26. Declan

DECLAN

Bree rocksher hips against mine, her ample ass sliding against my erection, and I groan, lifting her up by her hips.

I slide into her, thrusting up, and she cries out, bracing herself on my shoulders.

I'm almost all the way healed, so it doesn't hurt when she drags her nails through my chest.

In fact, I love the sting of it, want it to burn later while I'm in the shower, so that I'm always thinking of her.

"I love you," I tell her, panting against her ear, taking her earlobe into my mouth.

"I love you too," she says, her voice pitching up into a moan when I slide my hands up her back and let her bounce on top of me, rocking her hips desperately for friction.

"Make yourself come, princess."

She mewls out a moan, rolling her hips faster and faster.

I grit my teeth, my balls aching, to keep from spilling into her.

I want this to last all night, want to be inside of her as much as I possibly can be, but when she starts to pulse around me, breathing out my name over and over in a chant, I can't hold back.

I flip her onto her back, making love to her slowly and steadily, kissing along her neck, her chin, her mouth.

I capture her tongue with my mouth, sucking on it, and she moans against my lips.

"I'm going to come again," she gasps, and I grin, fucking her in longer strokes as she starts to clench around me.

"I wish I could do this forever," I groan, knowing that my orgasm is approaching, and when I come, I stiffen, leaning down to kiss her deeply.

I nip at her lip as I pull away, plopping down next to her, and she puts her head on my chest, just like always.

I smile, playing idly with her auburn curls.

"I can barely believe it," she says after a long moment when we've both come down.

"Believe what?"

"That you love me back." She lifts her head to smile at me. "I was going crazy. I thought I was alone in all of this."

"I thought the same thing," I admit. "I thought I was the crazy one, and you still hated me."

"I only hated you when I didn't know you." Bree nuzzles against my neck. "I fell in love with you as I got to know you."

"Same here." I hum, smiling, closing my eyes, the sheets tangled all around us.

I don't want to leave here. I don't want to separate from her after this night, especially when I know it can come crashing down on top of me.

I think I know, deep down, that she sent a message to her father. I'm pretty sure that it's the only way they could have known what day we'd be out and about. Now that Jimmy has been cleared...

I was hoping that tonight, she would come clean. I thought maybe she'd tell me, and that would go a long way to me forgiving her.

But instead, she told me that she loves me. That's so much better.

Bree drifts off with me playing with her hair, her breathing low and even.

I want to stay here, wish I could drift off with her, but I'm not sure I can sleep tonight at all.

I slowly extricate myself from Bree's arms and legs, and she whimpers but doesn't wake, cuddling my pillow instead.

My heart clenches in my chest.

She's so sweet and beautiful. How could she have betrayed me? I don't even want to think about it.

Instead, I decide to clean up the mess in the room, taking the dishes downstairs.

Marisol and my father aren't in the dining room or the kitchen, so I guess Bree scared them off. I really do hope they're able to start something. They both deserve happiness, and my mother would have wanted my da to have it.

It's not Bree's fault that her father killed my mother, but it's hard to understand how I fell in love with her.

I guess I can understand Gray's anger.

After cleaning up, there's nothing more I can do so I put on a pair of shorts and a tight t-shirt and head to the gym. It's nearly two in the morning, but it's an all-night gym, and no one will be there.

I'm shocked when I see Cillian on the treadmill. "What the hell are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he pants, slowing down the treadmill. "Just couldn't sleep. Thought I'd tire myself out."

"Same here." I step onto the machine and put it on a high incline so we can talk.

"What"s wrong with you?" Cillian asks.

"I'm in love with my wife, who happens to also be a Murphy," I tell him.

Cillian whistles. "I hate to say I told you so, but I thought this might happen. You're sure you're in love?"

"Pretty fucking sure," I mutter, walking at a slow pace to warm up. "We had dinner tonight, alone, and she told me she loves me, too."

Cillian raises an eyebrow. "Isn't that good news?"

"It should be. But I"m still not sure if she got a message out to her father. If she did, she set me up to be killed."

Cillian shakes his head. "That's a hell of a thing to think about your wife."

"I'm just going to have to crack that code. That's the only way."

"Look for inconsistencies." Cillian shrugs. "Things that don't seem quite right."

"Thank you." I nod. "That actually helps."

I need to reread the letters. There's something just at the back of my mind that I can't quite put my finger on. But for now, I need to work out, let off some steam. If I don't, I feel like my head will blow off.

I turn the machine up and break into a run, and thirty minutes later, I've sweated through my shirt.

Cillian and I hit the showers, and after, we part ways with a fist bump.

Cillian's a good guy, but he's not exactly the kind of guy you have deep conversations with.

Somehow, though, he's given me an idea.

I rush home and head into my office, taking the letters and reading them side by side.

But it doesn't help. There still doesn't seem to be any inconsistencies. The mention of the dog is kind of weird, but Bree mentioned the cocker spaniel once at dinner. I guess she really doesn't talk about her much, though.

