Page 67 of Destroy (Deadly Hearts 2)

ChapterTwenty-Nine

Layton

After David called twenty minutes ago, we finally see the white sedan pull up next to us on the side of the road in a beautifully scenic spot on the west coast of Ireland. I have traveled to many places, but most were dusty, hot, had no views to speak of and were with the Armed Forces. I have taken the time to appreciate this while we waited for Ruby to catch up.

Declan pulls up and she leaps out, running over to me and throwing her arms around me. I engulf her, almost crushing her, but needing to show her how happy I am to see her and know that she is turning a corner. I shove her up against the car and claim her mouth in a kiss that becomes so erotic, I feel my dick harden and strain against my black combat pants.

Panting, she pulls away and smiles at me, a bright, sexy smile that reassures me she is fine after I nearly devoured her.

“Hi,” she says, pushing me away slightly and once we are clear of the car, the door at the back opens and Cillian climbs out.

I snicker and shake my head. “I see,” I murmur. “Kept that quiet, didn’t you?”

She grins and leaves me to greet David and Ramsey in much the same way.

I give Declan a nod, but step in front of him so he can’t duck around me. “About what happened earlier,” I start.

He holds his hand up. “Look, it wasn’t as random as it looked to you. Last night…” he sighs, and it catches Ruby’s attention. She is holding hands with David and drags him closer, biting her lip.

“Go on,” I growl. “Last night, what?”

“I asked Daddy to take care of something for me,” Ruby says.

“I want to hear from him,” I grit out, pointing at Declan.

“You sure you want to do this on the side of the road?” he spits out.

“Yes,” I state, folding my arms over my chest. If he went near her without her permission, I would kill him regardless of who he is.

“Fine,” Declan says, meeting my steady gaze with one of his own, but it is etched with torment.

What the fuck happened?

“Ruby came to me with a secret she has been keeping. Something she needed to get off her chest. She asked for forgiveness, and I gave it to her in the way which we both know she needs. Then she spilled something far, far worse that tore at my heart. Ruby?” he asks, looking at her. “Do I have your permission to tell them?”

“Yes, of course,” she murmurs, looking at the ground.

I clench my jaw so tight, it aches. I knew something was going on but had no idea what. Now, I’m starting to think this was a bad idea, but the masochist in me needs to hear it.

“We don’t have to do this here,” David says, pulling her closer.

“Yes, we do,” she mutters. “I thought I might be pregnant,” she adds quietly. “I took a test, but it came back negative. That was a few days ago. I didn’t tell any of you because I was scared that if I was and it turned out to be his, you would leave me.”

“Jesus, Ruby,” I chide her, going to her and pulling her back into my arms. “You know we would never do that.”

She snuffles against my chest, and I squeeze her tighter until she chokes back a laugh. “Can’t breathe,” she says.

“Sorry,” I mutter and let her go.

She smiles sadly, but keeps her arms around me, her head on my chest. “Declan, can you tell them the rest? I don’t think I can…”

He inhales. His face is hard when he says, “Ruby and I kissed. It was deep, but I knew something was off. She crawled into my lap, and I pushed her away. That’s when she revealed what has been plaguing her all these weeks. She said…” He swallows visibly and Ruby turns her head into my chest. “...she said that she needed me to have sex with her, so she didn’t have to feel him inside her anymore.”

“Fuck,” I mutter. “Ruby…why didn’t you tell us before?”

“Because I was humiliated and disgusted and drowning in self-pity,” comes her muffled reply, her head still against me.

“Rubes,” David says, taking her and turning her so he can wrap his arms around her. He doesn’t say anything else, because what is there to say? We can’t tell her that she shouldn’t feel that way. It will invalidate what is so real to her.

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