Page 10

Chapter ten

Noel

W e spent the rest of the night watching races and hanging out with Zander and Jade. I rode with Declan twice more, but Jade and I hung out when the competitive races began.

After our make out session in the trailer, we kept our hands to ourselves, giving me time to process all the dirty little details of Declan’s kiss.

As I look out the front windshield at the dark road ahead, I try to convince myself the kiss wasn’t as intense as it felt. My inexperience outside of Nate and now zero experience for the past six months amplified it. Add the fact that Declan and I have a very emotionally-charged past. The whole situation was a recipe for a kiss to feel like way more than it really was.

I just don’t remember my first kiss with Nate feeling anything like that.

Regardless of the reason I got so caught up, I can’t stop playing it on repeat in my head. I’ve tried to strike up a conversation multiple times on this drive home, but my mind circles right back to how good he felt literally everywhere. As soon as I get home, I’m showering and going straight to bed with my vibrator. I need a clear head to keep this thing, whatever this thing is, from moving too fast.

My phone chimes in my bag at my feet, and I jump to find it. It’s past midnight. Anyone trying to reach me at this time of night must have a good reason.

When I see it’s an alert from my home security system, my stomach sinks.

“Everything alright?”

I turn to face him. “I’m not sure. I had a notification from 8:30 that my security system was disabled. I didn’t see it until now. The alert just now was the notification of it being turned back on.”

I stare back down at my phone trying to process how that could be.

“Does anyone else have the code? Family members? Kate?” He asks, trying to find a simple explanation.

I shake my head. “I only just installed the system about a month after Nate passed away. My father-in-law insisted. He said that people in their line of work may find me to be an easy target knowing I would be home alone.”

Suddenly, I feel panic rising through my body.

“Oh, God. I had to sign papers earlier this week for the Grant Holdings Board of Trustees. Do you think someone would come after me if they didn’t agree with my votes?”

Declan must’ve dialed someone on his cell because his phone is ringing through the truck’s bluetooth system.

“Boss?” A man answers.

“I need you and two others to go to this address. Check every inch,” Declan orders. “You ready?”

“Go ahead.”

“617 Rosewood Drive. The security code is…,” he looks over at me to continue.

“052921,” I say to the stranger on the phone.

“Do you have cameras?” Declan asks.

“Yes, but they’re on a separate system. Grant said I needed to use older systems without the internet,” I'm becoming more freaked out by the second.

“Call you back.” The line goes dead.

“Walk me through the votes you mentioned.”

I can see his jaw clenching as he listens to the details of my owning a percentage of Grant Holdings and the four votes I signed based on Grant’s recommendations.

“I also took part ownership of a company that was not attached to Grant Holdings. The Cordeliers Gentlemen’s Club. Grant told me he would help me sell out as soon as it was possible but wouldn’t tell me anything about it. He said it wasn’t one of Nate’s best decisions, and it was best that I didn’t know much about it.”

“Cordeliers, huh?”

“I searched for it and couldn’t find anything. Have you heard of it?”

“Mmhm,” he says, pressing his lips together.

“And?”

“It’s an invitation-only club for men.”

“Okay?” I stare at him waiting for him to connect the dots for me. When he doesn’t give me anything else to work with, I realize he may not want me to know much about this place either. “Are you a member?”

“Fuck no,” he says, offended.

“But you’ve been there, at least?”

“Yes.”

I wait for him to tell me more, but he doesn’t.

My phone chimes, notifying me that my security system has been disabled again, and I tell Declan.

“That’s my guys.”

“Why do you have ‘guys’?”

“I keep security to watch my warehouse, office, and trucks,” he explains.

“Oh,” I say, realizing I just overstepped. “I’m sorry. It’s none of my business why you have security. I’m just on edge right now. ”

“I’ll handle it,” he promises, closing the subject.

We spend the next several minutes in silence. My thoughts are running in circles, and my questions have me jumping to conclusions. I’m hoping this is all just a coincidence, and my security system just happened to glitch out. Either way, I’m calling Grant tomorrow.

Declan’s phone rings, and he presses ANSWER on his dash screen.

“What did you find?” His voice is thick with restraint.

“Whoever it was turned the place upside down looking for something. Not a robbery. The jewelry box wasn’t touched, and no electronics seem to be missing. The alarm system doesn’t look like it’s been tampered with, so they either knew the code or hacked it. We’ll wait here to go through the video surveillance with you,” the man says, and Declan ends the call without a word.

I shiver at the thought of someone knowing my security code and searching through my house.

“What the hell do they want?” I wrap my arms around myself.

