From “Clingy” to Gone My Independence Was His Biggest Regret novel Chapter 68

Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Declan jumped up, voice deadly quiet.

What did you just say?”

“Dec, Harley… she might be dead…”

The phone slipped from Declan’s hands, smashing on the marble floor, screen cracking everywhere.

He didn’t even look at it before rushing out of the conference room like a man possessed, leaving a room full of confused executives

His original plan was just to ship me off to some private island he’d set up, let me live out my days there in peace. He never wanted the deat

He couldn’t figure out why I’d try to escape.

Wasn’t hiding behind him, living a safe, quiet life forever good enough?

No time to think about that now–all he wanted was to save me.

Even if the chances were basically zero.

He threw everything he had at it–private jets, rescue boats, dive teams–rushing to that patch of ocean where the accident happened

OONER?!”

before.

window for rescue.

d at Sierra:

with those big wet eyes, looking all confused:

gh things didn’t go as planned, isn’t this kinda better?”

hight we… I saw how excited you were, so I thought you already knew and we were celebrating…”

remembered last night–how he’d been all over Sierra, going crazy until dawn.

inger had nowhere to go.

he could do was order the search to continue.

he rescue went on for three days straight.

All they pulled up were bits and pieces of the boat.

the expert team looked at the explosion radius and ocean currents, then basically said my chances of survival were zero.

Declan stood on the deck, facing that salty wind, refusing to accept it.

Bullshit! Keep looking! I want her found–alive or…”

le couldn’t say the last word.

Could only tell himself that no body meant I might still be ont

When he got back, he wouldn’t eat or drink, would

ck to the place he shared with Sierra.

09:42

Chapter 5

Instead, he went straight to that underground room where he’d kept me for five years.

It still smelled like my medication and those dried up roses he’d brought last.

He sent everyone away, slid down the cold wall to the floor, empty bottles scattered around his feet.

He picked up some of my white hair that was still on the ground, staring at nothing.

Half drunk, his head filled with images of me–laughing, crying, pouting, begging….

Then he suddenly remembered how weird I’d acted the night I had that heart attack, and how I’d slit my wrists for no good reason.

I’d been dreaming about getting out and feeling sunlight, about marrying him and having kids.

No way I’d try to kill myself knowing I had that bleeding problem!

He forced himself up and pulled the security footage from the underground room.

On screen, I was wearing his dropped earbuds, my face getting whiter and whiter, then clutching my chest and collapsing….

It hit Declan like lightning.

He tried to remember what he and Sierra had talked about that day.

As the memories came back, he finally got why I’d had that attack.

And why I’d tried to cut my wrists.

So me stealing that boat wasn’t some desperate impulse!

I was trying to get away from him.

Cause anyone who heard that conversation would think Declan was planning to kill me.

Right then, the door to the underground room opened.

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