Page 49 of Promise of Destruction (Destruction & Vengeance Duet #1)
forty-six
Soren
I don’t want random people in my house—Declan’s house—touching my stuff.
I don’t want a kind doctor to act like he cares about me or a thick older woman to cook me breakfast or a teen with a nose ring to sort through my groceries and stock the shelves with fresh stuff.
I don’t want the eggs, which honestly smell amazing, or the concern in Declan’s eyes.
I don’t want to go anywhere with him, or call Tony and ask him what’s going on with my mortgage, or tell Khan that Declan is still here.
But I relent.
I drop into a barstool and spear the bacon, taking small bites until I’m sure that my stomach isn’t going to revolt. I eat everything on my plate because it keeps me from having to talk and then take my time sipping my coffee, waiting for whatever is coming.
Once she’d finished cooking, Lisa cleaned up her mess and helped Kacey stock the rest of the groceries. They carried the trash to the curb and left me alone with Declan sitting on the stool next to me, reading something on his phone.
It takes him a moment to realize I’m watching him, but he sets his phone down and I glimpse the frown on his lips.
“Our flight is in a few hours. Are you going to pack or shall I do it for you?” The gleam in his eye chases away whatever was bothering him just a moment before.
He doesn’t have to tell me that if I leave it to him to pack my bags, I’ll likely be naked for the duration of whatever trip we’re taking.
“I’ll go.” I say quickly, standing. “But you still haven’t told me where we’re going or why you need me to go.”
“We’re going on a work trip, and I need you to go because you work for me.” His voice drops with his next words. “Is that a problem?”
I think he wants me to say that it is, but I’m going to take every chance to deny him satisfaction. “Is this what you would call a reasonable work-related situation ?”
“Of course,” he nods. “But if you wish to consult your lawyer, I can wait. I assume you’ve got one on speed dial?”
I glare at him, flip my middle finger in the air between us as I walk away.
Packing when I don’t know where we’re going is even more irritating than packing for a trip I don’t want to go on, so I just grab a little of everything and shove it all into my suitcase.
A work trip means I’ll need business attire and something to sleep in, but without knowing how many days to pack for, I’m taking a shot in the dark.
Hopefully he’ll have to pay an oversized bag fee.
I briefly consider going out to my back yard and loading a second bag with a few bricks topped with some pajamas, but I don’t have the energy.
I texted both Marissa and Khan back to let them know I was alive, but I’ve been dodging the calls and telling them that I’ll be away for a few days. And I still have to call Tony and ask him to look into whatever is going on with my mortgages.
Vin was an adult when we met, but with zero credit to his name.
I turned eighteen without two pennies to rub together, let alone a credit card to build a score.
We made do and worked hard for what we wanted and it paid off, but when we started to search for a home, Tony offered to put the mortgage in his name so that we could avoid the ridiculous interest rate that would have taken everything we have in a given month.
It was a generous offer, but Tony always took care of us.
Vin was his nephew and family was everything to them.
It’s why I didn’t bat an eyelash when we decided to buy the bar the year after our house, and we put that in Tony’s name too.
He looked out for us our entire relationship and had assured me that death didn’t change anything.
He’s continued to care for me the last year and I’ve continued to Venmo him the exact amount for my mortgage and bar rent every month.
Whatever happened has to be a mistake on behalf of the mortgage company.
I’m just zipping up my suitcase when Declan saunters in with his hands in his pockets and a smirk in the corner of his mouth.
“I think you may have overpacked, Soren.” He laughs. “I bet I could fit all you truly need in my pockets.”
“Well, I like to be prepared.” I huff. “And clearly you don’t. You just make spur of the moment decisions and leave everyone else to deal with the consequences. Like buying a whole ass newspaper.”
“I don’t believe in half -assing anything.” He shrugs.
I want to throw something at him and regretfully think of the bricks I neglected to pack.
“Cute.” I mutter. “What time is our flight?”
Declan glances at his watch. “They’re expecting us in… two hours. Plenty of time to kill if you feel so inclined.” The inuendo lingers in the form of a smirk on his lips.
My face burns with last night’s rejection. “You told me—”
He cuts me off by pushing me toward the bed, his broad chest to mine. I’m still in the clothes I wore to bed and need a shower. I haven’t even brushed my teeth. But the voice in my head is screaming for me to lay down on the bed and let him have his way with me.
His mouth nearly touches mine when he speaks, and the scent of coffee and cinnamon on his breath makes me squirm at the thought of my own.
“I said I wouldn’t make you come until I’m sure my name is the only one you’ll scream.
” He recites it easily, like it’s not the most panty-soaking thing I’ve ever heard.
God, I am so fucked.
“I never said I wouldn’t enjoy your body in the interim. I never said I would deprive myself of knowing what you taste like.” His fingers tangle in my hair a moment, the tips brushing against my scalp and sending a shudder through me all the way to my treacherous core.
His hand lets go just as abruptly and I’m already grieving the loss of his touch when he brushes the pad of his thumb over my lips.
“I never said I wouldn’t part your pretty lips with my cock and watch you take every inch.”
A little whimper escapes me, completely unbidden. I try to cover it by clearing my throat, but the smirk in the corner of his mouth tells me he heard it and he knows exactly what he’s doing to me.
“Too bad you don’t come ‘til I do.”
I could slap myself for saying it, but once it’s in the air, I can’t take the words back.
Declan smirks. “That sounds like a challenge.”