“Noel, I’m going to take care of it,” Declan says through clenched teeth.

He parks in front of my house on the street because his car hauler is still attached. In a hurry, I grab my bag and reach for the door handle. Declan grabs my arm before I can open the door, forcing me to look at him.

“I won't let anything happen to you,” he says and pulls a gun out of the glove box before getting out of the truck.

I was not prepared for what was waiting for me on the other side of my front door. My house is destroyed. Pictures from the walls are scattered on the floor. Couches and chairs are turned over—the cushions ripped.

“Oh, my God,” I breathe out.

Declan grabs my hands from my face and pulls me into him .

“Show me where the tapes are,” he says, forcing me to focus on him instead of the chaos around us.

I stare at him for a moment, shaking my head in disbelief and trying to get myself under control.

“Noel, the security cameras. Where are the tapes?” He asks forcefully, trying to get me past the shock.

Taking a deep breath, I bring Declan and one of his security guys into the master bedroom closet. Everything is a mess. My bedroom even has holes in the walls.

Suddenly, I’m very thankful that the older gentleman who installed my cameras recommended putting the recording hub in my safe. I press my thumb into the scanner until I hear the lock release and swing the door open.

Declan removes the USB drives from the hub and passes them to the man whose name I still don’t know. Then he looks over at me and says, “Pack a bag.”

Confused, I look between the man and Declan. The man nods at Declan and leaves us alone in my ransacked closet.

When his footsteps fade beyond earshot, Declan says, “You’re staying with me tonight.”

He looks around the closet and walks past me while I stand completely still and useless. When he stands in front of me again, he hands me an overnight bag.

“I’ll be right outside the door.”

He’s right. I can’t stay here, but I can't stay with him. I should call Kate or my parents, but it's the middle of the night. I certainly am not ready to tell my parents I've been spending time with Declan Adams, so calling them is out of the question. Kate is either asleep or extremely occupied with a man. Either way, she won't answer the phone.

It seems my only option is Declan.

I throw some things in the bag and walk into the bathroom to grab the rest of what I need. Declan is waiting for me in the doorway of my bedroom. He takes my bag and my hand and leads me out of the house.

The quiet drive to Declan’s house has done nothing to calm my nerves. Instead I’m now worried about the break-in and being alone all night with him. The farther we drive the more I’m convinced I should’ve taken my chances at home.

His house is on the outskirts of Birmingham. It’s too dark to see much of the property when we pull down the long driveway, but the house is softly illuminated by landscape lighting. It’s a two-story, brick house with a large, covered front porch.

We drive past the house to park in front of the detached garage behind it. A motion light triggered by our arrival allows us to see our way across the open area between the garage and back door of the house.

He closes the door behind me. The clicking of the lock finalizing the choice I've made.

We’re standing in an open living room with a high ceiling. An upstairs walkway halos the room. Everything is the perfect mixture of black and tan with masculine, brown leather furniture. It’s not overly decorated. Instead the room itself seems to be the decor. Large light fixtures and furniture fill the space, and the contrasting shades of black and brown keep the room from feeling bare.

“You have a beautiful home,” I say, taking it all in.

“Thanks,” he says, glancing around. “Come with me.”

He walks across the living room toward a dark opening I assume is a hallway, and I follow.

I reach the dark hall just as he steps into a room that provides the only light. Continuing to follow, I find myself in a dimly lit room. The soft glow spilling out from the crown molding is only enough to cast shadows. A lamp beside the bed clicks on. He tucks his hands into his pockets—watching me.

We lock eyes without speaking before he approaches me. Slowly, he lifts my chin with his thumb and forefinger. I lick my lips expecting him to kiss me again, but he searches my face for a moment instead.

“Make yourself comfortable.”

He walks away, and I watch the door close behind him.

I let out a sigh, looking around. His bedroom is much darker than the living room with black walls, curtains, and bedding. There are only a few touches of brown and tan here and there. The room is dark and sexy, just like the man who sleeps in this massive bed.

Knowing I need a shower, I help myself to his bathroom. Steam encloses me as I step under the rain shower head in the middle of the oversized shower. The hot water soothes my nerves while I try to sort through the chaos in my head.

I don’t have any idea who would try to break into my home—or what they would be looking for. What’s more concerning is how they were able to get past my security system. Whatever the cameras picked up will be disturbing. Either strangers who know my security code or someone I trust breaking into my house. Both scenarios are equally frightening.

