27. All Yours

27

All Yours

Teal

“I can’t believe there’s only three weeks left until summer vacation.” I adjust my bag in my lap, watching Declan and Kole loading the car across the parking lot.

“Tell me about it,” Violet agrees. “We leave for LA in a little more than a month.”

“How did Patience take the news about Kole going with you guys to LA this summer? You told her, right?”

Violet frowns. “About as well as she took it when she found out you and I were going away for the weekend with Kole and Declan.”

My family’s hunting trip has turned into a Sigma Sin gathering. Ever since Ian Pierce invited himself along, it’s grown to include almost every member of the Council. While I was planning to hide in the cabin and listen to music all weekend, that’s not going to happen with how plans have changed.

At least Declan decided to invite Kole since Kole’s stepdad will be there anyway. And Kole won’t go anywhere without Violet, so I’ll have a friend when this weekend inevitably goes sideways.

“I guess that’s to be expected.”

Violet twists her hands in her lap. “At least she’s still willing to share an apartment with us. That means she’s not too upset, right?”

“Keep telling yourself that.” I lift an eyebrow, appreciating Violet’s optimistic innocence. “Patience must have her reasons. It’s not like she can’t afford her own place if her brother’s private psych ward suite is any indication. The Lancasters make the Pierces look like they’re struggling for money.”

“We all know that’s not the case.”

“Exactly.” I roll my eyes, and my gaze lands on Declan as he finishes loading the car.

He slams the trunk shut, then leans against it with his arms crossed over his chest. His smile is so big and perfect that I swear he glows.

It’s official. If he’s rich-boy porn, then I’m addicted.

While Declan and Kole load the car for the trip, Violet and I are sitting in the backseat of Kole’s car a few spaces away, waiting for them.

“I think Patience doesn’t want to spend the summer alone.” Violet toys with the hem of her shirt. “Not that she’ll say it. ”

“Patience, admit she needs someone? Not a chance.” I laugh at the thought, but Violet doesn’t.

Worry fills her gaze as she watches Kole. And when her stare moves to Declan, she starts biting the inside of her cheek.

“How are you feeling about this weekend?” I ask her. “You and Declan still haven’t talked about everything, have you? And now you’re signing up for a whole weekend together.”

Violet breaks her stare on Declan, twisting a string around her finger. “I’m nervous and trying not to think too much about it. I don’t think Declan wants anything to do with me.”

“If it makes you feel better, Declan doesn’t want anything to do with most people.”

“Unless they’re you.” She smirks.

I roll my eyes, ignoring her comment. “It’ll be fine, don’t worry. Besides, I’ll be there if anything happens.”

“That’s the only reason I agreed,” Violet admits. “Well… that and Kole wouldn’t have it when I offered to stay behind at the dorm.”

“Are you surprised?”

“No.”

Her entire face lights up with the reminder of his possessiveness, and at least she doesn’t seem to mind.

“I’m sure this weekend will be fine.” I try to reassure both of us with my comment. “And if it makes you feel better, I don’t think Declan wants nothing to do with you. He’s probably just working through it himself. Finding out you have a sibling you didn’t know about must be a lot to process for both of you. And his father’s always been his role model, so I think it’s affecting him for a couple of reasons.”

“I get that. I can’t imagine what it must be like to find out your father has this whole secret family you never knew about.” She frowns. “Not that I was a part of Ian Pierce’s life or anything. But still, he knew about me and kept me a secret. Declan’s probably having a worse time with it than I am, so I shouldn’t complain.”

“You can’t compare the two.” I squeeze her hand. “What you’re both feeling is valid, and Ian Pierce is an asshole for making this mess.”

I watch Declan from across the parking lot, wondering if that’s why he’s been so distracted lately. Whether I like Ian Pierce or not, Declan has always respected his father. From what I could tell, he wanted to be just like him.

I can’t imagine how challenging it would be for him to discover his father harbored such a massive secret for all these years. Declan had a sister he knew nothing about. Blood family—when I know how important that is to him.

“That brings up the other side of this.” I look at Violet. “How are you feeling knowing your dad will be there this weekend?”

“He’s not my dad.” Violet frowns. “We share blood, but he’s never been a father to me.”

Her voice cracks, and I’m sure she wishes it didn’t hurt, but I sense it does.

“I should have asked Declan to talk Kole out of this,” I say. “It’s too much too soon for everyone. ”

“I think he needs Kole.” Violet presses her lips in a tight smile. “Don’t worry about me. Besides, the four of us have our own cabin at the lake, right? We’ll just avoid them and have our own fun.”

“Whatever you say.”

I can’t remember the last time I did anything just for fun. Where I wasn’t worried that everything would inevitably fall apart. If that’s the goal of this weekend, I hope I don’t mess it up.

I catch gazes with Declan for a split second, and he winks at me across the parking lot.

It’s small. Fleeting. By the time I process it, he’s already turned back to his conversation with Kole.

But that wink comforts me.

“No, you go ask them.” A voice comes from behind the car, and I glance through the rear windshield to see two girls standing in the parking lot, watching Declan and Kole.

