Chapter 28

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT

QUINN

"I don't, sir. But I'm damn sure going to find out," Rory promises, staring at the photo and shaking his head in disbelief. Without another word to either of us, he storms from the apartment as he yells into his phone.

Somehow, I continue to rifle through thebox,andthere are more. So many more. Picture after picture of Fiona sleeping in her bed with a masked man standing over her. Some he's just watching. Inothers,he's holding a knife in his hands or pointing a gun at her head.

"He's been here…," I stammer, taking in the details of the photos, "a lot." His clothes don't change. In every photo, the man is wearing a black-on-blacksuit with a white ski mask covering his face, but Fiona is in at least sixdifferent sets of pajamas. He's been here—while we were sleeping down the hall—no less than six times.

"We came as fast as we could." Declan's brothers startle me when they all come barreling through the broken front door. At this point, arandom creek of the hardwood floor would probably cause me to panic .

"How's my little nugget?" Conor croons, lifting Fiona from Declan's hold and positioning her on his hip. "I've been hearing so much about this fancy swing set you got, and not once have you invited me over to play."

" Uncail Conor, you're too big." Fiona shakes her head and a tiny smile tugs at the corner of her mouth. A tinysmile thatI think all of us are relieved to see.

"Nonsense!" Conor huffs, even though his broad frame is truly way too big to fit through her play set. "I'll prove it."

"You're gon'get stuck," she flatly informs him as he lowers her to the ground, allowing her to take his hand and drag him onto the terrace.

These Evans men, all of them, absolutely amaze me. Their whole lives, they have destroyed anything that got in their way and done deplorable things to protect each other and their businesses. Yet, all five of them have an unwavering softnesswhen it comes tothose they love, and they would do anything to ensure the happiness of that little girl. I'm surprised women aren't falling on their backs and throwing their legs in the air to have these men father their children.

Scratch that—they all constantly have women on their backs. Among other positions.

"He is going to get stuck," I echo as Liam pulls me into him.

"And how's my little nugget?" he teases, and I shove him from me.

"I am not your little nugget," I huff with a chuckle.

"Based on these," Finn continues, rifling through the photos spread across the counter, "she ain't so little."

His statement draws everyone else's attention to the pornographic spread. And I'm less than thrilled to know that three of Dec's brothers now know exactly what I look like naked, bent over the couch, coming, riding their brother, and hog-tied.

" Gnéasach . Nice," Finn drags out the words as he lifts a photo ofDelcanfucking my face while I'm suspended in an Agura tie. "And great use of that swing set."

Declan punches him— hard —in the arm and snatches the photo out of his hand before gathering the rest of them and shoving them back into the box.

"What?" Finn huffs, rubbing his arm. "You're the one fucking her on the terrace for the whole city to see, and I geta punch for lookingat the picture a little too long?"

"There are pictures of Declan fucking Quinn?" Conor outstretches both palms, impatiently waiting for someone to pass one to him.

"You already fucked Tristan's wife. You don't need to see mine, too," Declan huffs, and my eyes snap toward him.

He doesn't even know what he just said.

Declan splays the letter on the counter,andeveryone reads it, Finn with his lips moving.

"The three of you can't stay here," Tristan chimes. "It isn't safe."

"None of our places are going to be safe, though." The truth behind Declan's words is a little terrifying. "There are hundreds of people in and out of all our buildings every day. It's too easy for people to slip in unnoticed."

"You can't be thinking about staying here," Liam exclaims as he gestures toward the front door that's now hanging by a single hinge.

"He's been in this house. He's been watching us for months. I can't imagine he hasn't used that to his advantage. That he doesn't have aplanto get what he wants."

Me.

Declan pulls his phone from his pocket and makes a call as he paces toward the terrace to check on Fiona. Tristan, Liam, Conor, and Finn quibble about the situation, but my focus is entirely on Declan and listening to one side of his call. "Is it ready?—It needs to be ready by tonight—I want men there within the hour—I'm not asking, Rory—We'll be leaving here within the hour—And make surethe swing set is movedby morning."

I walk toward the windows lining the terrace,andDeclan pulls me into him. He squeezes me—almost unbearably—tight and places a kiss against my forehead. "I'm not leaving your side, mochéadsearc . You and astóirín … I'll protect you both. Noone will ever get thatclose to either of you again. I promise."