16. Declan

Chapter 16

Declan

B eing in downtown Charlotte was nothing compared to the New York city streets. There was still the hustle and bustle of people walking and car horns blaring, but it was a slower pace of life. I never thought I’d be happy to get away from New York, but I was. I had no regrets about moving to the small town of Magnolia Grove.I never thought it possible to feel as if I belonged somewhere. Living in the city wasn’t for me anymore . . . it never would be.

Ayla squeezed my hand and I looked at her. The wind blew her chocolate-colored hair around her face and she pushed it away with a smile. It was hard to believe she was mine. I never thought I’d find someone like her .

“Does this remind you of being in New York?” she asked, flourishing a hand at all the tall buildings surrounding us.

Chuckling, I pulled her in against me as we walked down the sidewalk. Kat and Jonah were ahead of us, leading the way back to their apartment building.

“This place is tame compared to New York,” I replied, winking at her playfully.

Ayla let out a sigh as she peered up at the buildings. “Yeah, I guess you’re right about that. Charlotte’s a lot smaller. I bet New York has some amazing restaurants, though.”

There were too many to count. The food was one thing I did miss about New York. However, nothing could compare to Linda’s baking.

“There are a lot of them,” I said, kissing the top of her head, “but where we just ate was pretty amazing, too.”

She placed a hand on her stomach. “Oh, I loved it, but I think I enjoyed grilling out at the cabin and eating outside better.”

Kat glanced back at us like we’d lost our minds. It was clear she was a city girl.

“Same,” I said, whispering in Ayla’s ear .

Kat snorted. “The mountains are nice, but I love it here . You can’t beat the nightlife.”

Jonah wrapped an arm around her waist. “Exactly.

Ayla giggled under her breath. “It’s crazy how they’re so much alike.”

“The same could be said about us,” I replied.

She looked up at me and smiled. “True. And I never would’ve known that if I didn’t storm over to your house that day.”

I stopped in front of her and pulled her into me. “That was the luckiest day of my life.”

She kissed me before I could kiss her, and at that moment, I couldn’t deny that I was in love with her.

“Mine, too,” she said, whispering the words against my lips. I didn’t want the moment to end, but we were in the middle of the sidewalk on a busy Charlotte street. I let Ayla go and we caught back up to Kat and Jonah, who were waiting for us at the crosswalk to head over to her condo building.

“I hate that it’s our last night with you guys,” Kat said, frowning sadly at Ayla. “Maybe Jonah and I could come visit you in Alabama this fall?”

Ayla’s face brightened and I could feel her excitement. “That would be fantastic!” she squealed. Then, she nudged me with her elbow. “Declan and I will show you the perks of small-town life.”

They bantered back and forth about small-town versus city life. I wanted to join in, but suddenly, the hairs on the back of my neck stood on end. It was the same prickly sensation I always got when danger was near. Instantly, I went on alert and scanned our surroundings. There were so many people around walking up and down the street without a care in the world. Nothing stuck out at me . . . at least, not until I saw someone I wasn’t expecting to see.

Vincent Deluca.

My heart pounded in my chest. I blinked a few times, but I couldn’t clearly see the guy’s face before he turned the corner. However, what I did see was a man very similar to Deluca, dressed in an expensive suit. He was tall with dark hair slicked back, and he moved with a confidence that made my stomach roil with rage. It was a trait both he and his brother had. What the hell was Vincent Deluca doing in Charlotte? A new emotion gripped my insides like a vise—fear. I wasn’t afraid of that cocksucker, but I was afraid for Ayla. I didn’t want her anywhere near him.

“Declan?” Ayla called out, pulling on my hand. “You okay? It’s time for us to cross. ”

Kat and Jonah were halfway across the street, but I couldn’t go. I had to see if it was Vincent.

“Go,” I told her, trying not to let her see the panic in my eyes. “There’s something I need to do.”

Her eyes widened. “What is it?”

I shook my head and urged her to cross the road while there was still time. “Please, just go. I’ll explain later. Just get inside Kat’s condo.”