With where we’re sitting in Kole’s car, they don’t see us as they openly gawk at our men.

Our men.

The more I think of Declan as mine, the more it takes root. And the more he waters these vines, the more I’m convinced I’ll never be able to weed them out.

“They’re busy,” the blonde girl says to her dark-haired friend.

“Busy.” The girl rolls her eyes. “No guy is too busy to get laid. I saw how Declan was looking at you at that Sigma party. There’s no way he’ll turn you down. ”

“Isn’t he with that one chick now?” The blonde crosses her arms over her chest. “She’s all over his socials.”

They must be talking about me because Declan won’t stop posting pictures of me on his social media. None are of my face, but it’s clear who I am with my multicolored hair. Some are of the back of my head, while some are just a thigh with his hand on it. One photo was a close-up of my mouth from a moment he was watching me put on lip gloss.

I keep telling myself it’s his artistic side coming out, but I can’t deny that I’m starting to like the unusual display of possessiveness.

“That girl?” The dark-haired girl laughs. “I doubt they’re even really dating.”

Violet glances at me at the comment, clearly hearing their conversation as well as I am.

“I heard that girl is legit insane. He’s probably screwing her for charity or something. Declan’s way too hot to actually like some crazy bitch. Besides, you know how Dec is, always trying to push boundaries. He’ll be over her the second he gets distracted with someone else.”

My stomach sours as I dig my nails into my palms. The way they’re talking about me is downright cruel, and the way they’re talking about Declan has fire burning inside my chest.

“I’m sure it’ll be like anything else. Give him a week, and he’ll dump her. Or maybe if you’re lucky, her daddy will send her back to the psych ward.”

The girls burst out laughing, not moving from where they are .

“Don’t listen to them.” Violet reaches out, resting her hand on mine. “They don’t know what they’re talking about.”

Except they do.

And what they’re suggesting is a real threat I worry about on a weekly basis.

But Violet, being the optimist she is, looks past all my outbursts. She ignores the weeks I spend hiding in my studio. She doesn’t judge me when I get anxious in a crowd and disappear almost instantly. She looks past the rumors and just sees me as her friend.

I wish I were the girl my friends see, and not who I really am, because these girls talking about me are right.

At some point, Declan will fall back in line with his father, or my dad will decide he’s had enough and make up an excuse to lock me away. This is all temporary.

Swallowing hard, I rest my hands on my stomach and bury that thought. It won’t do me any good. These girls only win if I let them, and today, that’s not happening.

What I inflict on myself is one thing, but I refuse to let their jealousy be my undoing.

“It’s fine.” I roll my shoulders back, climbing out of the car.

The moment I move, I see both girls glance in my direction, their eyes widening. They’re probably wondering if I heard what they said or if I’ll say something back. I don’t because they aren’t worth my time.

“I think they’re ready to go,” I say to Violet, avoiding the stares .

Violet climbs out, glancing between me and the girls as she closes the car door behind her.

The world can think what they want.

Declan can do what he wants.

I can’t control anyone but myself, and that’s a lesson I’ve learned the hard way. So, in this moment, I embrace what’s real for right now.

I walk over to where Declan and Kole are leaning against the car, with Violet following behind me. The second I’m within reach, Declan snags my hand, pulling me to stand between his legs.

He’s still talking to Kole, but he dips his fingers into my back pockets, holding me against him. He sees me without even looking. He claims me without even trying.

“You got it,” Declan says, finishing his conversation as Kole turns to Violet.

Declan pulls one of his hands from my pocket to lift my jaw, pulling me in for a kiss.

How we’ve gone from enemies to whatever this is has my neck straining from whiplash at times. And yet, he feels like the place I’ve always belonged.

Declan pulls back, his eyebrows pinching. “Something wrong?”

“Nothing I can’t handle.” I lift on my toes to kiss him again.

This time, I let Declan be the noise that quiets my chaos. I let him be the breeze that washes away the wreckage after the storm. I sink into the feel of his fingertips on my skin when he brushes them over my jaw, and I pretend we aren’t the most fucked-up people on the planet.

I pretend this didn’t start with manipulation and blackmail.

That I’m not losing my mind or imagining this.

And when I lower my heels to the ground and keep my gaze on Declan’s cool-gray eyes, I ignore the rest of the world to focus solely on him.

A ping comes from Declan’s pocket, and he digs his phone out, still not letting me go. He reads a text on the screen, swiping it away. And just as he’s about to lock his phone, I spot something that catches my attention.

“What was that?”

He glances down. “My dad, asking for our ETA.”

“Not the text.” I tap his screen to wake it up again. “That. Why am I your background?”

“Why wouldn’t you be?” He smirks.

“I don’t have you as the background on my phone.”

He reaches around me, digging my phone out of my purse.

“What are you doing?”

“Rectifying that.” Declan spins me in his arms so I’m standing with my back to his chest.

One arm is snaked around me, and he buries his nose in my neck, kissing where it meets my shoulder as he snaps the picture.

“There.” He clicks over to the settings, selecting the option to make it my home screen. “Mine.”

I’m starting to believe that word more every time he says it. And it’s terrifying.