37. Ryder

As we make our way through the bustling streets of Havencrest, I can"t shake the nervous energy thrumming beneath my skin. It"s been a few days since Eva and I had that heart-to-heart conversation, and while she agreed to give me time, I know I can"t keep her waiting forever. The weight of my words hangs heavily on my mind as I try to figure out how to navigate this newfound territory of emotions.

Theo"s proposal to head out to our nightclub offers a welcome distraction, a chance to talk freely without the looming presence of Declan"s influence. Yet, even as we walk, I can"t help but feel the weight of responsibility pressing down on my shoulders. Eva"s patience is a precious gift, one I can"t afford to squander.

I steal a glance at Theo, noting the determined set of his jaw. He"s always been the pragmatic one, the one who sees through the chaos to find a solution. And right now, I"m counting on him to help me find my way through this mess.

Oliver, on the other hand, looks far too buoyed after everything we've been through. He's strangely upbeat, keeping up a steady stream of chatter as we head toward the nightclub.

Ahead, the neon lights of the club beckon, casting a vibrant glow against the darkening sky. With each step, I steel myself for the conversations that lie ahead, knowing that tonight might just be the turning point we"ve been waiting for.

Once we get inside, we head to our usual spot, and Thea, the cocktail waitress, comes to serve us drinks. Tonight isn't about getting drunk and enjoying a night out. We're on a mission to discuss business and we need sober heads for that.

After a quick scan to make sure we're in safe company, I feel like I can relax for a minute and lean back against the velvet bench seat.

"We need to talk about Declan," Theo says, a grim look in his eyes. "We know he was the one responsible for our father's death. And now we know the why and the how."

"I grabbed Isabella DeLucci," Oliver explains. "Got her to confess to the fact that Declan has definitely been working with them, and for a while now, it seems."

"I just can't believe he'd sell our father out like that," Theo says, shaking his head. "All those years together, everything our father did for him, and it meant nothing in the end?"

"Power does stupid shit to people," I grumble. "I don't understand why the DeLuccis are okay with helping their biggest enemy, though."

"I figured it out," Theo says, a smirk crossing his features. "So you know how you discovered that Francesca DeLucci and Declan had a past?"

I nod, raising an eyebrow. "Yeah, which makes sense as to why she'd allow an initial meeting with him, but not why she'd agree to help."

"Well, it turns out that dear Fran was hiding a secret of her own from her husband. She and Declan had a fling shortly after she was married to Giovanni, and it turns out that Isabella is Declan's daughter. Giovanni has no idea, but apparently, she eventually told Declan the truth. So that's why Francesca is willing to work with Declan."

"Do you think she's hoping that Declan will take out her husband?" Oliver asks, blinking in surprise.

"Nah, I think she's hoping that Declan is too stupid to realize she's been playing both sides for a long, long time," Theo admits.

I shake my head, bitter that the man who thought himself smarter than our father was falling for such a stupid scheme. "He deserves to be taken out just for that," I remark.

"He's not so stupid that he hasn't cottoned on to us," Oliver says, frowning. "He's using the DeLuccis to do his dirty work once more, trying to take us out."

The frustration inside me grows as I realize that Declan has never had an ounce of loyalty to our father, to the Callahan gang, or to anyone but himself.

"What a bastard," I sneer. "He's ruining things for everyone this way. He'll sell us all off piece by piece to the DeLuccis if we don't stop him. All to preserve his own skin. Dammit!"

I push off the table, standing up so hard that my drink falls over. "Fucking asshole. I have half a mind to go confront him right here and now. I want to look him in the eyes when I tell him we know what he's up to and we're not going to let him get away with it."

Theo's hand shoots out, grabbing my wrist and yanking me back down. "Shut the hell up, you moron," he hisses, looking around to make sure no one saw me. "Don't shoot your damned mouth off in here."

"I don't fucking care anymore," I say, shaking off his hold. "Let me go. I want to rip that bastard's throat out for everything he's done to our family. Was it not enough that he destroyed our home? That he killed our father and took his place? Now he has to dismantle the business that's been building for generations before him?"

"We won't let him get away with it," Theo promises. "But we can't go off half-cocked, either. You know that the Feds are looking into him for shit too. If we go after him, we could get caught up in whatever they have on him. Not to mention that the DeLucci family are going to be out for blood after what Oliver did to Isabella."

"Shit," I mutter, running a hand through my hair. "Yeah. Declan will probably be pretty pissed too, since Isabella is technically his kid."

"See?" Theo says, shaking his head. "You can't just rush off. We're also putting Eva and the baby's lives in danger if we don't play this carefully."

My anger only intensifies at this, but I realize he's right. If we act now, we're playing straight into Declan's hands. He's the one pulling the strings right now, and one wrong move means that he'll go after the person who means the most to us.

Love is weakness, our father would often say. Right now, it feels like he's not wrong. Declan has the perfect way to keep us in line. If he thinks we're coming after him, he won't even hesitate to use Eva against us.

We need a way to lure Declan out without showing our hand. A way to get him to admit his plans and schemes.

As we sit back, the pulsating rhythm of the music reverberates through the club. I find myself lost in thought, the cacophony of voices and laughter fading into the background. Amid the swirling lights and throngs of people, I can"t help but feel a sense of urgency gnawing at my insides.

Thoughts of Declan echo in my mind, each one laden with the weight of our shared history and the danger that lies ahead. I grip the edge of the table, my fingers tracing the grooves of the polished wood as I try to steady my racing thoughts.

The club, once a haven of revelry and celebration, now feels like a battleground, every flicker of light and shadow hiding potential threats. Yet, amid the chaos, there"s a sense of clarity that emerges, a determination to confront the looming specter of the man we once considered an uncle head-on.

As I glance around at the sea of faces, I can"t help but wonder how many of them are loyal to Declan, how many might be watching our every move. But beneath the fa?ade of revelry, there"s an undercurrent of tension, a silent understanding that tonight, alliances will be forged and fates decided.

With a heavy sigh, I tear my gaze away from the crowd, my mind beginning to spin with ideas. We need leverage. Whatever we do, we need to have leverage against Declan, a way to ensure he can't use our weaknesses against us.

As the night wears on and the music pulses in the background, I find myself lost in contemplation, the threads of an idea slowly coalescing in the recesses of my mind. The club around us fades into a blur, my focus narrowing to a singular point as pieces of the puzzle start to fall into place.

Theo and Oliver's expressions mirror my intensity, their eyes alight with a shared determination. We"ve faced adversaries before, but this time feels different, the stakes higher, the danger more palpable.

I take a slow sip of my drink, the liquid burning its way down my throat, a sharp contrast to the cool determination that courses through my veins. With each passing moment, the weight of responsibility settles heavier on my shoulders, but beneath it all, there"s a flicker of excitement, a spark of possibility.

Finally, as the music reaches a crescendo and the crowd surges around us, I turn to Theo and Oliver, my voice low but steady.

"I think I"ve got an idea," I tell them, the words hanging in the air between us, pregnant with anticipation. "A way to lure Declan out, to get him to show his hand."

Theo and Oliver exchange a glance, their expressions a blend of curiosity and apprehension. They know as well as I do that the path ahead is fraught with danger, but they"re ready to follow wherever it may lead.