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DECLAN

I release her as she gasps for air, wiping the chocolate out of her face.

Even like this she’s fucking beautiful.

She wants me to listen? To more bullshit excuses?

She’s doing what she does best. Playing me.

Except that fucking nagging feeling is gnawing at me to hear her out.

Not yet. I’m having far too much fun with her.

“Well? Is it decadent?” I wipe my own face.

She shrugs and sticks her finger back into the chocolate and licks it.

Her full lips wrapping around it as she sucks it clean.

I lied. I didn’t reinforce my heart.

“Pretty decent, I guess,” she shrugs.

A growl erupts from my chest as I step closer.

Bad fucking move.

The closer she is in my proximity, the easier it is for her to penetrate my walls.

There’s only one thing on this earth that is truly decadent.

Her pussy.

The air crackles around us.

I have so many questions for her. Yet, part of me doesn’t want to hear it.

Call it self-preservation. What if all of these years of anger have been misplaced?

And as I look into the depths of her eyes, I know the truth.

That woman who opened up to me is the real her.

“Please. Hear me out,” she whispers.

This whole facade, everything behind the gates of Decadence is a game.

I should know, I’m the fucking master of it all.

My eyes lock onto her lips.

No. Not again.

When she kissed me back there, everything melted away, and she was all I could think about.

My weakness. Just like I knew she would be.

“Why should I? You’d say anything to keep yourself alive. You came here to kill me, heartbreaker. I guess your name really was right?”

I step back, creating some needed space between us.

“Nothing I did was personal. I don’t have a choice. I had no idea you were my hit until I saw you meet Enzo. I tried to keep you away from me. I warned you. You. Didn’t. Listen. You kept pushing and pushing until we both caved. Maybe I am the enemy in your story, but trust me, I am in my own story too.”

She shakes her head and turns away from me. I can’t help but reach out and spin her to face me.

“Hate me all you want. I have my reasons. What’s your excuse? The games, the women, all of this!” She throws her hands up.

“You are just as shitty of a person as I am, and in my position, you would have done the same thing.” She pokes me right in the chest where her tattoo rests.

Wrapping my fingers around hers, I squeeze.

“Remember who you’re talking to. I get to decide your fate now. My property,” I say in a low tone.

She looks up with defiance in her eyes.

“No, Declan. You’ll have to kill me before I become another man’s property.“

She rips her hand away, and that pain etched on her face is like a slap.

She might be able to get a read on me, but I can on her too.

This concerning connection between us goes both ways.

Wrapping my arm around her waist, I drag her body flush against mine.

As she looks up, I push her hair away from her face.

Her features soften. I’m not done with her.

“It wasn’t a request, it was a statement. You belong to me, whether you like it or not. That ink on the dotted line still stands. Congratulations, you’re the third winner of the Decadence Games. Rules have changed. You don’t get money and freedom. You get a whole different kind of prize. One of my men will show you to your new prison.” I clear my throat and release her.

“I mean home.”

I flash her my best smile as I back away. If this interaction has shown me anything, it’s that she is my weakness, and I need to keep my distance until we are done gaining information.

Then she needs to leave and get far, far away from me and never return.

I’ve hunted down my ghost, and now I need to sage my soul.

“Welcome to hell, heartbreaker.”

I slam the door shut behind me and don’t look back. I can’t.

Resting my back on the closed door, I hear the heavy footsteps of Conan approaching.

“When’s the wedding?” he jokes.

I scowl at him.

“Not in this lifetime.” I push myself off the door and face him.

He rolls his eyes and I resist the urge to slap him.

“Escort her to my home.” I shove my hand in my pocket and pull out my keys, holding the gold one up to him.

“Lock her inside her room. The one next to the master suite.”

He nods and takes the keys.

“You got it. Sure you don’t want her in with you? Celebrate her win? Get reacquainted with her?” He smirks, and I want to smack it off his face.

“No.” I dismiss him.

If I sink in that sweet pussy one more time, I’m done for.

“Grab a notepad and pen and put that in with her. Enzo wants information.”

“Anything else, sir?”

“Don’t push me. Not today. Just get it done and meet me and Finn at your cabin after.”

He frowns.

“Ruin any more of my furniture, and I’ll beat your ass.”

I chuckle and pat him on the shoulder. There’s no doubt he would.

“No shootings. Just scheming.”

Conan pulls out his mask and shoots me a questioning look.

“No need. She knows who I am.”

“Cool.” He shoves it in his pocket and this time retrieves his gun.

“Yeah. Take that. I still have no fucking idea how dangerous she is. But she’s unarmed.”

“I’ll keep her away from the chocolate fountain too, looking at the state of you,” he chuckles.

I rub some of the dried chocolate off my forehead.

“She’s violent.” I shrug.

He claps his gun between his hands.

“Ah, a menace. The best kind of sub.”

“Take her,” I brush him off.

“You don’t mean that. Now go and shower, I’ll get her sorted.”

No. I don’t mean it. Not one bit.

“Great.”

With that I take off down the hall and head to the cabin. As soon as the fresh air hits me, I tip my head back and soak in the sun.

What in the fuck is happening?