Page 106 of Declan

Silvana relays what she told me earlier. Viviana nods again, her mask of icy composure still firmly in place. Damn, she’s a powerhouse.

“And there’s something else,” Silvana says, her voice faltering. I shift slightly, already dreading what’s coming next. My gut tightens. Here it comes.

“Giovanni… he…” Silvana struggles, her voice cracking as her gaze darts toward me. Viviana turns, her fiery eyes locking onto mine, searching. I just nod. She faces her sister again, her posture straight and uncompromising.

“He what?” Viviana asks, standing slowly. I move around the back of the couch, positioning myself behind her but keeping my distance. Connor steps aside, almost as if silently giving her permission to do whatever she needs to.

Silvana flinches, trembling. “He isn’t your… father, Viviana,” she finally blurts, shutting her eyes as if bracing for some kind of outburst.

But Viviana doesn’t move. She freezes, her face unreadable.

“Vi,” I whisper, unsure if I should reach out or give her space.

Then, to everyone’s surprise, she sits back down and bursts into laughter, deep, almost hysterical laughter that echoes in the room.

“Oh, thank fuck,” she says between breaths of laughter, her hands rising to her bruised throat. The dark marks from Alek’s grip are even more pronounced now. “So that piece of shit isn’t related to me?” She exhales sharply, a small smile breaking through.

Fuck me. She’s actually happy.

Silvana nods, staring at her sister like she’s lost her mind.

Viviana turns to me, her smile growing. “He’s not my father. I’m not the daughter of the man who killed your fiancée. My father doesn’t hate me. My father didn’t trade me. He isn’t my father; he is just an evil, disgusting man.” Her voice cracks as tears fall, but the smile stays on her face.

“I know, baby. I know,” I say, kneeling in front of her. I cup her face gently, pressing small kisses to her hands. “But even if you were, I wouldn’t care. You’re nothing like him.” My voice drops to a whisper, and her smile brightens, warm and genuine, melting away the cold shadows of the past.

“And so you know, your real father has been protecting you since you were a child and even helped you run from me,” I wink at her.

Her face lights up, and tears fall. “Carlos,” she whispers.

Chapter 33

Viviana

My fingers clench the fabric of my dress as I swallow hard, trying to keep it together. Declan explained everything; he told me I didn’t need to be here. But I have to. For him. For what Alek did. For closure.

We’re at one of the Callaghans’ warehouses, far from the docks, hidden in the middle of nowhere. Every member of the Irish Consortium is here. I sit between Connor and Kian, their protective glances weighing on me. “If you want to leave, just let us know,” Kian whispers, and I nod.

The warehouse is cold, and the air is thick with the smell of wet fur and desperation. The Irish Consortium’s leading families sit on wooden benches around a small raised platform. Behind them, guards stand with crossed arms, their guns visible. At the center are Declan Callaghan, Flynn Brady, John Flanagan, and Christian Keeffe, who took Nolan’s place after he died—the heads of each family.

The hum of whispers fills the space. Declan steps forward, commanding attention in his perfectly tailored black suit. His voice is deep, controlled, and powerful enough to drown out every other sound.

“As you all know, we finally caught Alek Koslov,” he announces. Applause and whistles erupt like this is some kind of twisted circus.

“And as the rules demand, tonight, he will pay for what he did,” Declan continues. “From the attacks on our warehouses and shipments to killing Elva Finlay.”

He glances to his left and nods. An older couple sits there, the woman clutching a single white flower, like the one Elva held in the photo I saw in Declan’s private room.Her parents, I mumble to myself, and Kian nods. They look devastated. My heart aches for them, and I press my nails into my thighs to ground myself, the sharp pain keeping me from breaking down.

“For Nolan Keeffe,” Declan says next. Christian steps forward, his jaw tight as he nods.

“For all the men we lost at the hands of the Koslovs,” Declan declares, and the guards behind us stomp their boots in unison. The sound startles me, and Connor squeezes my hand, giving me a reassuring smile.

“And for Viviana Callaghan.” Declan’s eyes meet mine, and my heart skips a beat. The guards stomp again, the noise echoing in approval. I manage a shaky nod, forcing a small smile.

Declan tilts his chin toward Flynn, who disappears for a moment before returning with Alek. My hand tightens around Connor’s as they drag him in. Alek looks like he’s been run over by a car multiple times. He’s barely recognizable, worse off than Declan after their fight.

They kept him alive for a week, pulling whatever information they could about his missing cousin and his connections. He didn’t give up much.

Flynn lets Alek’s body drop onto the platform, the heavy thud echoing as the wooden pallets creak beneath his weight. Connor leans in close, his lips brushing my ear. “You may want to close your eyes for this.” I take a deep breath and shake my head.

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