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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Declan

“So, Kayce burned your house down?” I can’t stop shaking my head. “How did anyone believe you were dead if there weren’t any bodies found?”

Ice cold rage is running beneath the surface of my skin, but I can’t let Violet feel it. She’s had enough anger and violence to last ten lifetimes. I won’t subject her to mine, too. But I have so many unanswered questions. I have to let her tell me the rest. Then, then I’ll start planning my revenge.

“They did find two bodies. A woman and a child. I didn’t ask Kayce how he came upon the bodies, but he assured me they were long since dead before he placed them in my home and burned it down.”

“And Parisi?” I already know I don’t want this answer, but I need to know everything. If she still owes him a debt, I’ll go to him myself and set shit right. But I need to know how he plays into this equation. “Why did you go to him when your friend was in trouble? Why didn’t you come to me?”

“I-I … Vincenzo has been a friend since I left James.”

“What kind of friend?”

God help me if he was making a play for my woman because shit is going to go sideways in a fucking hurry. I’ll have to call Pres and tell him to come take my cut because it would end in a fucking blood bath and that’s a war the club isn’t prepared to take on.

“Vincenzo gave me a job and a place for me and Carter to stay off the radar when we first arrived.” Violet squeezes her eyes shut, and I feel my heart squeeze with the same intensity inside my chest. “I helped him with something, and he returned the favor. I figured it would be the same this time. Mili needed my help, and Vincenzo was the one who had the means to get me to her quickly and get her medical help without alerting the cops that we were there.”

“I can see where Parisi helped you.” I lift her chin and wait until her eyes meet mine. “What favor did you do for him?”

“I stole the gun and a small bag of cocaine that James had hidden with Vincenzo’s fingerprints on them. He was going to plant them at the harbor and have Vincenzo arrested,” she says, her eyes welling with tears again. “James was going to use it to blackmail Vincenzo. I was going to use it to do the same, but not for the same reasons. I wouldn’t have used it against him. I gave it to Vincenzo in exchange for his help and protection for myself and Carter.”

“And what do you owe him for rescuing your friend?” Try as I may, I can’t keep the edge out of my voice. I am so fucking pissed at Violet right now. How could she go to someone like Vincenzo Parisi for help? He’s a fucking mobster, for Christ’s sake.

“I had to set up a meeting with him and Kayce.”

“That’s all?” I’m not convinced. Parisi is a smart, shrewd negotiator. He wouldn’t do something so dangerous, knowing he could easily go to jail if he was found with a woman who is supposed to be dead. Not to mention the wife of a cop. Not unless there was a payoff for him in the end.

“It’s all he’s asked for so far.”

I grunt in response because I don’t know what else I can say to that without scaring her.

“You should’ve come to me, Dove.” My voice is still tight, and I’m trying to rein my shit in, but fuck. “When shit goes sideways. When something scares you or Carter. When you feel the need to run. You. Come. To. Me. I’m your man. I’ll take care of you. Protecting you is my job now. You got me?” I grip her face in both hands, placing my forehead against hers. “Tell me you understand, baby. I need to hear you say you understand. That you’ll come to me if you’re ever in trouble again.”

“I will. I promise.”

It’s all I need to hear. I slant my mouth over hers, kissing her deeply, while Violet’s body willingly leans into mine. Her hands come up and circle my neck. Her delicate fingers embedding themselves in my hair, tugging me closer, eliciting a grunt from me. She presses her core against my cock, seeking relief once again. Relief I plan on giving her, but this time I’m taking what’s mine and owning her.

Reaching down, I grip the bottom of her shirt and rip it off over her head, startling her into releasing her hold on me as I peel the shirt clean off her body.

“Fucking perfection.” Before she gets the chance to cover herself, to hide her body from me, I lift her up and lay her on the couch, crawling over her and pinning her beneath me. Her heated breath whispers across my skin as I trail kisses from her ear to her collarbone, resting most of my weight on my elbows beside her.

“Declan.” My name is a husky plea on her lips, and it’s all I can do to not take her like the fucking caveman Pres claimed I would be.

Leaning up, I pull my shirt off over my head and toss it to the floor. Violet’s eyes wander over my chest and lower, her hands reach up to grip the waistband of my jeans. Her hazel eyes are full of lust and desire. I pin her in place with my hips, her legs curling around me, while my lips descend on hers. I massage her tongue with mine while my hand finds its way down to her breast, gently squeezing and kneading.

Her back arches off the couch, pushing herself into my hand. I follow the path from her neck to her breast, nipping and licking my way down to her ample cleavage. Her back arches a tiny bit more, as much as my weight on her will allow, and I take the offering she’s set before me, taking her nipple between my teeth. To my surprise, Violet’s hand reaches up, twisting the other nipple between her fingers.

She does a have a dirty little freak in there after all.

I continue to move my way down her body, licking and biting until I reach her swollen, soaking wet pussy. The first lick is slow, from her entrance to her clit and back. Her hips lift, searching for more. Needing more.

