Page 52 of Declan

“Holy shit,” she breathes. Her eyes are practically sparkling. “I knew he felt the same way about you.”

She looks at me, suddenly more serious. “He does, right?”

We step into our building, and I wait until we’re behind our apartment door before answering. No one else needs to hear this.

“Yeah. I mean I think so. He said he’s wanted me for years, and I believe him. But he also doesn’t want anyone to know. He’s scared of how Wesley will react.”

I collapse onto the couch, sighing like I’ve been holding my breath all day. I pull out my phone and hand it to her, showing her the text.

She reads it and sets the phone on the coffee table like it’s nothing. “Who cares? He wants you to delete it? He’s just being cautious. You’re always worried about Wesley finding out about your love life with any guy. So now what? You want Declan to show up tonight and publicly confess his love for you at dinner?”

She plops down beside me, hugging a throw pillow to her chest. “This thing with him is new, Lena. Give it some time. Figure out if it’s real, if it’s worth the fallout, before you throw gasoline on the family bonfire.”

I groan, dropping my head back dramatically. “Ugh. You’re right.”

“Of course I am,” she says smugly. Then her tone softens. “But Lee, do me a favor?”

I turn my head toward her. She’s grinning again.

“Tell me everything. Every filthy, hot, dirty detail. I need to live vicariously through you.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “Deal.” I stand and offer her my hand. “But first, help me find something to wear tonight. I need to look so good, Declan wants to drag me outta there.”

Declan’salready there when I walk in.

Of course he is. Sitting in the booth beside Wesley like he owns the place, like his cocky grin from last night isn’t still imprinted behind my eyelids every time I blink. His arm is stretched casually along the back of the booth, fingers drumming a slow rhythm, like he has all the time in the world.

My entire body goes tense the second his eyes meet mine. That fire? It’s still there. Smoldering. Quiet. Dangerous.

“Hey,” I say, sliding into the booth across from them.

Declan’s eyes flick down my body and back up before he nods. “Lena.”

My name on his lips shouldn’t make me feel like this. Not with Wesley sitting right there, oblivious. But it does. My stomach flips, heat blooming low in my belly just from that one look.

“You okay?” Wes asks, watching me a little too closely. “You look flushed.”

“I’m fine,” I lie, grabbing the menu like it’s a lifeline. “Hot out.”

Declan hums. I don’t even look at him, but I feel it. The weight of his attention. His leg brushes mine under the table, just barely, and I swear my heart skips.

We order. The second the waiter disappears, Wesley leans back and sighs. “So. This is gonna be awkward.”

My stomach drops. “Why?”

Declan goes completely still in front of me, his eyes locking on Wesley like he suddenly forgot how to breathe, too.

Wesley hesitates, glances between us, then back at me. “I hooked up with Jeanne.”

My brain stutters. “You, what?”

“Yeah. It was a mistake. Drunk night, too much tequila. It’s not a thing. It was never gonna be a thing. Just—” he shrugs “—one night. But I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else.”

I blink. Hard. Trying to process that. The hot punch of protectiveness surges through me before I can stop it. Jeanne is my friend.Myfriend. And she slept with my brother? Without saying a damn word?

“That’s disgusting,” I mutter.

Declan coughs like he’s trying not to laugh. I kick his shin under the table. He doesn’t even flinch.

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