I let my gaze wander the large space, the shiny tiles, the kitchen off to the side with warm woods and stainless steel.
I’d been looking forward to seeing his place, but now I kind of wanted to go hide somewhere until Mr. Dark was gone.
“It’s personal just as much as business,” Mr. Dark said.
I opened my mouth again to say I could go somewhere else but Declan seemed to anticipate this, and he took my hand, pulling me further into the apartment. “Would you like some water or something else to drink?”
“No, thanks. I’m fine.”
Declan gave a curt nod and turned his attention back to his father. “Anything you have to say to me can be said in front of Royal.”
His father’s jaw clenched, reminding me of Declan. Even though they weren’t blood, they still had some of the same mannerisms. A serious nature, the authoritative voice. They both commanded a presence when they walked into the room.
“If you’re talking about the serum,” Declan said, “Royal already knows.”
“Serum,” his father said, testing the word. “It works. But telling her…not so much.”
My stomach clenched. How had Declan guessed that was why his father was here? Or had they been planning on talking before? I remembered back to the text and phone call he’d gotten on the evening we’d gone to dinner with Xander. Maybe his father had sent them.
“I assume that’s why you had her followed,” Declan said, his face unreadable.
I glanced at him sharply. Christopher Dark had had me followed? How long had Declan known this?
“I had to see what she knew. This was never meant to be public information. You know that, Declan.”
“She’s not just a random member of the public and you know that.”
Christopher shoved his hands into his pockets and paced to the window. He lifted his voice so we could hear him. “Your interest in the serum has made me think that maybe its effects weren't as mild as you let on.”
“I wanted to know what was given to me,” Declan said, being vague on purpose.
“And I told you I would give you as much information as you need. As soon as you came in for some tests. Once we got the information we needed.”
“We?” Declan asked.
His father ignored the question, either because he didn’t want to answer or because he’d slipped. So, his father wasn’t the only one involved. Which meant someone else knew about the serum.
“If you agree to the tests we discussed before, then this is a conversation we can have.” Declan’s father turned to face us again.
Declan’s hand clenched almost painfully tight around mine. “Not unless you tell me who else is involved. And who else you gave the serum to.”
“I can’t agree to those terms.”
“Then I guess this conversation is over,” Declan said.
I bit my lip. Crap. This wasn’t looking good at all. If we didn’t get more information, we didn’t have any idea what had really happened to my father. Which meant we didn’t know if he was still in danger.
Mr. Dark strolled in our direction, his eyes skimming my face before they landed on Declan again. “Take care who you tell your secrets to.”
Then he strode out the door, closing it softly behind him.
I blew out a quiet breath, more shaken by the conversation than I realized. I’d expected Mr. Dark to be a formidable figure, but that was intense. No wonder Declan respected him but also didn’t trust him entirely. He was holding back things, secrets, maybe information that would be important to Declan.
I touched Declan’s arm. “Are you okay?”
Instead of an answer, Declan turned and pulled me close, his arms coming around me in a tight band that nearly took my breath away.
“I guess I need to talk to security,” he said, clearly meaning it as a joke, but it came out serious instead. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” I tried to pull back, but he wouldn’t release me. “Declan. Please, tell me you’re okay.”
He smoothed his fingers down my hair and breathed in my ear, “Yes, I’m okay. I just wasn’t prepared for a confrontation like that. My dad always knows how to catch people off guard, when they’re least expecting it. I had called and left a message with his secretary for him to come in for a meeting. He probably figured he’d get what he wanted if he came here and rattled me. Though,” he said with a small laugh, “he probably wasn’t expecting to see you too.”
“It sounded like he knows about us.”
Declan kissed my cheek. “I have no doubt about it. I might not see him much, but he knows everything that's going on with the company, and that includes me.”
“You didn’t tell me,” I said, feeling the slightest hint of betrayal. “You didn’t tell me that he was the one having me followed.”
“I didn’t know for sure. I swear to you, Royal. It was a guess, and I just happened to be right.” He brushed his thumb on my cheek. “You believe me, don’t you?”
I considered this and nodded. “Yes.” Then I fought back a shiver, wondering how many times Christopher Dark had had me followed. “So he isn’t working alone.”
“Apparently not.”
“Do you think they’re involved in…all this? What happened with my dad? Or that they even know what the serum was for?”
Declan leaned back and shook his head. “I don’t know. But the way he talked, it still sounds like active research. Like there’s more going on than just his interest and how the serum affected me. Your father said he might have given it to someone else or more than someone else. I wonder if it affects everyone the same way.”
“We should talk to my dad.