“Please, Declan.” My name on her lips is spoken like a prayer, one I intend to answer. I bury my face between her legs and feast on her like a man starved. Her legs begin to shake. Her head’s rocking back and forth, but I don’t let up. I’m going to make sure she remembers every second of pleasure I give her and every quaking orgasm. I’ll make it my life’s mission to give her as much pleasure as her sweet little body can take.

She deserves to be worshipped.

And that’s exactly what I intend to do.

Violet comes hard. Her juices are dripping down my chin. Her breathing is rapid, and her beautiful skin is flushed from her nipples to her nose.

I sit up and revel in the sight before me. She looks relaxed, carefree, and blissed the fuck out. It’s a gorgeous look on her. When her eyes meet mine, she graces me with a soft smile, then licks her lips. A movement I follow.

Violet leans up on her elbows and looks down at where my jeans are unbuttoned, then back up to my face. “Are you going to do something with that, or are you planning on keeping him locked away for the night in time out?”

I laugh at her playfulness. She’s adorable and sexy at the same time. The perfect mix of innocence and seduction. I know she’s not a virgin, but her sexual experience wasn’t one filled with passion or love. Her body was used for another person’s pleasure. And I plan on showing her everything she should’ve had and more.

“You want it. Come get it.” I sit back, throwing my arms out wide in invitation.

Violet’s eyes widen, but it’s the only sign of her nerves I see. She’s not so brazen now, but she’s not going to back down either.

Good girl.

She sits up, reaching for the waistband of my jeans, and uses it to pull herself closer to me. “Stand up.”

I do as she says and stand beside the couch. Her tiny fingers pull the zipper down slowly, her eyes watching mine as she does. Her hands slide around and begin shoving my jeans and briefs down toward the floor. When the heat of her mouth engulfs the head of my dick, I have to lock my knees to stay upright.

“Goddamn, I wasn’t expecting that,” I hiss. I feel her mouth pull into a smile around my length and watch as she continues to stoke me with her tongue as she takes me deeper. Her hands grip my ass as she works to take all of me into her mouth.

Holy shit.

When I feel my balls tugging up, I pull her mouth off me and shove her back against the couch. Her eyes sparkle with mischief as she widens her legs, giving me the perfect view of her slick cunt.

As much as I want to slam home and take her roughly, I don’t think it’s what she needs from me right now. Violet needs to be in control. To feel like her needs matter. She matters. So I lay down on my back and hoist her up and over until my cock is lined up with her entrance. She looks confused, but follows my lead, using her hand to guide me all the way in as she slides down my shaft. Her walls tighten around my dick, and I have to take a few cleansing breaths to keep from blowing my load.

I hold her in place, allowing myself a minute to calm down. I want this to be good for her. “Move your hips, baby. Ride my dick and take what you need. Make yourself feel good.” She looks confused for a second, but I begin to guide her movements, and she understands. She rocks her hips a few times and lifts up and down a few strokes until she finds her rhythm. I keep my hands on her hips, giving her a guiding hand when she needs it, but otherwise, this is her show.

Violet grinds down on me and it feels so fucking good that we both moan in unison. I grip the back of her neck, bringing her down for a devastating kiss while thrusting myself up inside her, meeting every one of her downward grinds. It doesn’t take long and we’re both coming together.

I ride her out a few more pumps until her body falls limp on my chest.

“You okay, Dove?”

“Mmm,” she moans, but doesn’t budge.

My chest shakes with laughter as I caress her cheek with my hand, pushing the sweat-sticky hair from her face. “Wore you out already, huh? We’re going to have to work on that. I’m going to want to have you as often as I can, and you’re going to need to be able to keep up with all the orgasms I plan to give you.”

“Hmph.” Her body is relaxed, and her breathing is slowing. If I let her, she’d probably fall asleep just like this, sprawled on top of me with my half-hard cock nestled between us.

I hate to do it, but I nudge her a bit, forcing her to lean up and look at me. The scowl on her face is cute.

“Come on, baby. Let’s head up to the bed. It’ll be warmer up there and I’m sure much more comfortable.”

“I think this spot right here is plenty comfortable,” Violet teases. She smirks as she runs her hand across my chest hair, then traces my tattoos with her finger.

“You can have this same spot. Upstairs. In the bed.” She glances up at me from under her lashes but doesn’t make any movement to get up so, I slap her ass playfully.

“Hey!”

“Come on.” I lean up, taking her with me. Her legs wrap around my waist, and I take the opportunity to grab her delectable ass in my hands. “I can’t keep the fire going with you laying over the top of me. I don’t want to have to keep waking you up to keep us warm either,” I tell her honestly. “You can lie across my body all you want under the covers of the bed. It’ll make you readily accessible for me to stroke and fill your pussy throughout the night.”

Her shocked gasp is priceless.

“Oh, you didn’t think I was done with you so soon, did you?” I tease her mouth with my tongue, and she opens immediately. “Mm. Nope. I’m going to need to fuck you at least two, maybe three more times. So, we best get you upstairs for a nap.”

