Chapter 22

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Declan grabbed Livy's hand as they headed up the steps to Garrett and Cora's home. Just before they reached the door he stopped and looked down at her. He was a step below her and he still towered above her. Their breaths were misting around them as they exhaled.

Declan looked every inch the powerful businessman in his dark suit and dark wool coat. The only thing that was out of place was a loose curl that had dropped over his forehead. Livy reached up and brushed it back without thinking and she watched something in his eyes darken as she did.

He grabbed her hand and tucked it in his. "The reason we're here, the reason I have been so insistent about us being here is that the judge that is presiding over Rosa's case will also be here this evening. We can't discuss Rosa and I don't think that we should acknowledge that we even know who she is-"

"But she can see us as a happy couple." Livy finished as she finally understood. She looked at the closed door and took a steadying breath. At least the party was at Garrett and Cora's house so there would be a few friendly faces.

"Are you ready?"

Livy nodded and forced a smile onto her face.

"You look lovely, you made a good comeback from being covered in vomit only an hour ago," he teased.

"And no one would ever guess that you spent your few moments at home today on your hands and knees cleaning up vomit," Livy teased back.

"Perhaps this means we're fully domesticated."

"Perhaps we are, but I don't think the kids are anywhere close."

Declan laughed aloud at her joke and it changed his entire demeanor. It was a rare sight and she felt privileged to see it.

He placed his hand in the small of her back and turned her towards the door which magically opened as they approached.

"Hello Margie," Livy greeted, surprised she remembered the woman's name considering the last time he had been in the home she had been so ill. This time she was able to take in the house's beauty and it was magnificent. It was a jaw dropper. It was like stepping foot back in time.

Margie gave her a sunny smile, which was more than she had given her last time.

"Declan, Livy, it's so good to see you, I was beginning to get a little worried you wouldn't make it," Garrett said as he walked towards them with his hand out stretched. He shook Declan's hand and placed a kiss on Livy's cheek before looking over his shoulder.

"She's here, would you like me to point her out?"

"No, thanks. We'll just join the rest of the crowd. I don't want to be too obvious," Declan said as he took off his coat and then helped Livy with hers.

Cora joined them soon after and greetings were exchanged before they joined the rest of the crowd in the living room.

There were a few faces that Livy recognized, one of which was Theodora's.

Declan excused himself, leaving Livy with an older couple who she had met at a previous party and returned shortly with a glass of champagne for her. They worked the room together for almost an hour before Garrett pulled him away on some business matter.

As soon as Declan had left Theodora pulled up beside her with a charming smile. "How are you Olivia, I never get to talk to you after class, you are always so quick to get away."

Livy smiled, feeling a lot less threatened by the woman now that she had a ring on her finger. It was amazing what a little piece of metal, that marked you as belonging to someone, could do for your ego.

"I'm fine, how are you? Where's Andie?"

"I'm good, Andie hates these things. I left her at home watching one of her favorite television shows."

Livy frowned at Theodora's statement. "The two of you live together?"

"Yes, my dear. Now, tell me something, have you learned all of Declan's secrets yet?" She sipped her champagne as she watched Livy closely.

"How would I ever know if I did?" she asked.

"But you have learned some?" Theodora nodded as if it was what she had expected. "And the Mom life, how is that treating you?"

Livy looked at Theodora, trying to decide if she was put out about the fact that she knew. Deciding to let it go she smiled at the thought of the kids. "I love it, believe it or not."

Theodora nodded her head once more. "Yes, you will make a good mother, I bet you won't mind if there's chocolate on the car seats or spilled punch on the couch."

"Or vomit in my hair." Livy agreed, smiling.

Theodora shuddered. "No thank you, did that really happen?"

"Why do you think we were late?"

An older couple joined them and Theodora introduced them as Todd and Stella Speros.

"Livy was just about to tell me about all of the excitement with her kids this evening."

Livy liked the way 'her kids' sounded. She started to regal them with the story and ended it with Declan walking in on her and the kids at the worst possible moment. Everyone was chuckling and the older couple traded a few war stories from their time spent raising children before they wandered off to join another conversation.

"That was your judge by the way," Theodora whispered in her ear as they walked away.

Theodora handed Livy another glass of champagne at her startled look, but before she could take more than a sip a striking woman joined them and she was eyeing Livy as if she was a specimen on exhibit.

"You don't look old enough to drink. Declan gets older and the girls get younger," the woman said cattily with a trilling laugh. She had a mass of chestnut hair that was piled on her head and the dress she was wearing was a little too tightly cut. Livy would place her in her mid to late thirties.

"Jealous Darla?" Theodora asked as she sipped her champagne.

The woman named Darla eyed Theodora with loathing.

"Don't mind Darla, she's still convinced that I stole Declan from her." Theodora sure did like to poke the bear. Livy looked from one to the other fascinated.

Darla gave a tight smile. He didn't keep you very long before he moved on to something younger, did he?" 

"He kept me longer than he kept you."

Livy looked at Theodora questioningly. She claimed that she and Declan had never been more than friends so why was she fighting this woman so hard about who had Declan longer.

Theodora winked at her, and Livy finally got that she was a bit of a trouble maker.

"Perhaps, but he won't keep her long, I'm quite sure she doesn't know how to please Declan like I do."

Livy choked on her champagne, shocked that the woman had said such a thing.

"He's a cold bastard, but he knows what he's about," the woman finished.

"I'm not getting what you're trying to say Darla, could you be a little more specific?"

"No, I'm sure it's not necessary. I get the point." Livy coughed a little.

Darla however was only too pleased to expound on her subject as she noticed Livy's unease.

"He has never been one for PDA, and he's not a very gentle man, but he has a way of-"

"That's really enough!" Livy insisted, holding up her hand to stop her.

"Why Livy, the two of you never said anything..." Theodora caught her hand, pulling it to her as she looked at the rings. "Looks like Declan plans to keep her longer than he kept either one of us," Theodora cooed, waving Livy's hand in front of Darla like a red flag.

"Declan," Theodora waved him over to join them. "Congratulations!" she said as she rose up and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "You remember Darla, don't you?"

Declan looked at Darla with a polite smile as he moved to stand next to Livy.

"Darla, how are you?" He placed his arm around Livy's waist and she couldn't help but tense. It was an incredibly awkward moment, and as she looked at Darla eyeing Declan as if he was a piece of fresh meat then looking at Livy like she was something to be survived. Livy couldn't take it anymore.

Setting her glass down she turned, catching Theodora's eyes which were filled with amusement.

Livy looked up at Declan her eyes sparking. "I want to go now."

Declan pulled her close and whispered in her ear as he gave her a warning squeeze. "Not just yet."

"No, now Declan." She placed her hand on his chest fiddling with his tie, trying not to choke him with it. "I have had enough, being cornered by two of your former girlfriends and having to listen to one of them tell me all about how you know what your about and you're not very gentle is not my idea of a good time."

He looked amused but his hand on her waist told her he was anything but, he was angry. "But you were telling me earlier this evening just how gentle I can be." He teased as he pushed her hair off of her shoulders. He made it sound like a very suggestive remark that left little to the imagination.

She felt her cheeks turn red and she clenched her hands into fists. He took the one that had balled itself up on his tie and held it in his own. "Goodnight ladies, we have to get home to the kids." He gave Theodora a kiss on the cheek and nodded to Darla.

"It looks like he's definitely into PDA now." Livy heard Theodora say before she was out of earshot.

It was a very quiet ride back to the house.

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