Page 18 of Declan (Gold Team #5)

I’ve felt homicidal rage before. This went far beyond that.

She could’ve died.

Autumn could’ve fucking died .

And where was I? Not at her back.

All of this was a bad idea. When the hell would I learn to listen to my gut when it screamed at me that shit was not right? When would the females in my life be safe? First Juliana and Violet, then my sister, now Autumn.

I was no fucking good.

I should’ve shut this shit down back in Maryland when Autumn first started talking about going after Strotherby. I should’ve delivered her ass to Zane and let him deal with her—maybe even lock her up in a safehouse until we’d dismantled Omni.

Instead, I ignored my intuition and got lost in her.

Literally, lost inside of her. I allowed my cock to rule my brain.

Night after night for months I’d gone to her, not to talk her out of her crazy plan, not to talk to her, period.

No, I’d gone to her to bury my troubles.

I’d done the very thing I’d accused Max of doing with Eva.

Taking .

I took and took and took, needing to lose myself for a few hours. Needing only what she could give me.

Peace.

I was fucked.

I rubbed my vest over my tat.

“You okay?” Kyle asked.

“Yep.”

“Brother, I’d believe that if you didn’t look like you were grinding your molars to dust.”

What was there to say to that? Nothing. He knew I was far from okay and he knew I wasn’t going to answer. Why he bothered to ask was beyond me.

“She’s gonna be fine,” he told me softly and I looked away, glancing around the living space.

This place was a shit hole.

“It’s not even as bad as yours.”

“What?”

“Her throat. It’s not deep. I doubt she’ll need stitches. Not like yours.”

I fought the urge to touch the scar on my neck. The reminder that Autumn had saved my life.

“You’re a matching pair.” Kyle smiled and walked around me.

He had no idea how true that statement was.

“Status?” Thad radioed.

“Upstairs is clear, no sign,” Max answered.

“Room off the kit—” Autumn’s call-in was abruptly cut short and I took off running.

Through the open mic I heard rustling then a grunt, and finally a whimper of pain.

“Check in,” I demanded.

Nothing.

I rounded the corner and came to a sliding halt.

Motherfucker .

Madeleine Strotherby .

But that’s not what had my attention. Autumn had the muzzle of her Sig pressed against the old woman’s forehead.

And that cold dread was back, slithering its way down my body.

“Where’s the last shipment?” Autumn asked.

I had to hand it to the old bitch—she looked entirely unaffected by a gun to her head.

“Autumn Pierce,” the woman’s smooth cultured voice purred. “Such a waste. We had plans for you. It’s such a shame you never learned your place.”

“Where are the girls?” Autumn repeated, not rising to the bait.

“I knew I should’ve been there. But that idiot Harry said he could deliver the Pierce sisters. You by yourself, brought in top dollar—a blonde-haired, green-eyed virgin. Even after that was gone, the men still lined up. But you and Emerson together? Now that would’ve been a prize.”

Thank fuck, Thaddeus wasn’t in the room to hear Strotherby talk about his wife.

As if on cue, Thad angrily growled, “End the bitch.”

“Where the fuck are the girls?”

“On their way to the same place you went to. To the men who own them.”

“Who bought them?”

“Now, Autumn, you know I can’t tell you that. There are rules.”

Autumn’s hand began to shake and that chill running down my spine heated.

Fucking shit, I didn’t want this for her.

“Right, rules. And you’re willing to die to—”

Strotherby clucked and smiled. “You’re not going to let me live.

And I do not beg. So go on now, get it over with.

But before you do, I hope you know killing me changes nothing.

There are plenty of people who are waiting to take my place.

My death will be meaningless because my empire will live on. ”

“See you in hell,” Autumn muttered.

The crack of the gunshot rang out and I closed my eyes as Madeleine Strotherby’s body jerked back and started to fall.

Fucking, fucking , shit .

Another mark on her soul. Another life taken even if that life was vile—the bitch was pure evil.

Autumn turned. Blood dotted her face, but it was her pained eyes that held me captive. Until she holstered her gun and my eyes went to her bicep.

“Mother—”

“You know,” she grunted. “I’m really fucking tired of getting stabbed.”

She reached up and yanked the knife out of her arm and dropped it on the dirty floor.

“That’s gonna need stitches,” Kyle muttered and rushed forward.