Is it something to do with the dog?

It's nearing daylight when someone knocks on my open door.

I look up to see my father standing in the doorway.

"Can I come in?"

"Of course." I gesture to the chair in front of my desk.

He sits down, looking at me intently. "So, you know that Jimmy is cleared."

"I know, Da. I know what you're going to say. I've been looking over the letters, trying to figure out the code?—"

"You don't know what I'm going to say," Da says. "I want you to drop it."

"What?"

"It doesn't matter. Murphy is going to come for us no matter what we do. So, just let it go."

"I can't let it go!" I exclaim. "If someone's lying to us?—"

"The truth always comes out, boyo." It's something he's always said.

Then he simply stands up and walks out into the hallway.

What the hell? Was he telling me that he believes it"s Bree, too, but to let it go? He can't be saying that.

And even if Da did forgive it, that doesn't mean that I will. She's been lying to me all this time. For weeks.

I won't forgive that. I can't.

I look down at the paper and still, I can't find anything. My eyes are crossing, and I'm feeling tired and irritated, so I walk across the hall to my bedroom, slowly opening the door.

Bree is sitting up in bed, her auburn hair mussed from our sex last night. She frowns at me.

"Where have you been?"

"Working," I mutter.

She raises an eyebrow. "You're in a mood."

"I'm not." I walk over to the bed and sit down on the edge, taking hold of her ankle in one hand.

"Declan," she mutters, looking up at me from under her long eyelashes. "About last night... if you didn't mean it?—"

"I meant it." And it's true. I do love her, but I don't know what that means for us—especially if she's betrayed me.

Can I forgive something like that, especially when I still have an ache in my chest from the bullet? How do I know she doesn't want me dead, just like her father?

Bree smiles, relief clear on her face. "Me, too."

I try to smile back at her, but it feels forced, and she must notice, too.

"Something's going on. What's wrong, Declan?"

I shake my head. "It's just boring work stuff, princess. Nothing to worry your pretty little head about."

Bree rolls her eyes but she's still smiling, and I think I've thrown her off the subject.

"I'm not some wilting violet, you know? I can handle some work stuff." She pauses. "After all, I used to do my dad's books."

Did you?Did you see where he stole half of our shipments? Did you know about it?

I can't stop thinking about it. I can't stop wondering if she isn't nearly as innocent as I thought she was.

I don't blame her for what Murphy did, at least not to a point. But regardless of what she said before, I need to know if she knew. If she knew the kind of man he was and still sent him after me. Because if she did, I don't know if I can forgive her. I don't know if I even want to.

I clear my throat, needing a distraction.

I climb up onto the bed on my knees, grabbing Bree's ankles in each hand and spreading her thighs. She's only wearing the sheet, and it rides up around her waist as I position her.

I spread her thighs with my hands, watching her face.

Bree grins up at me. "Didn't get enough last night?"

"Don't think it'll ever be enough," I murmur, and yank her closer to me.

She squeals and then moans as I roll my hips against her sex.

"I know the feeling," she murmurs, blinking those big hazel eyes up at me. The green in them seems more pronounced in the sunlight streaming through the window.

She's beautiful, and my heart aches, wondering if she's not nearly as innocent as she seems. Murphy blood runs through her veins, but has he gotten to her heart, too?

I can't imagine I'd feel the same way about her if I knew she'd really betrayed me.

Not wanting to think anymore, I push down my sweats, freeing my bobbing erection, and she looks at it hungrily.

"Sit up," I order in a low tone. "Want to fill that pretty mouth of yours."

She scrambles into a sitting position, eagerly leaning forward and wrapping her small hand around my base. As she takes me into her mouth, I hiss in a sharp breath as pleasure rockets through me.

"Good girl," I murmur, gathering her thick, auburn hair in a ponytail and moving her head up and down in the rhythm that I want. "Good fucking girl."

She moans around me, and the vibration sends an ache through my cock.

I start to move her head faster, and she relaxes her throat, letting me fuck her mouth.

I roll my hips, and she gags, tears streaming down her face. The sight only makes me hotter, and I look down at her.

I pause but she drags her nails along my thighs to encourage me, making eye contract.

She can take it. She wants to.

Thrusting harder, chasing my orgasm, my balls start to ache as I get close.

When I tug her hair sharply, she cries out at the sting, popping off me.

I pull her head up so that she's looking at me and attack her mouth, kissing her deeply, tasting the salt of me on her tongue.

I push her down on the bed after I pull away, pulling her legs over my biceps.

She feels hot against me and when I slide my fingers through her lower lips, she's slick and ready.

Grabbing myself by the base, I guide myself into her, pushing into her, thrusting forward instinctively.

Bree moans, throwing her head back and fisting her hands in the sheets. "F-fuck."

"So fucking hot," I mumble, not even sure what I'm saying.

All I know is that I don't want to think anymore, don't want to worry that she's broken my trust and my heart and I just can't accept it.