Ayla was a feisty woman and I knew she wanted to press me for answers, but I didn’t give her time. I took off the opposite way where I last saw the man who looked like Vincent turn the corner. When I got there, I saw him again at another corner, only I still didn’t get a good look at his face. That feeling of dread sat in the pit of my stomach like a rock. My instincts had never failed me before, but what were the chances of Deluca being in North Carolina?

I hurried to the corner of the building and peeked around the edge. He disappeared into the darkness of a parking garage. Out of habit, I reached for my gun, only for it not to be there. I hadn’t carried one in six months. Without it, I was useless. Even if I was physically stronger than Vincent Deluca, he undoubtedly would be packing. He would shoot me and not even blink an eye. Hell, I would do the same. I killed people without any remorse for years. Granted, they were all bastards who deserved to die.

But I had to know if it was him. I had to follow the guy.

Nobody was walking on this side of the building. It was dark, with only a flicker of light coming from a street post. Just a couple of blocks over there were lights and people, but here, it was as if it was a different world, much darker.

The feeling of unease grew stronger inside me.

I slowly walked into the parking garage, and all was quiet. It was dimly lit but enough so that I could see where I was going. The man was nowhere to be found. There was no movement, only silence.

But then, up ahead, was something shiny on the concrete floor. It was right in the middle of the parking garage. I don’t know why, but whatever it was, it felt as if it was left there for me.

I walked toward it, my steps the only sound echoing all around me. Sweat broke out on my forehead and more rolled down my back, soaking my shirt. When I reached the object on the ground, my blood ran cold. It was a bullet . . . and not just any bullet. I bent down so I could see it clearly. Engraved on the shiny silver metal were the letters VD. Vincent Deluca .

Vincent and Joseph were notorious for committing crimes with that kind of evidence, not even caring that it could incarcerate them—that is, if the system wasn’t corrupted. They got off by giving themselves away, knowing they’d never get in trouble. That was why he was on the Circle of Justice’s list; that was why he needed to die. There were too many corrupt people in law enforcement, always turning their heads for the right price.

Not me.

I knew the world was a shitty place and that crime was going to be around no matter how many good people tried to stop it. The Delucas were known for being violent and punishing those who would dare to go against them. I didn’t care if mafia families wanted to kill each other off. However, I did care when innocents would die in the process. The Delucas were known to go after their enemies and not care who got hurt in the process, whether it be women, children, or any other innocent bystander. They didn’t care about anyone but themselves.

With my heart about to beat out of my chest, I picked up the bullet and squeezed it in my hand. What did it all mean? I looked around at the cars, waiting for Vincent to show himself. He wasn’t the type of person to hide. For a split second, I felt the danger intensify, but then it quickly came to a halt when the sound of drunken laughter filled the air.

A group of about six twenty-something-year-olds came stumbling into the parking garage, slurring their words and singing at the top of their lungs.

One of the girls whistled at me and winked. “Hey, sexy. Want to join us?”

I slid the bullet into my pocket and headed toward the exit, not even responding. I had to get out of there. Once I was away from the darkened street and back around people, I pulled out my phone and called Ian.

“Hey,” he answered. “What’s up?”

“Have you found Deluca yet?” My heart was racing so fast that my chest hurt.

“Not yet,” he replied. “Why? What’s wrong?”

I made it to Kat’s condo building and hurried inside, watching through the glass windows to see if Vincent appeared anywhere.

“I think he’s here in Charlotte, North Carolina,” I said, keeping my voice low. There were people in the lobby and a security guard at the desk.

“Seriously?” I could hear the surprise in his voice. “I’ll get my brother on this right now. If Vincent’s in Charlotte, Reed will find him.”

Reed Chandler was also part of the Circle of Justice and one of the best hackers in the world. With him having a starting point, I had no doubt he’d find Deluca.

“And that’s not all,” I divulged. “I found something on the ground; it’s a bullet with the letters VD engraved on it. I might just be paranoid, and it could easily be a coincidence, but I don’t feel like it is.” Still looking out the window, I rubbed my chest. “I’m pretty sure it was him, Chandler. What I’d like to know is what the fuck he’s doing here.”

I was pretty sure I knew the answer already. If I was right, I had no choice but to finish what I had started.

Ian sighed. “If he’s there, he could easily be toying with you. The Delucas were known for tormenting people before they killed them. Him leaving the bullet for you seems like something he’d do.”

