Page 143 of See You Maybe

Her face heated as she felt the full extent of Declan’s attention.

“What do you mean, what Courtney did?”

The fury in his eyes made her stumble over her words.

“At the gala… when I thought I was drunk… Courtney admitted to Chris that she’d put her pills in my drink, and he said he felt responsible…”

Declan snarled a vicious curse. But it was the tsunami of energy rolling off him that had Olivia more concerned.

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO

Atlanta—Present Day

He was having a heart attack. It was the only explanation. Declan could feel his heart thundering painfully as it tried to break out of his ribcage, but he also felt ice cold. “Courtney did what?”

“That makes sense.” Declan heard his sister-in-law faintly through the blood pumping furiously in his ears. “We said it at the time. It happened so fast. What did she give you? Did Chris say?”

Olivia’s wide eyes were still looking up at him. He was probably crushing her fingers, but Olivia didn’t complain. “Xanax. She thought I was flirting with Chris… and Declan.”

Declan tried to rein in his anger, making a conscious effort to control his breathing. He wasn’t successful.

“She could have killed you.” Air sawed painfully in Declan’s lungs. “As it was, Chris almost got you out of the building.” His nostrils flared, and through his rage he heard Cami agree with him.

“That was really dangerous. Courtney didn’t know if Olivia was on other medications or?—”

“Not helping, sweetheart.” Declan heard James say.

The memory of Olivia’s clammy skin as she took shallow breaths that night, and how he’d ripped her dress in half trying to make her more comfortable flashed in front of him. He’d held her hair when she was sick twice and slumped to the floor, before he cleaned her up and put her in his T-shirt… He thought she was drunk… He should have gotten a doctor.

Declan let go of Olivia, and spun to give his family his back, his fists bunched at his side. He felt her hand on his back, rubbing firm circles.

“I’m okay.”

His control was rapidly slipping away, and he needed to hold on. Declan didn’t want to frighten her.

“Where is she now?” Luke’s voice was hard.

“A spa in New York,” James said. “It’s too late to press charges.”

His brother’s calm words snapped the last tether holding him together, and Declan pivoted to face his family. “Press charges? I’m going to kill her with my bare hands,” he snarled.

“Declan,” he heard Olivia’s voice trying to soothe him, and saw the looks on his family’s faces.

He jabbed a finger at his brothers. “I told you the time was coming. The time is now. Courtney could have killed her.” A shudder ran through his body. “Because of me.”

“Declan,” Cara began, but he held up his hand.

“No.”

“Declan, if you kill her, our father’s fortune will go to Chris. They’re married.”

“Without our father’s remains, we need Courtney alive to get a confession,” Luke said, but his eyes were sympathetic. “But after…”

“And since we can’t find the ashes,” James added.

They both watched Declan warily, and he knew by the looks on the others’ faces he’d rattled them.

“Damn it!” he roared.