Page 4 of Declan

“Both of you get outta my sight. For the next two days, I don’t wanna see either of you. You will take turns sitting on Derek’s house. If he goes missing, you’ll go missing. Do you fucking understand or do I need to spell it out slowly for you?” Hux stands up and slams his chair into the table. “Get the fuck outta here.”

Wesley and I walk outside and I try to hide my smile. I know exactly what’s coming.

“You’re taking the first shift. I’m not sitting on his house all goddamn night.”

“I would’ve taken the entire blame. You didn’t need to try to defend me,” I say, lighting a cigarette.

He pulls the cigarette from my fingers and takes a long drag. I chuckle and light myself another one.

“Shut the fuck up. I always have your back, even if it means I need to babysit some dumb prick,” he says, blowing smoke up toward the night sky. “I’m going home to get some sleep. Good luck staying up all night again.”

He peels out of the parking lot, and I sigh, climbing onto my bike. He’s right, staying up all night after the hangover I’ve been dealing with after last night is gonna suck.

But, there’s nothing I can do.

No drinking or pussy tonight.

Chapter 3

Lena

My phone continues to ring and I stare at it with a fear that I’ve only felt one other time in my life. I fucked up and I don’t know what to do.

“Who the hell keeps calling you?” Jeanne, my best friend asks, sitting on the couch next to me.

Jeanne and I share a small apartment that we moved into right out of high school. She wanted her independence and I wanted to get as far away from my parents as possible. Well, as far away as I could be without leaving Jeanne and my brother.

Jeanne comes from money and that’s the only reason we were even able to get this place. Her independence is only for show really. Her parents still put money into an account for her monthly and she spends it almost just as fast.

I’ve never had it that easy. Anything I’ve ever wanted or needed I’ve busted my ass to get. Sometimes it’s just exhausting. Sometimes I just want to go to the bar and not have to count pennies before hand to make sure I have enough to cover a couple drinks. And sometimes you do really dumb shit thinking you can make that happen.

“Lena, you good?” Jeanne asks.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just a bill collector calling,” I lie, shrugging.

“How much do you owe?”

She always wants to help and I always deny. I was taught never to allow someone to help you because that means you owe them and what they want in return may be much worse. Not that I think Jeanne would do something like that, but I can’t tell her about this. I’m not going to involve her.

“I’ve got it, don’t worry.” I force a smile and turn toward her on the couch. “So, what’s the plan tonight?”

“Let’s hit up Twisted Souls,” Jeanne suggests, tossing her phone onto the coffee table before giving me that expectant look.

I shake my head almost immediately. “No. I don’t wanna run into Wesley tonight.”

Her brow furrows. “What? Why?”

I exhale, rubbing the back of my neck. “Because I’m a shitty liar when it comes to him.” It’s the truth. Wesley can take one look at me and know something’s off, and the last thing I need tonight is his scrutiny. He’ll take one look at me and start asking questions I’m not ready to answer.

Jeanne crosses her arms, tilting her head in that way she does when she’s not convinced. “Lee, you love your brother. He just wants to look out for you.”

I sigh. “I know, but I can’t handle it tonight.”

She thinks it’s the bill collector, and she can just keep thinking that.

She pouts, jetting her bottom lip out like a damn child. “Come on, please? If we see him, we’ll leave. I just need a drink, some music, some fun.” She drags the last word out dramatically, leaning against me in an exaggerated plea.

I roll my eyes but don’t immediately answer. I know what this is really about. Jeanne doesn’t just want to go out, she wants to be close to Shattered Souls MC.

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