Page 64 of Declan

“Viviana’s smart,” Kian says, shaking his head. “If it was her, do you really think she’d sign the messages with ‘Vi’?”

“Giovanni’s playing us. He’s making sure the heat’s off him by throwing his own daughter under the bus,” I say, pacing the room.

“Viviana knows something,” Connor says, his fingers flying over the keyboard as he searches for the phone’s origins. “Something big enough to push Giovanni. He can’t kill her, so…”

“So he made sure the Flanaghans and Keeffes found the phone, painting her as the perfect scapegoat,” I finished, gripping the back of a chair. “She’s forced to marry me. She’s known for hating everything we stand for. It’s too convenient. Too fucking convenient.”

I press my hands to my face, trying to erase the image of her tear-filled eyes as she walked out.

“And Nolan Keeffe?” Kian leans back in his chair, rubbing his jaw. “Lad seems to have something against her.”

“He’s been on her trail for a while,” Connor says, looking defeated.

“Why?” I snap, turning to face him.

“He liked her,” Connor deadpans.

“What?” My voice drops an octave as I step closer, leaning over him.

“Nolan,” Connor says as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. “They went to school together, with the Koslovs. He liked her, but she never gave him the time of day.”

Connor keeps typing, scrolling through files, his focus unwavering.

“And the Koslovs?” Kian asks, incredulous.

“She doesn’t care for them either,” Connor shrugs.

I narrow my eyes at him, crossing my arms. “How the fuck do you know all of this? You weren’t in school with her.”

“Carla,” he says, his tone detached.

“Carla? Your ex?” Kian raises a brow, clearly amused.

Connor sighs. “Yeah. She was in the same class as Viviana.” He finally turns to face us, his expression neutral. “I thought you guys knew. Anyway…” He gestures back to the screen. “Carla used to say Viviana hated everyone, including the two guys fighting over her.”

“Nolan and Aleksandr,” I mutter.

Now, it makes sense. That’s why Nolan looks at her like a starving dog eyeing a steak. He wants her. And we know he hated me for years. I wonder how he feels now, knowing I’m fucking the one he can never have.

Grabbing my phone from the desk, I scroll through my contacts.

“What are you doing?” Kian asks, raising a brow.

I smirk, bringing the phone to my ear. As it rings, I wait for the other side to pick up.

“Flynn, it’s Declan,” I say when the line connects. “We need to talk.”

Chapter 21

Declan

Flynn Brady arrives at the estate. Unlike John Flanagan and Nolan Keeffe, I’ve known Flynn since middle school. His family stood shoulder to shoulder with mine during the wars, and if there’s one person I can count on besides my brothers right now, it’s him.

I told him as much as I could over the phone, and Kian filled in the rest while I made a few more calls.

“She’s at John’s office at the docks,” I snarl. Better there than at Nolan’s.

“John isn’t that stupid. He can’t really believe she’d do it, right?” Flynn asks, shaking his head.

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