“Yeah, I know,” I replied regretfully. It wasn’t supposed to be like this. I was the one who was supposed to go after Vincent, not the other way around.

“Why don’t you just come back to us and finish the mission? You can resign again once it’s done.”

It sounded so simple coming from him, but it was anything but .

Leaning against the wall, I ran a hand down my face. “I can’t just up and leave right now,” I said.

Ian huffed. “I’m telling you, Parker, finishing this mission will set you free. What you’re feeling is unfinished business. You’re just like the rest of us. We can’t rest until we’ve finished what we started.”

If he only knew.

“That’s not my problem,” I admitted.

“Then, what . . .” He stopped mid-sentence and then sucked in a breath. “What aren’t you telling me?” When I didn’t answer, a knowing laugh echoed through the phone. “Well, I’ll be damned. You’re seeing someone, aren’t you? Let me guess, a sweet and innocent southern belle?”

Now that made me laugh.

“Not exactly. She’s feisty, headstrong, and a pistol of a female. The woman doesn’t take shit from anyone, especially me.”

Ian burst out laughing. “Sounds exactly like my Grace.”

“So you see,” I began, “I can’t just up and leave. Ayla doesn’t know what I am. I wouldn’t know what to tell her if I did go away. The last thing I want is to lose her.”

“I understand. Not everyone can handle what we do,” he replied sadly. “But there are those who can. My wife is one of them. Not to mention, both of my brothers are married, and their wives know, as well.”

His whole family was part of the Circle of Justice. I knew I had to tell Ayla soon; I just didn’t want it to be tonight.

“All right, I’m going to get back to Ayla,” I said, moving away from the window.

“And I’ll get Reed searching anything he can find in downtown Charlotte. If Vincent’s there, Reed will find him. I’ll let you know as soon as I have confirmation.”

I stopped at the elevator and pressed the button. “Thanks.”

“What are you going to do if he’s there?” Ian asked.

The elevator doors opened and I walked inside, already feeling the dread pool in my stomach like acid. “I’m going to get Ayla the fuck out of here and to safety. Then, I’ll come back and finish what I should’ve done six months ago.”

“Sounds good, brother. But for now, just hang tight. We don’t even know if it’s really Vincent you saw.”

The bullet engraved with his initials pretty much confirmed my suspicions, but there had to be a million people in the world with the same ones. The problem was that I didn’t want to hang tight; I didn’t want to wait for answers. Unfortunately, I had no choice.

I said my goodbyes to Ian just as the elevator doors closed. When I got up to Kat’s floor, I walked into her condo to see Ayla in the living room. She stood up the second she saw me.

“Hey,” she whispered, hurrying over to me. She grabbed my hands and I could see the worry on her face. “Is everything okay?”

I peered around the room. “Where’s Kat and Jonah?”

Ayla nodded toward the hallway on the other side of the living room. “They went to bed.”

Taking her hand, I pulled her down the opposite hallway that led to the guest bedroom. I couldn’t keep her fully in the dark; I had to be somewhat honest with her. Once in the bedroom, I let Ayla go and shut the door quietly.

She crossed her arms over her chest, the concern on her face growing with each passing second. “Talk to me, Declan.”

I nodded. “I thought I saw someone.”

Her brows furrowed. “Who?”

“Vincent Deluca. ”

She slapped a hand over her mouth in shock. “Oh, my God. Are you sure?”

“I felt uneasy when we left the restaurant,” I confessed. “And usually, my instincts are never wrong.”

A shaky breath left her lips. “He’s the brother of the guy who killed Elijah, right? He’s part of the mafia?” I nodded in reply and she clutched her stomach. “Why would he be here in Charlotte?”

There was a hint of fear in her eyes, but she didn’t seem scared for herself. It was as if she was worried about what I would do. Vengeance was a huge thing in my world. My job was to kill Vincent; he was my target. But it was more than that now. I wanted him dead because his brother killed mine. And now that I killed his brother, his motive to come after me was revenge.

It was a ruthless cycle.

I closed the distance between us and pulled Ayla into my arms. “I don’t know if it was definitely him,” I said, hoping to ease her worry. “I have some people looking into it.”

