Page 37 of Declan

“Jealous, firecracker?” His voice is low, teasing, laced with danger. His breath brushes my neck, and I shiver, the tingling sensation travelling down my spine. “How was your bath this morning?” His lips hover near my ear, his hips pressing forward.

I feel him—hard—and my breath falters.

A wicked smirk curls on his lips. “Use your words, Viviana.” His teeth graze the sensitive spot beneath my ear, and a low groan rumbles in his chest as I can’t stop the shudder that overtakes me.

“It was…” I start, my voice barely a whisper, but he doesn’t let me finish.

His lips crash into mine, fierce and consuming. I taste whisky, tastehim, as his tongue presses inside, demanding and relentless. A soft hum escapes me, my hands tangling in his hair, pulling him closer. His heat surrounds me, his grip tight on my thigh as he lifts it to his hip.

“Fuck, Vi,” he breathes against my mouth. His voice is rough and strained, and it sends a fresh wave of heat through me. His thigh presses between mine, and I can’t help the way my body reacts, grinding softly against him. The friction is torturous, deliciously teasing.

“Declan…” His name leaves my lips in a breathless plea.

His smirk grows wicked, his hands digging into my back as he leans in, his movements calculated, predatory.

“Ahm, Dec…” A voice interrupts, shattering the moment as a glass dropped on the tile. “The Keeffes are here.”

Declan growls, the sound low and primal, vibrating against me. “Fucking hell,” he mutters. Straightening, he adjusts his jacket, sparing a glance at the faint mark of my arousal on his pants. His smirk sharpens, predatory.

“A little souvenir, firecracker?” His hand slides to my throat, thumb tilting my chin up. His lips graze my ear, his whisper dripping with menace. “I’m fucking you tonight.”

With a final nip at my earlobe, he steps back, smoothing his hair.

In the quiet of my room, I can still feel his touch. My heart pounds a frantic rhythm, my mind caught between disbelief and anticipation.

Could he be serious? The look in his eyes, the way his hands claimed me—it felt anything but playful.

Down the hall, raised voices echo from Declan’s office. I freeze, straining to listen.

“How the hell is this even possible?” Declan’s voice cuts through the air, sharp and unforgiving.

“We… we don’t know, Dec. They’re showing up out of nowhere.” The other voice trembles, tinged with fear.

“Two attacks in a week?” Declan’s fury rises, his tone colder, deadlier than I’ve ever heard.

“It has to be—”

“Not here,” Declan snaps, cutting him off. His voice drops, low and dangerous.

It has to be who?A chill creeps through me, and questions swirl in my mind.

The scrape of chairs signals the meeting’s end. Panic lances through me as I slip away, hurrying back to my room. I lock the door behind me, twisting the key and jamming it in place.

I lie on the bed, staring at the ceiling. Another attack. Declan is furious. Does he think my family is behind this? No—if he did, Giovanni wouldn’t still be breathing.

I take a shaky breath, trying to calm my racing thoughts, as exhaustion pulls me under.

But the peace doesn’t last. A sudden jolt pulls me from sleep as someone tries the door handle, twisting it repeatedly. “Viviana, open the door.” Declan’s voice is firm and calm, but beneath it, there’s a primal edge that sends a shiver down my spine.

“No,” I call back, forcing confidence into my voice, even as my hands tremble. “Go to your room. I’m staying here tonight.”

The doorknob stops moving. Silence stretches on the other side of the door, so thick I can almost hear my heartbeat echoing in it. Then he speaks again, softer yet more menacing.“Firecracker, you do know a locked door isn’t going to keep me out of your room, right?”

I hesitate, weighing my options and fighting the urge to unlock the door. “Just leave me alone, Declan,” I say, trying to steady my voice.

A dark, amused chuckle rumbles from the other side of the door. For a moment, there’s nothing but silence. I release a breath, thinking maybe he’s gone.

Then, a thunderous crack splinters through the air as the door bursts open, wood shards flying. Declan strides in, unflinching, his eyes locked on me with a ferocity that leaves me breathless.

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