And then there’s Declan. God, that kiss. I’ve never been so aggressive or wanted someone more. Declan used to make me feel things I didn't fully understand, and it seems he still has that effect on me. It’s like he unlocks something wild inside of me, something I can’t control.

He recognized my painting immediately. When he spoke, he repeated the same things he said to me that night. The night that left its mark so deep that I had to paint it—then lie about it being mine.

Now I’m in his house. Nate and I didn’t stay the night together until we had been dating close to a year. Even though I’ve known Declan for a long time, shouldn’t I behave as though he’s someone new? I don’t know much about the man he’s become, but it feels like no time has passed. We’re picking up where we left off.

A knock on the bathroom door pulls me out of my head. Before I can answer, he walks in.

Shit!

I turn the shower off, quickly grabbing the towel to cover up before the steam clears.

“I hope you don’t mind,” I call out from behind the fogged glass.

Declan’s voice is smooth but laced with danger. “I’m only disappointed you didn’t ask me to join you.”

He leans against the vanity, arms and ankles crossed, watching me—completely at ease. As though watching me shower is an ordinary part of his day.

I step out with the towel wrapped around my body and freeze. His head tilts with a half-smile as he looks slowly down my body and up again.

“I wanted to bring you this,” he says, referring to the water and pill on the counter next to him.

“I don’t take pills,” I politely refuse.

“Good. This is melatonin.”

“Oh,” I say, surprised by the gesture. “Thank you.”

Still frozen in place, I watch as he pushes off the vanity and stalks toward me.

“Need anything else?”

The question hangs in the air as I decide between the polite answer or the truth.

My fingers itch to touch his deliciously messy hair. Stubble shadows his face—the perfect length to tickle just right in certain places. His soft lips are the perfect contrast to his sharp jawline. But his eyes. His golden brown eyes are full of delicious, dark promises, and my insides are on fire every time he looks at me.

He’s threatening to release the deepest desires. The ones I keep locked inside. And I’m so tempted to let him. What has being the good girl gotten me anyway? I'm already here. Kate throws caution to the wind with men all the time. And Declan's no stranger. He's the first boy I ever loved transformed into a walking, talking fantasy.

His tongue slips out to wet his lips, pulling my focus to his mouth. He smiles. I have to suck on my bottom lip to give my mouth something to do, and his smile fades.

“Say it,” he orders. His voice is raw and rough now.

The air is sucked out of the room, and everything feels as though it's hinged on this moment.

Fuck it.

“Kiss me.”

He clicks his tongue, looking down at me.

“Where?”

My eyes widen, and my insides squirm. He crosses his arms, challenging me.

Maybe it’s the collision of the past and present or maybe it’s the adrenaline, but something deep inside of me claws its way free to answer him.

“Everywhere.”

His fingers slide between the towel and my heaving chest as he says, “Eyes on me.”

He pulls the towel free and watches it fall. I watch him lick his lips as his eyes roam my body. Then he rubs his face as if he’s trying to decide where to begin.

He circles a thumb around one of my nipples, watching it harden. Then he does the same to the other.

“So beautiful,” he says, still not making eye contact with me.

Instinctively, my head tilts back, and my eyes close.

Smack!

My eyes pop open at the sound and sting of him slapping my breast.

“Eyes open,” he orders and waits for a response.

I nod, and he glares at me a moment longer. When he's satisfied that I’ll comply, he leans down to kiss me where the sting from his slap still lingers. A whimper escapes as I breathe out. His soft lips soothe my skin while the sight of him kissing just beside my nipple sets the rest of me on fire.

Straightening to his full height, he brings my wrist to his mouth.

“After that fucker kissed you here last weekend, I sent him home with a bloody face.”

I gasp. “What?”

His lips linger on the skin just below my palm, slow and deliberate. His other hand sprawls across my back, pulling me into him. Continuing down the inside of my arm, he stops to kiss the bend of my elbow. His eyes shut and brows furrow like a god showing the slightest hint of weakness. His hand on my back keeps me steady as he makes his way to my neck.

My heavy breathing fills the air.

Finally, when his lips brush my ear, he answers me. “No one will touch what's mine, Noel.”

I stare up at the ceiling as he kisses under my chin before his lips drift lower. I try to make sense of his words, but it’s difficult to think. When he gently kisses the center of my chest, I pull my shoulders back, silently begging for more.

He picks me up, wrapping my legs around his waist. My lips find his as he carries me into the bedroom. He deepens the kiss. His mouth taking all it can before he lays me down on the bed.

Breaking away too soon, he stands to look at me. I pull my legs closed, suddenly embarrassed that I'm naked while he's fully clothed. His dark eyes trail from what I’ve hidden from him to find mine. He bites his bottom lip with a smirk, and my thighs shake.

