Page 29 of All We Want

Declan, kneeling beside Caleb, watches as blood spills from the wound. Caleb coughs, his body convulsing with the effort, but his eyes lock onto Declan's with a twisted determination.

"Ya think this is the end for me, Declan?” he sneers, blood spilling from his mouth. “I survived bein' shot in the face once. A bullet in the chest won't stop me."

Declan's jaw tightens, regret etched on his face. "I didn't want it to come to this, Caleb. But ya won't be leavin' here alive."

Caleb chuckles through the pain. "Too late, Declan. The wheels are already in motion. Even after I'm gone, the Blackstone Company will fall. I only used Scarlette to access that file because it wasn'a on the server. But there be still a lot on the server I was able to get to, including the names of all ya agents."

A chill runs down my spine at Caleb's revelation. The gravity of the situation deepens as we realize the extent of the danger that still looms over us.

Declan's expression darkens with anger and concern. "What are ya talking about, Caleb? What did ya do?"

Caleb's laughter is strained, his face filled with both pain and defiance. "Ya will find out soon enough. It's too late to stop it. The Blackstone Company's secrets will be exposed, and justice will be served, even if I be not around to witness it."

The room feels charged with an eerie stillness. Caleb's body weakens, but his eyes remain defiant. He glares at Declan, unrepentant.

Declan's resolve hardens. "Even if what ya say is true, it won't justify the lives ya have taken, the pain ya have caused."

Caleb's response is a bitter smile. "Just wait, Declan. The storm is coming, and there's no shelter from it."

With those ominous words, Caleb's body goes limp, his eyes glazing over. The room falls silent, the weight of Caleb’s words settling like a dark cloud. The confrontation may be over, but the aftermath promises a storm of consequences. The shadows of the past linger, casting a long and uncertain future for all involved.

Ronan gently eases me away from his embrace, his gaze filled with concern as he cups my face. "Are ya okay?" he asks, his voice a soothing balm in the midst of the turmoil.

I nod, still processing the whirlwind of emotions. Aiden stands beside us, a silent pillar of support. My eyes shift to Declan, who rises from beside Caleb's lifeless form. His expression is a mix of anger, regret, and determination.

Declan approaches us, his gaze softening as he looks at me. "Scarlette, ya still have a chance to leave. After what Caleb said, we won't force ya to stay with us, as much as we want ya to. Ya will always be ours, but if ya don't want to be a casualty of what Caleb started, ya can still leave."

I meet Declan's eyes, his words lingering in the air. There's a flicker of uncertainty in his gaze, a silent plea for understanding. Ronan's arms are still around me, protective and reassuring, but I don't hesitate. The choice is clear to me.

"It's too late for that, Declan," I say, my voice unwavering. "I'm already yours, and you're already mine. We're bound together, and I won't leave you to face this storm alone. Whatever Caleb set in motion, I'll stand with you to face it."

Declan's expression shifts, a mixture of surprise and gratitude. He reaches out, his hand gently touching my cheek. "Scarlette..."

I interrupt him, my tone resolute. "I made my choice when I chose to be with you. I won't turn away now, not when you need someone by your side."

Declan's hand slides from my cheek to the back of my neck, his fingers threading into my hair. With a fierce possessiveness, he pulls me to my feet and presses his lips against mine in a kiss that holds a raw intensity, fueled by adrenaline and emotions.

When he finally releases me, Aiden comes up behind me and kisses my neck, a breathless gasp escaping my lips. “We need to finish this later, someone needs to take care of that first,” I say, motioning to Caleb’s body. “We can’t leave that for Sue to find.”

Ronan chuckles as he climbs to his feet. “Maybe we should, then she might think twice about allowin’ men into your office.”

I groan, holding a hand to my face. "Oh, God. I can already hear Sue. ‘Dear, I didn't mean for you to kill someone when I said I wanted to live vicariously through you.' I'll never hear the end of it."

Declan smirks, a glint of amusement in his eyes despite the gravity of the situation. "She would have a field day with dis one."

Aiden, his expression a mix of amusement and concern, adds, "She would have a story to tell for years. 'Remember that time Scarlette had a dead body in her office?'"

I roll my eyes, but a small smile tugs at the corners of my lips. "Let's just get this over with. Sue can't find out about this. I can't handle the lectures about keeping my personal life at home. She is already afraid she is going to one day hear us fucking in here."

Ronan grins mischievously. "Now there's a thought," he says, grabbing me around the waist.

I playfully push him away. "Nope. Besides, Declan and Aiden promised me Christmas decorations.”

They all laugh in response. I didn’t care, a girl had to have her priorities.

Chapter 25

Scarlette

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