Page 31 of Bound

“He is going to get stuck,” I echo as Liam pulls me into him.

“And how’s my little nugget?” he teases, and I shove him from me.

“I amnotyour little nugget,” I huff with a chuckle.

“Based on these,” Finn continues, rifling through the photos spread across the counter, “she ain’t so little.”

His statement draws everyone else’s attention to the pornographic spread. And I’m less than thrilled to know that three of Dec’s brothers now know exactly what I look like naked, bent over the couch, coming, riding their brother,andhog-tied.

“Gnéasach. Nice,” Finn drags out the words as he lifts a photo ofDelcanfucking my face while I’m suspended in an Agura tie. “And great use of that swing set.”

Declan punches him—hard—in the arm and snatches the photo out of his hand before gathering the rest of them and shoving them back into the box.

“What?” Finn huffs, rubbing his arm. “You’re the one fucking her on the terrace for the whole city to see, andIgeta punch for lookingat the picture a little too long?”

“There are pictures of Declan fucking Quinn?” Conor outstretches both palms, impatiently waiting for someone to pass one to him.

“You already fucked Tristan’s wife. You don’t need to see mine, too,” Declan huffs, and my eyes snap toward him.

He doesn’t even know what he just said.

Declan splays the letter on the counter,andeveryone reads it, Finn with his lips moving.

“The three of you can’t stay here,” Tristan chimes. “It isn’t safe.”

“None of our places are going to be safe, though.” The truth behind Declan’s words is a little terrifying. “There are hundreds of people in and out of all our buildings every day. It’s too easy for people to slip in unnoticed.”

“You can’t be thinking about staying here,” Liam exclaims as he gestures toward the front door that’s now hanging by a single hinge.

“He’s been in this house. He’s been watching us for months. I can’t imagine he hasn’t used that to his advantage. That he doesn’t have aplanto get what he wants.”

Me.

Declan pulls his phone from his pocket and makes a call as he paces toward the terrace to check on Fiona. Tristan, Liam, Conor, and Finn quibble about the situation, but my focus is entirely on Declan and listening to one side of his call. “Is it ready?—It needs to be ready by tonight—I want men there within the hour—I’m not asking, Rory—We’ll be leaving here within the hour—And make surethe swing set is movedby morning.”

I walk toward the windows lining the terrace,andDeclan pulls me into him. He squeezes me—almost unbearably—tight and places a kiss against my forehead. “I’m not leaving your side,mochéadsearc. You andastóirín… I’ll protect you both. Noone will ever get thatclose to either of you again. I promise.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE

DECLAN

After zipping my packed suitcase, I pull it from the bed. Quinn helped with packing Fiona’s things first, her rainbow suitcase at the door waiting to be loaded into the car. Quinn is currently filling a bag with a few days’ worth of her necessities; enough clothes and toiletries to go away for a long weekend. Someone can come back to get more later.

If we come back.

“I’m going to put this one by the door”—I lift my suitcase—“and then grab a few things from my office.”

“Okay.” She nods, continuing to rummage through the drawers in the bathroom. “I should be ready to go in a few minutes.”

Tristan lefta bit ago, heading back to his place. He went under the guise of getting Layla and packing their things as well, but I know damn well that he’s as concerned for her safety as I am for Quinn’s and Fiona’s. Conor, Liam, and Finn stayed behind to keep Fiona occupied while we quickly prepared to leave. They’ll go to each other’s places,respectivelypack their things, and then join us later tonight.

Entering my office, I close the frosted French door behind me. The loose floorboard creaks as I walk along the wall of bookshelves before taking a seat in the high-backed leather chair behind the walnut desk. Running my hand along the bullnose of the desk, I unlock and open the drawer. It contains nothing but a small gift box. I pull it out and sigh.

This wasn’t how this was supposed to go.

Pulling the bow undone, I drop the thin strand of white silk on the desk and open the little red leather box. I let it fall to the desk as I take out what was supposed to be Quinn’s gift in just a few short days. Turning the key over in my hand, I stare at the silver keychain attached to it. I rub my thumb over the engraved inscription.Build a life with me and fill this home with more love than itcould possiblyhold.

I bought it for her—for us—a couple of weeks ago and have been keeping it a secret whilecrewswork tirelessly to complete some remodeling and a few necessary security updates. With six bedrooms, the gated estate on the New Rochelle waterfront is going to be a big home for us to fill.A task I am very much looking forward to.Big inside and out, it has a private beach and a large yard for kids to play without armed guards hovering over them.

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