There was nothing I could do about Vincent at the moment. All I wanted was to keep Ayla safe and that was what I planned to do .

“What if he’s here?” Ayla questioned, her eyes searching mine. “What are you going to do?”

I pressed a finger to her lips. “Let’s not worry about that right now. What I want is you in my arms, knowing that you’re safe.”

She lifted her hands to my face and kissed my fingers before I moved them away.

“I always feel safe with you,” she murmured. “It’s one of the things I love about being around you.”

“What else do you like about me?” I asked her. I needed her to help me get my mind off Deluca.

She rubbed her body against mine and my dick hardened. Her eyes sparkled mischievously when I pushed it into her. Ayla bit her lip and smiled. “I can think of a few things.” She took off her clothes except for her lacy black bra and underwear and backed up toward the bed. “Care to join me?”

I climbed onto the bed with her, and she pushed me down on my back. Entwining my hands behind my neck, I laid back on my pillows and she straddled me. I wanted to feel every inch of her, inside and out; to see her back arch, pushing her breasts higher as I fucked her with my fingers. I’d never felt another woman’s body as perfect as hers.

“I think I like this,” I said, fingering the strap of her bra. “Got more like it?”

With a smirk, she slowly slid her hand down my stomach and unbuttoned my pants. I kicked them off and slid out of my T-shirt, as well. My cock was so hard, it fucking hurt. She reached into my boxers, wrapping her hand around me; I thought I would go insane. “You’ll just have to find out,” she uttered breathlessly.

“Gladly.”

She licked her lips and I knew what she was planning to do the moment she slid my boxers down my legs, and oh God, I wanted to feel her mouth on me, sucking me as hard as she could. But I wanted to be inside of her more than that.

She shrieked as I flipped us over and ripped off her underwear and unclasped her bra, taking it off as fast as I could. I bent down to suck on her perfectly taut nipples, one after the other, the tips getting larger the more I teased them. Moaning, Ayla spread her legs wide and pushed her hips up against mine. I intentionally kept my cock as far back as possible so I could tease her.

“Please,” she begged, trying to move down in search of the friction she desired. When I pressed my weight into her and bit her bottom lip, she opened her closed eyes and gasped.

“Uh-uh, not yet,” I murmured. I trailed my tongue down her stomach, stopping between her legs. Right there in the middle was the sweetest taste of all, the one thing I craved. So wet and swollen.

I groaned in anticipation because I knew the first taste would be the best. Sealing my lips around her clit, I felt her body tighten. She moved her hips against my face as I moved down a little farther and fucked her with my tongue, burrowing as deep as I could.

“Declan, please,” she begged. “I need you.”

Ignoring her request, I pushed a finger inside of her, flicking my tongue on her clit. The wetter she got, the more I wanted. Spreading her legs wider, I sat up and rubbed my cock around the wetness of her opening, and without warning, entered her.

Gasping, she screamed out a pleasured cry and wrapped her legs around my waist. Reaching for me, she pulled me down. I took her face in my hands, and she gazed back at me with hooded eyes and lifted her mouth to kiss me. I opened her lips farther with my tongue, tasting her . . . claiming her. She was mine.

Moaning in my ear, she dug her nails into my back and her body clenched so tight around my dick, I was close to exploding. The tighter she got, the harder it was to keep going. Her moans grew louder, and as soon as she let go, I pumped into her hard, filling her up deep inside. It was unreal how much I craved Ayla’s touch. I spent years without knowing what love felt like and now I couldn’t get enough. Every morning, I woke up with a smile on my face, eager to see her again. Her laughter was like music to my ears, and I craved her touch more than anything else. I’d never felt more alive than I did in her presence.

“I love you,” I murmured against her lips.

She smiled, and it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen. “I love you, too. I’ve been wanting to say it this whole trip.”

I brushed the hair away from her face. “Same. And just so you know, I’ve never said those words to any other woman before.”

Her eyes glistened. “That makes me feel special.”

She was special. It all felt too good to be true, like at any moment she would be taken away from me. I didn’t want to be afraid, but dammit to hell, I was. That was the one problem to loving someone so much. I already went through the pain of losing my brother. I wouldn’t be able to handle anything happening to her.