Page 31 of Declan

“Declan, fucking call it,” Hux yells.

I get up and rush to the ring, opening the door. I push Nico aside and lean down to check Jason for a pulse.

Nothing.

I stand up with a smile on my face.

“Winner,” I say, grabbing Nico’s arm and raising it high.

I look down at Jason’s body before I step out of the ring.

“That’s what happens when you put your hands on her,” I whisper, low and venomous, before stepping over his bloody body.

I don’t even look back.

“I need a fucking drink.”

Wesley falls into step beside me without hesitation. He doesn’t ask questions; he never does. We’ve been through enough together to know when the other is ready to snap.

While the rest of the crew stays behind to clean up the aftermath and collect the winnings, we make our way upstairs.

The second we hit the club floor, it’s like we’ve stepped into a different universe.

The pounding bass hits first, vibrating up through the floor and into my bones. Cool blue lights slash through the darkness, dancing across sweaty bodies. Laughter spills out from every corner. People high on music, liquor, and the kind of freedom that only comes with pretending nothing else exists.

The smell up here is different. Not blood and sweat and rage. It’s perfume, alcohol, and desire.

I pause at the edge, adjusting to the sensory whiplash, when Kaden shouts from behind us.

“Wesley! We need a hand!”

Wesley looks at me, hesitating.

“Go,” I say, voice rough. “Do what you gotta do.”

“You good?”

I nod once, turning my attention to Kaden. “You need me?”

Kaden meets my eyes as Wesley turns back. His expression softens for a second, which is rare for him. “Nah, you need a drink more,” he says. “We got it.”

I offer him a nod of gratitude, then push my way through the crowd to the bar.

“Shot of tequila,” I say to the bartender, tapping the counter with my fist.

The glass hits the bar, and I toss it back without blinking. The burn is welcome, it’s sharp and numbing. Exactly what I need.

“Another. And a beer.”

The second shot goes down slower, settling like fire in my gut. I grab the beer and lean against the bar, scanning the chaos in front of me.

The place is packed. Shoulder to shoulder with people dancing, flirting, moving in time with the beat like the world outside thesewalls doesn’t exist. They’re lost in it, eyes glazed with lust and liquor, and for a second, I envy the hell out of them.

I want to forget. Just for a night.

And then I see her.

Like a punch to the chest, the air leaves my lungs.

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