career?”
“Are you denying it?” He started pacing. “A former escort lands Hollywood’s hottest teen star. Must have been a coup for you.”
“You should know better than to believe the tabloids.”
“Are you denying you used to be a male escort?” Theo jeered.
“I’m not going to defend what I needed to do to take care of my sister.” Declan kept his voice even. “You don’t get to judge me when you’ve lived this entitled existence all your life.”
Theo looked away as if chastised, but his eyes returned to Declan with fury in them. “You know the worst thing about all this? What I couldn’t wrap my mind around.” His voice broke. “How you could cheat on her with my mother.”
“There’s a lot you don’t know.”
“Oh, please tell me,” he taunted. “Nick said you’re gonna say Gabby cheated first.”
Declan didn’t say anything. This was his burden. He wasn’t going to taint her in Theo’s eyes. “She didn’t.”
“But you left her. After she lost your kid. You simply left her.”
“I had to.” His throat caught. “I failed her, Theo.”
“Yes. You did. It’s probably for the best. At least it gave Nick a chance.”
“How did that work out for him?” he shot back.
“He said you’d broken Gabby too much for him to be able to help.”
“Bull-fucking-shit,” he growled. “He couldn’t wait to get Gabby back to acting.”
“And would that be so bad? Look at where she is now? Her life is always at risk. She lives in that dump. She refuses to acknowledge we’re family.” He gave a bitter laugh. “It’s because we’re not. Not by blood at least. I always wondered why she acted as if she couldn’t tolerate me and I understand now.” He glared at him. “It’s because I reminded her of the man who broke her fucking heart.”
“Theo—” His arm reached out.
“Don’t,” he warned. “I have only one dad and that’s Peter Woodward. You’re a sperm donor. Plain and simple.”
Sperm donor. Those words. They fucking hurt.
“Don’t expect us to be one big happy family. Don’t expect me to call you dad. I’m not gonna fire you yet. I’d rather keep an eye on you until I figure out what you’re up to. You came back to California when Dad died because of the inheritance, didn’t you?”
“That’s not why I’m here. You were as much a surprise to me as I was to you.”
“Please,” Theo scoffed. “You were a mercenary, right?”
Private military contractor, you little shit.
“Stay away from my sister.”
Declan crossed his arms and braced on his feet. Wiping all emotions from his face, turning it cold, calculating. The kid noticed and took a small step back.
“You done?” He asked softly.
Theo nodded.
“Here’s the thing. I’m not after anyone’s money. I’ve got money. Mercenary, remember? And my clients were rich as sin. They don’t have to act or entertain anyone for a living.
“I’m doing this gig as a favor. Turned out, my friend thought he was doing me a favor.” Declan scrubbed his face. “I’m fucking glad that you’re almost eighteen. I’m actually glad Peter got you away from Claudette. I’m not going to force a relationship with you, but if you need me, I’ll be right here.” Declan strode to the door. “One more thing. You can’t tell me to stay away from anyone. I’m not after Gabby, but I have to work with her to make sure you’re safe. Got it?”
Theo stared at him with a contempt that gutted him. “Yeah.” Then the kid turned his back to him, head bowed. “Just leave.”
Declan wanted to go to him, wanted to put his hand on his shoulder and say they’d figure this out. But he didn’t; he couldn’t.
He left the room and gently closed the door.
9
“Please pass the salt.”
Gabby reached for the salt shaker and passed it to Kelso, who handed it to Theo who sat at the end of the eight-seat dining table. The rest of them were collected on one end with Declan at the head.
After the fiery confrontation in the garage, the house descended into chilling politeness—at least between the teen star and the adults. The captain didn’t stay long. He said his wife Vanessa was expecting him for dinner and like the mother hen she was to her husband’s team, she prepared three casseroles in nine-by-eleven aluminum baking trays.
Levi reheated two of them—a baked spaghetti and lasagna.
Gabby stared at her plate, contemplating how many of the calories she needed to burn. Her metabolism wasn’t what it used to be in her twenties. If she didn’t work hard enough