me." Our eyes locked in an intense gaze, filled with apprehension, questions, and fear on both sides. "Before I tell you why I lied I need you to understand something. What I am about to say to you is very important and I need you to really listen. But you must understand the information I tell you next can go no further than this room. You can't tell anyone Reagan. Not even Grace. Do you understand?" He waited for my agreement before continuing.
All I could do was nod because he was really scaring me and I didn't trust myself to answer with words.
"By telling you this information, I am essentially putting my life and others, including yours, at potential risk. This is not an exaggeration or a joke. It is a life or death reality. But I want to tell you because I need you to know who I am. Really know who I am before we take this relationship any further. I can only do that if I'm honest right here and now." He paused. Perhaps he wanted to see if I turned and bolted or if I said I didn't want to know who he was before he continued. The truth was both thoughts crossed my mind but I couldn't bring myself to do either.
I stared at him, now afraid and more confused than before. I just wanted so much for this to be a bad dream I would wake from at any moment. But it was also in that instant I was hit with the realization I had fallen so hard for this man that whatever he was about to tell me could destroy us but I would not walk away. While my heart thudded and I tried to calm my racing breath, I put on my lawyer mask and spoke like I was talking to a client. I needed the truth and I needed to hear it now. "Continue please. Whatever you have to tell me Declan will be kept in the strictest confidence. You have my word." I was surprised at how calm my voice sounded in spite of everything. I tried to prepare myself for whatever was going to happen next.
Declan stood and walked toward me. Sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of my chair, he took my drink and set it on the side table. Then he took my hands in his and looked into my eyes. After a few deep breaths, he began, his voice so controlled and quiet in the room I had to strain to hear it above my pounding heart.
"Reagan, you're right. I did lie to you about my past but only because I had no choice. I wasn't in the Air Force. I was a sniper in the Army, stationed in Iraq for two years. You were also right when you noticed the name tag discrepancy. My name is not Declan O'Shea. It's Michael Donnelly Jr. Or Mikey to my friends and enemies alike." As he spoke his accent faded from an Irish brogue to a Boston dialect. My eyes shot up in question but I remained silent. "And I am not a bartender from Ireland but a former security expert from Boston. I am in the Witness Protection Program because almost two years ago I saw the son of a well-known mob boss shoot and kill my father. My father was having an affair with the crime boss's wife, who it turned out was also sleeping with her step-son at the same time she was seeing my dad. She was a class act for sure. Needless to say the step-son, Reilly, didn't like to share with anyone but his dad and so he went after my dad and things didn't turn out well. "He shook his head in disgust but I could also see a slash of pain streak across his eyes.
My mouth fell open in a 'what the hell' look of shock and for the first time I was speechless. Declan gripped my hands harder. He face turned gray as he spoke. "Reilly's dad, Paddy O'Bannion, was a major player in our neighborhood and so Reilly had no problem taking my dad out. Now I should make it clear, my father was a bastard but even he deserved better than to be gunned down in the street by some Irish mafia thug." I pulled my hands free, bringing them to my mouth. I didn't know if I wanted to hear anymore. I couldn't take a deep breath and I could not find the ability to speak.
Declan pressed on. "Reagan, I know this is a lot to hear all at once but let me finish. When the time
All I could do was nod because he was really scaring me and I didn't trust myself to answer with words.
"By telling you this information, I am essentially putting my life and others, including yours, at potential risk. This is not an exaggeration or a joke. It is a life or death reality. But I want to tell you because I need you to know who I am. Really know who I am before we take this relationship any further. I can only do that if I'm honest right here and now." He paused. Perhaps he wanted to see if I turned and bolted or if I said I didn't want to know who he was before he continued. The truth was both thoughts crossed my mind but I couldn't bring myself to do either.
I stared at him, now afraid and more confused than before. I just wanted so much for this to be a bad dream I would wake from at any moment. But it was also in that instant I was hit with the realization I had fallen so hard for this man that whatever he was about to tell me could destroy us but I would not walk away. While my heart thudded and I tried to calm my racing breath, I put on my lawyer mask and spoke like I was talking to a client. I needed the truth and I needed to hear it now. "Continue please. Whatever you have to tell me Declan will be kept in the strictest confidence. You have my word." I was surprised at how calm my voice sounded in spite of everything. I tried to prepare myself for whatever was going to happen next.
Declan stood and walked toward me. Sitting on the edge of the coffee table in front of my chair, he took my drink and set it on the side table. Then he took my hands in his and looked into my eyes. After a few deep breaths, he began, his voice so controlled and quiet in the room I had to strain to hear it above my pounding heart.
"Reagan, you're right. I did lie to you about my past but only because I had no choice. I wasn't in the Air Force. I was a sniper in the Army, stationed in Iraq for two years. You were also right when you noticed the name tag discrepancy. My name is not Declan O'Shea. It's Michael Donnelly Jr. Or Mikey to my friends and enemies alike." As he spoke his accent faded from an Irish brogue to a Boston dialect. My eyes shot up in question but I remained silent. "And I am not a bartender from Ireland but a former security expert from Boston. I am in the Witness Protection Program because almost two years ago I saw the son of a well-known mob boss shoot and kill my father. My father was having an affair with the crime boss's wife, who it turned out was also sleeping with her step-son at the same time she was seeing my dad. She was a class act for sure. Needless to say the step-son, Reilly, didn't like to share with anyone but his dad and so he went after my dad and things didn't turn out well. "He shook his head in disgust but I could also see a slash of pain streak across his eyes.
My mouth fell open in a 'what the hell' look of shock and for the first time I was speechless. Declan gripped my hands harder. He face turned gray as he spoke. "Reilly's dad, Paddy O'Bannion, was a major player in our neighborhood and so Reilly had no problem taking my dad out. Now I should make it clear, my father was a bastard but even he deserved better than to be gunned down in the street by some Irish mafia thug." I pulled my hands free, bringing them to my mouth. I didn't know if I wanted to hear anymore. I couldn't take a deep breath and I could not find the ability to speak.
Declan pressed on. "Reagan, I know this is a lot to hear all at once but let me finish. When the time
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