Page 97 of Declan

“I warned you,” he pauses, a deliberate beat, “but I want to invite you to dinner tonight. Here. It’s time to show a united front now that we’re family, and I haven’t seen you since the wedding.”

His tone wavers. He’s nervous. Alek’s plan must be to get us out of the estate. Fine. I’ll play along.

“True,” I say evenly, “maybe I’ll take you up on that offer of swapping wives and bringing Silvana home instead.” I try to sound serious, thankful this isn’t a video call, or he’d see the smirk tugging at my lips.

I glance up and spot Viviana standing in the doorway, brows pinched together. I wink at her, motioning for her to sit.

“What time, Giovanni?” I ask, cutting through his rambling.

“Eight,” he says too quickly. Another tell—he’s on edge. Good. That makes two of us.

“Alright. Eight.” I hang up before he can add anything else.

“It’s going to happen at my father’s, isn’t it?” Viviana’s voice is shaky, her hands clenched. She closes her eyes, exhaling deeply like she’s bracing herself.

“Yes.” I won’t sugarcoat it. She knows what’s coming. And in a way, this is for the best. Tonight, I’ll take down Alek and her excuse of a father in one swoop.

Hell, I might even make it look like Alek killed him, clearing the Morelli name in the process. For her. And if a stray bullet hits her sisters? I wouldn’t shed a single fucking tear.

“He only invited you?” she asks. I nod. Her face falls. Viviana’s a firecracker, no doubt, but she also has a soft heart, and she’s struggling with her father being a piece of shit, even after everything he put her through. And that’s the problem.

Will she hold a grudge when I kill him? Will she understand? I’ll do it without hesitation, not just because of Elva but because of her. He tried to fucking kill her. Twice.

“We’re ready. Don’t worry; you’ll be safe here,” I reassure her.

Leaning back in my chair, I pat my lap. “Come here, baby.” She stares at me for a moment before standing and sitting on my lap. I shift, adjusting so she can snuggle into my chest. Strokingher beautiful raven hair, which smells faintly of vanilla, I feel her breathing slow.

“Will you be safe?” she asks, her voice trembling. Is she crying? I grab her chin between my thumb and forefinger, tilting her face toward mine. Tears fell from her eyes. Oh, fuck, I suck at this.

I pull her closer, letting her hide her face in my chest. “I will. Don’t worry. Kian’s coming with me,” I say softly.

The rest of the day is spent making sure everything’s ready, whether we’re attacked here or Giovanni sets a trap at his place. By the time I glance at the clock, it’s almost time to leave. I put on my black tailored suit, tucking a gun at my waist and another at my ankle. This is it. Tonight, it ends.

We go over everything again. Viviana doesn’t know the full plan; she can’t for her safety. She knows to stay indoors no matter what, and if Alek texts or calls, Connor will be here to keep us updated.

I hug her tight, inhaling her scent and grounding myself in her warmth. Her arms wrap around my neck, pulling me into a deep kiss. This time, it’s her tongue that pierces through my lips. Her kiss is demanding, almost feral, and I meet it with equal intensity as if I can kiss away all the fear she’s feeling.

“Wait,” I murmur, pulling back slightly to reach into my pocket. I grab a small box, and her eyes widen.

“If this is a collar, you don’t need to wait for Alek; I’ll kill you myself, Declan,” she snaps, glaring at the box like it’s radioactive. Her frown makes me laugh.

“Open the damn box, Viviana,” I mutter harshly, shoving it into her hands. She grabs it, opening it cautiously. Her chest tightens. Inside is a delicate four-leaf clover pendant crafted from white gold with small obsidian crystals encrusted in the leaves—her favorite stone, of course. Diamonds would never suit my firecracker.

“Oh, Declan,” she purrs, taking the necklace from the box, her eyes shimmering as brightly as the pendant. “It’s so beautiful.” She glances at me, then turns around, lifting her hair.

I grab the necklace from her hand and step closer, brushing her soft skin as I clasp it around her neck. Goosebumps rise under my fingers, and I can’t help but smirk.

“Thank you. I love it,” she says, locking her eyes on mine.

“I’m glad,” I reply, pulling her close. “Promise me you’ll never take it off.” It’s more of an order than a request, and she nods before pulling me into another kiss.

I grip her hair gently, tilting her head so I can deepen the kiss, my tongue claiming hers. A soft moan escapes her chest, one only I get to hear.

“You better come back to me,” she whispers as she pulls away, her breath mingling with mine.

“I will, firecracker,” I murmur back, pressing a kiss to her neck.

“And you too,” she says, glancing at Kian. He flashes her a wink and a cocky smile.

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