I felt Max and Brooks’ presence hit the room but didn’t spare them a glance.

I couldn’t take my eyes off Autumn’s. Kyle worked on her arm at a breakneck pace, tearing the sleeve of her shirt away, digging through his kit for supplies, bandaging her arm.

But her gaze never left mine. So I saw every wince, every pinch of her brow, the tightness in her face. But more than that, I saw remorse.

Motherfucking remorse.

Autumn Pierce talked a big game, she had the tough girl act down to a science. She played the game, and wanted everyone to believe she was nothing more than a cold-blooded mercenary when really she was anything but.

Remorse, but not regret.

Fucking shit . I hated this.

“Done,” Kyle announced. “Let’s get the fuck out of here.”

“Coming out, Thad,” Max radioed.

“Copy. ”

The next ten minutes were a blur. We exited the house, Max and Brooks split off to go to their car, Kyle went to meet Thad, and Autumn and I beat feet to where I’d parked.

We were nearly there when I heard Autumn wheezing.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. I’m fine.”

“If we need to slow down, just say so.”

“I’m. Fine,” Autumn snapped and I stopped to look at her.

The fuck she was. I didn’t need to hear the tension in her voice. The evidence of her pain was streaming down her face.

“Baby—”

“Don’t,” she grunted and took off running.

With no choice but to follow, I took off after her. She made it to the car before me and was opening the door when I stopped her.

“Let me give you something for the pain.”

“No. I need a clear head.”

“I can—”

“I said, no, Declan. I can’t be jacked-up on drugs in case something happens. I need to be able to protect myself.”

Right, because I couldn’t protect her.

I let her get into the car and jogged around to the driver’s side. Two cranks later, the piece of shit sputtered to life.

Two minutes after that, we were on our way to the airfield. Thad and Kyle in the lead, Max and Brooks in the middle, and I was taking up the rear.

Autumn had already taken off her helmet and was wrestling with her vest. She wasn’t used to wearing either, and by the sounds she made, she was happy to get them off.

“How’s your throat?”

“Not bleeding. Or at least there’s no blood dripping. I’m taking that as a good sign.”

“And your arm?”

“Throbbing like a bitch.”

Well, that was the most honest answer she’d given me since she’d been injured.

“As soon as we’re on the plane, Kyle will sew that up.”

Silence fell. Autumn reached over, fumbled with the wire to my mic, and a second later, she fell back into her seat.

“I need you to pull over for a minute.”

“We’re almost—”

“Now, Declan. I need you to pull over.”

“Okay. Why’d you turn off my mic?”

“I don’t want them to know.”

“I can’t just pull over without telling them. What’s wrong?”

“Please,” she whispered and I didn’t miss the crack in her voice. “I just need you to pull over.”

I turned my mic back on and told the guys to continue on, I needed to pull over. After some back and forth I lied and told them I had to take a piss. Something none of them believed but it stopped the argument.

No sooner had I stopped the car, then Autumn was out of it.

By the time I made it to her she was bent forward, her hands braced on her knees and she was throwing up. Her ponytail had fallen over her shoulder and I quickly pulled it back.

“Go away,” she gasped and dry heaved. “Just give me a minute.”

“Not a fucking chance.”

Autumn continued to empty her stomach on the side of the road. When she was finally done, she straightened and swayed.

“Ready?”

She nodded and allowed me to help her back to the car. Once she was seated, I opened the car door and dug through my bag until I found a bottle of water.

“Here. ”

She took the water, filled her mouth, swished it around, and in the most unladylike manner, spat the contents out onto the ground.

Her eyes slowly lifted to mine and I flinched at what I saw.

“Please don’t tell them.”

“I don’t understand what you don’t want them to know. That you threw up?”

Though I’d promise her anything if it meant she stopped looking at me with open pain.

“Yes,” she hissed.

“You got nothing to be embarrassed about.”

“Really? So you puke every time you put down one of those…”

I didn’t hear the rest. Static and rage buzzed in my ears.

Puke every time .

Puke. Every. Time.

Good God. Now I felt like I was going to throw up.

Anger gave way to resolve.

Autumn was done.

Too much had been taken from her.

Determination coursed through my veins and settled deep.

I would do anything I had to do to get Autumn clear of this life.

Anything.