I want to empty all these bad feelings into her body, leave my mark on her so that if she has betrayed me, she'll remember me forever.

I thrust into her roughly, riding her hard, and Bree goes limp beneath me like a rag doll, like a sex doll for me to use. It's so hot that I'm close to the edge already.

When she starts to mewl like a kitten and pulse around me, I can't take it anymore.

I rock my hips into her in a decidedly unsteady motion, and finally spill inside her, gasping out her name.

"Declan," she answers, and the sound of my name on her mouth makes me grab her by the hair again, kiss her dirty and deep.

"God, I love you," I mumble against her lips, knowing that it's true, knowing that it might be my ruin.

"I love you, too." She smiles at me, her hazel eyes as innocent as the rest of her body is wanton.

I roll to the side, panting, and just like always, Bree puts her head on my chest.

My heart thuds too hard against my chest plate, but she doesn't seem to notice.

She's dozing in minutes, and while she's napping, I extract myself from her arms, padding into the hallway, planning to go downstairs for a snack.

All that activity last night and this morning has really taken it out of me, and there's no way I can sleep with all the thoughts swirling in my mind.

I walk down the hallway, and the sound of sniffling makes me lift my head from where I've been looking down at my feet, dejected.

I look up to see my baby sister's room with the door slightly ajar, and her sitting on the bed, tears streaming down her face.

"Paige? A'stor, what's wrong?" I ask, instantly going to her.

She throws herself into my arms, pressing her face against my chest and sobbing as if her heart is breaking.

"Are you all right?" I stroke her hair, and she starts to calm down.

"I'm fine." She pulls away and wipes tears from her face with the back of her hand. "It's just..."

"You can talk to me." I hate it when my sisters are upset.

Her eyes well with tears again as she looks up at me. "I'm just... alone. I'm so alone, Declan."

"You're not alone, a'stor," I promise her. "You've got us?—"

"It's not the same!" she bursts out. "You have Bree, and you're so happy..."

Happyisn't exactly the term I'd use, giving what's going on lately, but Paige wouldn't know much about that. We try to keep her out of the loop when it comes to business, because Paige is sensitive, probably the most innocent of all of us.

"Oh, honey," I say, smiling a little. "You're so young. You'll find someone."

"You think?" she sniffles.

"I know. Especially now that you are moving out like you wanted." I smirk. "No more need to sneak out like you did back in high school."

Her eyes widen, but she barks out a laugh in spite of her sadness, and I smile widely, giving her a quick hug.

"You'll find the one, Paige. It just takes time."

"What's it like?" she almost whispers. "Being in love?"

"God," I answer, laughing softly. "It's crazy. It's like being on a roller coaster—one minute you're having a blast and the next you're scared out of your mind."

"That sounds scary."

"It is a little scary." I pat her shoulder. "But it's worth it."

"It is?"

"It is. Because when it's good, Paige... it's the best feeling in the world."

She sniffles once more and then rubs her eyes. "I'm sorry. I really am happy for you, Declan. It's just... it's hard to watch someone get everything I want."

"You'll get there, a'stor."

"You promise?"

"I promise. Your new life will have it all."

"I guess you're right. I'm just nervous because it's time for me to move out, and I'll be really alone. I've never been by myself before, so…" She shrugs, looking at her hands.

"We are just a phone call away, and the doors here are always open for you."

"Thank you." She smiles, leaning up to kiss me on the cheek, and lies down on the bed.

I leave her room, shaking my head as I head down the stairs. I don't know what precipitated that breakdown, but I'm grateful for the distraction.

Gray is downstairs, eating from a bowl of fruit, and I sit next to him, grabbing a couple of grapes and slices of apples. He grunts and pushes the bowl toward me.

It's all the apology two brothers need, and we eat in silence for a few minutes.

"Marisol says I'll spoil my lunch." Gray chuckles.

"With fruit?" I scoff. "No way."

The Burke boys eat like horses, and a little bowl of fruit between the two of us is barely a drop in the bucket.

"Did you talk to Da?" Gray looks at me sideways.

"I did." I nod, hoping he's not going to bring up Bree again.

He just nods, and my shoulders slump in relief.

Gray has a point—it"s strange that Murphy targeted the warehouse that day, since we weren't even getting a shipment—and he's probably right. Bree probably did send her father a message. What I need to know is why.

"I'm glad Jimmy's not the rat," Gray comments. "I'd hate to kill him."

I snort out a laugh. "Jimmy's as loyal as the day is long."

Gray looks at me for a long moment, as if he wants to ask me something, but then he looks away, sipping his tea. "There's more in the pot if you want some," he grumbles, and then gets up, leaving me alone with my thoughts.

At least Gray isn't on my ass about Bree anymore.

That's something.

Now, if I can just convince myself that she's innocent, I'll be on easy street.

But can I do that? Can I put my family at risk just because I'm in love with my wife?