Chapter 11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

DECLAN

Liam and I spent the entire day in Chinatown looking for Akim's girl, Kira. They have either split from the area or have one hell of a hideout, because the only thing either of us has to show for it are stomachs full of dumplings and spring rolls.

I told Quinn I was going to be home late, but there was no valid reason for it. We've been back at the club for a few hours now, the five of us sitting in the lounge and splitting a bottle of whiskey as patrons fill the club.

A bottle I am now wishing we would finish faster.

" You arses take it easy on him," Tristan warns as he stands from the table. "I have to go do some mingling bullshit with new members."

My brothers definitely don't heed Tristan's warning. He has barely stepped out of the lounge before they start asking questions about Quinn. It's innocent enough at first, but it definitely doesn't take them long to start harassing me.

"You mean to tell me that not a thing has happened between the two of you?" Conor pushes. "We all see how Quinn looks at you. How she's always looked at you."

"Nothing has happened since she moved in with me." I try to hide my annoyance, hoping they all quickly drop this conversation. "Trust me, the only thing happening is the two of us fighting."

"So, a good hate-fuck is in your future," Liam jests as he pours himself a refill, and it doesn't take long for Conor and Finn to join in the laughter and jokes.

"The old man hasn't fucked in so long. There's no way he has the stamina for that." Finn can barely get the words out through his laughter. "You can't three-pump a hate-fuck."

"Fuck off, Finn," I spit, even though I know he isn't entirely wrong. When I do come these days, my focus is on the end goal. Definitely not on longevity. It generally involves jacking off in the shower as fast as possible before Fiona walks in on me. Or since she moved in, Quinn. "The whole lot of you can fuck off."

The conversation shifts from me fucking Quinn to me fucking anyone, and eventually, the lot of them grow tired of razzing me. That, and Liam, Finn, and Connor all become a little more preoccupied with their own options for getting fucked. Literally . Over the course of an hour, the three of them each gradually depart from the table to flirt with a woman who has caught their eye. Each of them disappears deeper into the club, either to get fucked or toenjoy watching someone else get fucked. I pour the final shot from the bottle and toss it back before deciding to finally go home instead of sitting alone at this table.

I shoot Quinn a quick message to let her know I'm on my way, but it goes unanswered. It continues to go unanswered as I leisurely walk across the street toward my Suburban. An accident has traffic backed up for blocks, and it takes significantly longer than usual for me to get home. Glancing at the dash as I park, it's well after midnight.

When I step through the front door of the apartment, I am caught off-guard by the soft sounds of pained whimpers. Hastily drawing the gun tucked into the waistband of my pants, I inch further into the apartment. I am about to head down the hallway when I realize that the cries are coming from the living room. Peering through the dark, I can't find the source. The room is empty as I sweep across it with my gun poised and ready to shoot. The soft cries grow louder and more fearful as I approach.

Rounding the couch, I am surprised to find Quinn fast asleep. Her lower lip trembles as she near-inaudibly pleads, "Please. Don't."

A single tear rolls down her cheek, and her face scrunches as I tuck my gun back into my waistband. "Oh, Quinn, I'm so fucking sorry," I whisper as I swipe the pad of my thumb over the soft skin of her cheek to collect the rogue tear.

She startles at my touch, and it isn't until her soft pleas become screams of terror and her arms flail at an invisible assailant that I realize it isn't me she's flinching from. "Stop! No!"

Her hands continue to thrash in the air, repeatedly striking my face and chest. I don't try to stop or restrain her because I deserve every slap that lands on my face and fist pounding into my chest.

I broke my promise…

"Quinn," I whisper, gently trying to rouse her from her nightmare, but it does nothing. Her palm strikes my face again, jerking my face to the side as the sting radiates across my cheek. "I'm sorry. I promised you that no one would ever hurt you. And all I've done is break that promise."

Time and time again.

Continuing to take the brunt of her nightmarish fight, I softly stroke her sweat-matted hair and whisper, "You're safe, Quinn. I'm here." I try to be soft, soas not to scare her further, making my attempts to wake her futile.

My face and chest grow tender as she continues to struggle against the assailant in her nightmare, but I don't stop speaking softly to her, "Wake up, Quinn. You're safe. I'm here."

I'll protect you.