“A nap?” Violet looks at me, disbelieving. “I think we should call it a night, and maybe I’ll let you ravish my body before breakfast.”

My laughter fills the room. She ducks her head. I can see the beautiful pink tint on her cheeks. I don’t think she realized what she was saying in the moment. She’s finally letting her guard down around me and I fucking love it.

“Dove, I think we should set a few things straight.” Her eyes peek up at me as she nods. I’m not sure if she thinks she’s in trouble or if she’s just embarrassed by her admission of wanting me to ravish her, but she seems nervous all the same. “Look at me, baby.” When her eyes meet mine, I smile and caress her jaw with my thumb before planting a soft kiss on her pouty lips.

“I’m happy you want me to ravish your body—which I abso-fucking-lutely will—you can count on it. But I think I should warn you about something.” Her eyes widen a little and her lips part. Another stroke of my tongue across her bottom lip elicits a sound from the back of her throat that I love. “I claimed you as mine and you agreed. Which means I will happily, and greedily, ravish, lick, kiss, touch, and fuck your beautiful body as often as I fucking please. And what’s better …” I pause, watching as her pupils dilate and her hazel eyes fill with so much heat. “You’ll love every fucking second of it. I’ll make damn sure of that.”

Her hot breath tickles my lips as she lets out a small whimper. She rubs her warm wet sex across the shaft of my cock, and I’m hard as fuck and ready for another round.

Standing from the couch, I lift her up with me and make my way to the stairs. Violet lays her head on my shoulder with her arms tucked around my back. When I reach the bed, I gently lay her down with her ass just at the edge. She leans all the way back but doesn’t let go of her hold on me, bringing me down with her. I smile down at her. This incredibly beautiful woman.

My woman.

I take her mouth in what was only meant to be a small, simple kiss, but she shoves her tongue past my lips and things get heated fast.

My hands are everywhere, stroking, kneading, caressing her soft body. Violet’s response to everything I’m doing to her is sexy as fuck and will be my undoing. She reaches down, gripping my dick with her hand and strokes from root to tip once, twice, three times.

That’s it.

I grab her hands, pinning them at her sides. Her eyes flare, but she’s not afraid. No. My woman is turned the fuck on. She may have been treated like shit by her bastard of a husband, but she trusts me. I see it staring back at me in her now glistening eyes. In her soft smile and the flush on her cheeks. She licks her lips and gives me the subtlest of nods, but I get it. She’s giving herself to me. Giving me permission to have my way with her because she knows I’ll never intentionally hurt her.

My chest tightens and my throat feels thick. The gift she’s giving me is not something I will ever take for granted. It takes a strong, brave woman to give herself to someone after being so badly hurt and mistreated.

“I love you.” It’s the truth and my declaration. “You hear me, Violet? I love you. You and Carter, you’re my everything. You understand?”

A tear flows down her cheek, and she nods. “I love you too. I didn’t want to. I wanted to run from this feeling because I thought it would only lead to more heartbreak, but I can’t escape what I feel for you.” She smiles softly. “I don’t want to escape it. I want to embrace it. I want to know what happiness truly feels like. To be loved.”

“I’ll spend my life showing you.” Our lips meet again and with one deep stroke, I bury myself to the hilt and finally take what’s completely mine.

I keep my thrusts long and slow, wanting to take my time and savor every second. The soft feel of her slick walls gripping my cock and pulling me deeper with each thrust. When I rub that special place deep inside her, her eyes roll back in a way that is captivating. As I pull out, her body arches toward mine in an effort to keep me inside.

Christ, she feels amazing.

We kiss, lick, taste each other. Our tongues massaging one another. It’s exciting and messy and sexy as fuck, the way she gives herself over to me. Her groans and mewls are spurring me on and soon I feel the telltale sign of my balls tightening up and the tingling of my spine.

“I need you to come, Dove.” She’s meeting me thrust for thrust now, as I pick up speed. I’m plowing into her. The sweet tender intimacy we’ve shared is now a rough, animalist rhythm that causes her eyes to roll back and the walls of her pussy to tighten around my length. I reach between us and pinch her clit between my fingers.

“I love you, Violet.” Those four little words and another pinch to her clit, and she shatters right before my eyes. The sweetness of her breath and the whispered, “I love you, too” are the last straw as I spill myself inside her.

It takes a few minutes for our breathing to slow and the shuddering to cease. I roll us over, my now soft dick still tucked up inside her, and her body sprawled across my chest the way it was when we were downstairs. I kiss the top of her head and stroke her back with my hands until I feel the moment her breaths even out and I know she’s fallen asleep.

I make a silent vow to the both of us to find her fuckhead of a husband and send him straight to hell where he belongs. Violet deserves to be loved and feel the happiness she desires. Carter deserves to be a kid and live a life free from looking over his shoulder or worrying about keeping his mama safe.

It’s my privilege now to love and protect them both. And fuck anyone who thinks they can take them from me.