. There could be other consequences if…” Declan choked on the words.

Olivia’s eyes widened. “He didn’t rape me. He was angry about being thrown out of his country club and thinks I’ve ruined his life.”

The truth dawned on Declan with crystal clear clarity, immediately followed by the knowledge of what he was going to do to her ex-husband. Declan clamped down on his control. “This isn’t the first time Kyle hurt you, is it?”

She blanched.

“Olivia?” But her expression had become frighteningly blank, as though she’d retreated to a place she wouldn’t let him follow. Fear scored painfully through his veins.