I’m so fucked.

“No hiding, sunshine. I’ve waited long enough to lay you across my bed, and I’m going to see every inch of your perfect little body.”

Tapping my knees, he makes it clear he expects me to spread my legs open. The raw need in his face and words has me opening up for him.

“Good girl.” His voice is all gravel as he stares at my center, and I actually moan.

With a crooked grin, he lowers his lips to my stomach. I watch mesmerized as he nibbles, licks, and kisses his way down to my leg. When he sucks on my inner thigh next to my pussy, my legs squeeze against the sides of his face.

“Declan,” I breathe out, my voice just as shaky as my body.

I fist the comforter as he grips the backside of each of my thighs. His fingers dig into my skin. He places a kiss just above my slit. His lips are parted just enough so that his kiss is both soft and warm.

“Fuck,” I hiss out.

Stopping to look up, he says, “Is that a request?”

“Dec, I-,” I stumble over my words. I want him, but I can’t bring myself to say it out loud.

“We’ll see if you can find your words when I’m done kissing you. Eyes on me while I taste this pussy.”

Without hesitation, he covers my slit with his open mouth. His tongue explores my pussy, massaging every part. When my legs relax around him, he slides his tongue inside of me.

“Declan,” I cry out his name—the pleasure mounting.

He growls into me and lifts my ass off the bed, giving himself better access to fuck me with his tongue.

Wanting more of him, I grab his face to feel him move in my hands. My hips take over, grinding into his face as he eats me like a starving man.

Minutes of relentless licking and sucking have me on the edge. His large hand presses against my stomach. His thumb circles my clit while his palm anchors me to the bed.

My insides tighten as the pleasure builds. He doesn’t let up. Just when I need more, his thumb slips inside of me while his tongue continues its delicious torture.

Losing all control, I shamelessly rock against his face and thumb. Electricity from all over my body moves toward my center—the heat consuming me. My orgasm explodes from deep inside, and I cry out his name, gripping his hair. My body convulses as the waves crash through me. He matches each ripple perfectly, forcing the bliss to linger.

When it finally slows, he hovers over me. His face is soaked. My face flushes as we stare at each other.

“You are fucking delicious,” he says, licking his lips.

I giggle, and he gives me a crooked smile.

When he stands, I can see his erection through his jeans. Holy fuck! His dick runs halfway down his thigh under his jeans. His grin widens when he sees what I’m looking at.

“You’ve had enough fun for one night, sunshine. Time to get some sleep,” he says, pulling the comforter down to help me into bed.

“You aren’t going to sleep?” I ask, confused. I’m more surprised that he’s putting me to bed without wanting his own release.

“I have some things to do. I’ll be in my office down the hall if you need me.”

Too tired to ask questions, I decide not to press. Declan isn’t quiet, but he is calculated. If he wanted me to know, he would tell me.

“Goodnight.”

“I agree,” he says smiling, reaching for the lamp to turn out the light.

Declan

While I wait for a phone call, I review Nate’s files on Cordeliers again. The contract is fairly simple. My main concern is that Grant knew she shouldn’t be involved and didn’t get her out. I need to figure out how Grant kept her in the dark about Isaiah being the owner and why he’d hide it.

I’d prefer not to ask her. My plans for her don’t include asking her questions about other men, dead husband or otherwise. Actually, my plan was to be patient with her, play the long game, but she gave that idea a big fuck you when she jumped on me at the track. Long game be damned. As long as she’s calling the shots, we can go as quick as she’d like.

My only boundary for her is that everything will be on her terms. She’s spent her entire life doing what everyone else expects of her. I’m going to teach her how to make her own damn decisions.

Hearing her tell me what she wanted from me was worth every minute I’ve had to wait. She looked fucking perfect in my bed, and I can still taste her sweet cunt. Once I find out who broke into her house, I’ll have to thank them before I kill them.

My phone vibrates with a text from Chance containing three images. Before I can open it, he calls.

I put the call on speakerphone to pull up the text. “I’m looking at them.”

“It was just those two. They were there for hours and left empty-handed from what I can tell. They knew how long she’d be gone. You think it’s someone she knows?”

“I’m sure as fuck going to find out.” My blood boils as I study the image of two men in her bedroom. I flip to the next picture. “Is this their fucking license plate?” I ask as excitement bubbles in my chest.

“Yep. I’ll have a name and address for you first thing in the morning.”

“Looking forward to it.”

I might actually be able to sleep tonight after all.