Falling For His Therapist [Book #2]

Chapter 7

When I awoke the following morning with my phone beside me, I hung up quickly when I realized I was still on the phone with Declan.

We hadn't said one word to each other the entire time we were on the phone. Which in the beginning was awkward, but overtime I found it rather comforting.

Forcing myself out of bed, I groggily made my way towards the bathroom. I didn't hear any sort of commotion in the apartment, which means Adrianna and Joy must have already left for work.

Twisting the knob to the shower, a blast of cold water sprayed from its head. Taking off my clothes and setting them aside, I waited until the water got warm before getting in.

When I was finished getting ready for the day, I got in my car and headed to work.

I greeted a few co-workers before stepping on to the elevator. I bobbed my head to the classical music playing until I reached my floor.

Stepping out of the elevator when the double doors slid open, I started down the hall towards my office.

I paused when I saw Declan waiting outside my door. I checked the time on my phone, not sure why he was here so early. His session doesn't start for another three hours.

"What are you doing here so early?"

He stood up from the chair he was sitting and waiting in, reminding me just how tall he was compared to me. The only reason I was almost tall as him was because of my heels.

"I got my appointment time moved up. I needed to see you."

"Okay, well come on in." Using my keys to unlock the door to my office, I pushed the door open and walked inside.

Stuffing my purse behind my desk, I grabbed Declan's file and my notepad before sitting down in my chair.

Declan closed the door behind him and took a seat. "I just wanted to thank you for last night. I actually slept through the entire night, which I haven't been able to do since... well since I killed my birth mother."

I straightened in my chair. This is the first time I've heard him actually acknowledge the biological relationship he has with his mother.

"You said you have nightmares every night. Did you experience any this time?"

He shook his head. "No, I dreamed of you instead."

I cleared my throat, caught off guard by his revelation. "Me? You dreamed of me?" Heat crept onto my cheeks and I had to pinch my thighs together. I was afraid to ask, but knew I had to. "What was it about?"

He smiled, looking out the large window in my office as if the dream itself was playing out in front of him.

"We were in my bed."

Oh God.

"You were holding me and telling me that everything would be okay. That I would be okay."

I sighed with relief, glad it wasn't a sexual dream that he had of me. I mean it's very possible that's he had one and just hasn't told me, which I would prefer to keep that way.

"Okay about what?" I continued, putting my focus back on the task at hand. Which was to get him to open up to me more.

"Do you know what they say about me?" He looked down, starting to fidget with his hands.

He's nervous.

"What who say about you?"

"Everyone out there in the world."

I gave my head a shake. "No."

"Half of them applaud my actions, while the other half has declared me a murderer."

"You're not a murderer, Declan. You were four years old. You couldn't possibly have understood what you were doing."

"But I did know. I didn't know I would kill her, but I definitely knew what I was doing."

"And what were you doing?"

"Protecting my family like I've seen my dad do so many times."

I don't what happened to lead up to his biological mother's death, but clearly they were in danger enough where he felt the need to aim and shoot a gun at her.

"That's not the only reason why I pulled the trigger." He shifted in his seat, still fidgeting with his hands as he spoke. "I hate her. No, I fucking despise her."

"Why?" I asked, noticing the way his mood had changed the same way it had the last time Natalie was brought up in conversation.

"She abandoned me. Not only that, but she refused to love me. My dad doesn't know this, but I heard everything she said about me. She never wanted me. She would have aborted me if it wasn't for my dad. She said I was pathetic, because of the selective mutism I had."

There was a pain in his eyes. So much hurt. You could tell he was angry as well, but was hurting so much more.

"Declan."

His green eyes flickered to me, and I could see that he was fighting back tears.

I wanted to tell him that it was okay to cry and that crying was normal and healthy. But he didn't seem to want to hear that. Not right now anyway.

What he needed to hear was that he was loved. And that despite the one person in his life who didn't want him, he was surrounded by a family who did.

"One person doesn't equate to the amount of love your family has and will continue to provide you. And I don't need to know your family to know that you are loved tremendously."

"I am," he admitted. "Which is why I can't seem to wrap my head around the fact that my own mother, the woman he gave birth to me couldn't love me as well."

"I know you want answers, but only she knows the answer to your question.

"Well she's dead, so there's no way I'll ever know now." He glanced down at his hands in his lap before looking back up at me. "I don't want to talk about this anymore."

"That's okay. What would you like to talk about instead?"

"You. I want to talk about you."

We aren't exactly allowed to talk about ourselves, but if it will make Declan comfortable then I'm willing to take the risk.

"What would you like to know?"

"What's your favorite color?"

"Purple."

"What is your favorite hobby?"

"Mmm," I thought about it before giving him my answer. "Listening to music."

He smiled and I felt like I could see his nerves fading away. "Is there anything you'd like to know about me? Though I'm sure you already know everything."

"No, not everything. I don't know what your favorite movie is."

"Finding Nemo."

"Really?" He nodded, blushing as he shyly rubbed the back of his neck. "Is it because it's just Nemo and his dad?"

"Yeah," he replied softly, his face turning a shade of red.

That is so fucking cute!

We spent the remainder of his session asking each other different questions, getting to know more about one another.

We were having such a wonderful time in each other's company that I didn't even realize the timer on my little alarm clock had gone off.

"Can I call you tonight?"

"Declan, I don't know if that's a good idea."

"I just want to hear your voice before I go to bed."

There was something about those compelling green eyes of his that made it so hard for me to tell him no.

"Okay, fine. But this is the last time."