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DECLAN

“ F uck,” I hiss, spilling my whiskey on the counter as I pour it.

Replaying the game footage doesn’t show me anything.

Nor does her application form.

Instead I sit here staring at her husband’s evil eyes.

Is he the one causing her pain? I’d put my money on it. I hit replay on the footage from Enzo's questioning of Charlotte.

There it is. That fear when his name is mentioned.

I squeeze the glass in my hands and pull up a search, typing in his name.

As expected, nothing. They’re all ghosts.

I tap my rings on my father’s old oak desk that I had shipped here.

“What would you do, Dad?” I whisper, tipping my head back in pure exhaustion.

Sometimes it feels like he’s right here with me. No matter how many years pass, I often wake up, and for a split second, I forget he’s gone. I half expect him to be downstairs pouring a whiskey for breakfast.

That pain never leaves me when I remember that he’s never coming back.

Some days I mask it, I drown out the world and carry on with the duties he left me with.

All in the hopes that he will be proud of me.

That’s all I can do now. Live my life in honor of him.

I lost my father that night, but I also lost a piece of myself.

Yet, seeing Charlotte again and losing myself in her eyes is the first time since his death that I’ve felt truly alive.

My brothers keep telling me to listen to her. Listen to what?

More lies? She will do anything to survive. Even the damn games.

There’s a knock at the door and I rub my hands over my face.

“Come in.”

Reggie’s bulky frame fills the space and I gesture for him to come in.

“Boss, Arthur Bowen is on the phone for you,” he tells me, and my blood fucking boils.

The Bowens are lucky I’ve not returned back to home soil.

The second I do, I’m coming for all of them. We’ve got the manpower, the ammunition, and enough will for revenge to set their empire into flames.

And right now, I’m angry enough to declare war.

I shake my head.

“Now isn’t a good time. Tell him he will hear from me when I’m ready to talk to the scum that murdered my father.”

“Okay. He sounded pissed.”

“Speaking to me will only make it worse. He needs to stay on that side of the pond.”

“You got it.”

As the door clicks shut, I knock back my whiskey and pull up a text to Finn.

Me

I need to get some anger out. I’ll come with you tonight.

Finn

What about your girlfriend?

Me

I’ll knock you on your ass instead if you carry on.

Me

I’ll have Conan stay here tonight.

Finn

yeah… cause he coped so well with her the first time. Get some rest, use your home gym, and let Con knock some sense into you. I don’t need help.

Me

fine.

I drop my phone onto the desk and sigh, cracking my knuckles.

Me: Meet me at my home gym when you’re free.

Conan replies instantly.

C

Frustrated?

Me

Pissed off…

I see the bubbles keep popping up, he’s probably laughing to himself as he texts.

C

you know, there’s a woman in your house who could resolve all your tension, rather than letting me beat the shit outta you.

M

ha ha. Shut it.

C

just saying.

I could just head to Inferno and fuck my frustrations away. There’s plenty of women ready and will be on their knees the second I snap my fingers. But with Charlotte in my home… it will be a useless attempt.

My cock only wants to be in one hole.

Unfortunately for me, it belongs to the woman who betrayed me, who has lied to me at every turn.

Yet, she’s the only one who plagues my mind.

Another text pops up from Conan.

C

I’m busy tonight. I promised Scarlett a night to remember in the woods ;)

Fuck it. Looks like I’m getting drunk tonight. At least then I can stop the swirling thoughts in my head.