Chapter 16
NICO
The next week I get Gavin to cover for me again and make my way over to Jadon’s house to have a talk with him. At least I hope it’ll be a talk. If he says something I don’t like, I might let my Glock come out to play.
Jadon’s place was easy to find, nestled in a cookie cutter neighborhood where all the houses look like a nineteen fifties housewife will bring lemonade out to her husband as he trims the hedges.
The Whitlocks pay their employees well.
As I drive past the house, my Spidey-sense tingles.
Something isn’t right. While the houses surrounding Jadon’s have lights on in a few windows, Jadon’s is bathed in darkness.
I check the time on the dashboard of my car.
10:03 p.m. It’s late, what with him having a small child, but I’m sure the parents would still be milling about for another few minutes.
Something’s off, and I’m going to get to the bottom of it—especially if there’s even a chance Declan’s at risk.
Kai’s the only one who’s ever been able to drag me into playing fucking investigator, but now I’m doing it for Declan too.
Yeah, he gave me that bullshit about not catching feelings, but there’s something about the Whitlock man that makes me care about him more than I want to admit.
Taking a step back would be smart. It would protect my heart and keep me from making a fool of myself if he doesn’t care about me too. But no one ever accused me of being too smart when it comes to things I want.
And I want Declan. No matter what he says, he’s mine.
As soon as we figure this shit out with Jadon, I plan to show him.
He’ll be resistant initially, but I think I’m starting to get to him.
The last time we were together, the day after we sparred last week, he kept telling me I had to leave and to put my clothes on, but he wrapped himself around me like a koala, not wanting to let me go.
When I finally peeled myself from his arms, I caught an almost disappointed look on his face before he covered it with his usual scowl.
He might tell me not to catch feelings, but I think Declan is in this with me. But I can’t move too fast , I can’t spook him. If I do, he’ll pull away and ice me out until he’s over me.
But come on, there’s no getting over me. Declan will see that if he tries.
I don’t intend to let him try. I don’t intend to let him go. When he let me stick my dick in him, he gave me permission to claim him, no matter what he says.
Instead of turning around and pulling into Jadon’s driveway, I circle the block until I find a parking area in front of a playground and park there.
I had worn all black to stay hidden until I got face-to-face with Jadon, but now I just need to stay out of sight of the neighbors while I check if some shit is out of whack.
Before I get out, I shoot Declan a text.
Me: I’m at Jadon’s. Something ain’t right.
He texts back almost immediately.
Declan: Like?
Me: No lights are on. Vibe feels off.
Declan: Don’t worry about it. I’ll take care of it.
Instead of texting him back, I press call and put the phone to my ear.
Declan answers with a sigh. “Why are you calling me?”
I chuckle. “Wanted to hear your voice, princess.”
“Why do I deal with you?”
“Because you like me.” I pause to allow him to refute the claim.
When he doesn’t, a thrill shoots down my spine, but I don’t give voice to it.
“You don’t need to take care of it. I’m already here.
Besides, I’m expendable. If shit goes down, it’ll be better if it’s me caught in the crosshairs, not the second son of the Whitlock family. ”
“It’s not that deep. Let me just—”
“Declan,” I calmly interrupt him. “I’m already here. Let me take care of this for you, okay?”
He blows out a hard breath. “Fine. But if shit goes south, call me immediately. I’ll be there.”
“I know.” I hang up, then turn my phone off.
It takes me a few minutes to get to Jadon’s door, walking leisurely, like I belong in this neighborhood.
As soon as I step up to the door, I smell it—the smell of decomposition.
“Fuck,” I groan, pulling my gun out and sticking to the shadows as I try the doorknob. It’s unlocked.
I’m not a fucking cop, but I want to report back to Declan, let him know he’s off the hook with this bribery bullshit.
I push inside and the smell almost blows me away. I step back and cough, trying to keep my food down. Dead bodies don’t bother me, but the smell of decomp likes to sink into my clothes, and I have to throw them out.
“Fuck, I love this sweater,” I mutter and shake my head. In the trash it goes.
I shut the door and slowly make my way through the house, clearing rooms as I go.
After checking the entire house and ensuring it’s empty, I put my gun away and go back to the dead bodies in the living room.
Jadon, his wife, and their kid face down on the carpet with bullets in the back of their skulls.
“Who did this?” I whisper.
It wasn’t Declan, that I know for a fact.
He had his shit with Jadon, but he doesn’t kill kids.
He wouldn’t even give the order for it to be done.
We’ve had brief conversations about what we would and wouldn’t do over dinner a few weeks back and the entire Whitlock family feels like kids are off limits.
The only exception was when Dominic killed a fifteen-year-old when he was hunting down the family that killed his wife, but only because the kid shot at him first. It’s a limit for them, so the dead child isn’t on D.
So, who?
Is this another mystery we have to unravel? Ugh, this is gonna irritate the fuck out of me.
Turning my phone back on, I snap pics for Declan, then breeze out of the house through the back door.
I shoot Declan a text, letting him know I’m on the way and I’ll need a shower. He sends me a thumbs up. I should have told him it’s because I smell like dead bodies, but I want it to be a surprise.
The ride over to his house is miserable, the smell of death filling the interior of my car. I’ll have to get some of the guys to clean it for me. Even an open window doesn’t dissipate the odor.
When I knock on Declan’s door, I grin, knowing he’s going to be pissed that I’m bringing this smell with me.
He opens the door, stares at me curiously, then reels back. “What the fuck is that?”
I walk inside, arms out. “Come here, handsome. Give me a hug.”
“Get the fuck out of here.” He hurries around the kitchen island to put space between us. I don’t let him get away—I give chase, watching as his eyes grow wide before he takes off again. I cackle as I race after him, moving around couches and tables before I corner him at the balcony door.
I wrap my arms around him and kiss his forehead, grinning down at him. “Hey, handsome.”
“Let me go.” He wiggles, but a smile stretches his face as he tries to push me off. “You smell like…” His eyes grow wide and he goes stock still. “All of them?”
I sigh and release him. “Yeah. Someone shot them execution style.”
I start to pull out my phone, but Declan stops me. “Yeah, that can wait. You smell awful. Take off your clothes. I’ll put them in a bag and set them on the balcony. You have my house smelling like a dead body.”
“My cologne didn’t cover it?” I ask with a grin as I start to strip.
“No.” He walks to the kitchen and grabs a trash bag. “Hurry up before the smell gets into my pillows.”
I peel off all my clothes, down to my socks and shoes and put them in the bag. Declan ties the bag, then puts it in another bag before tying that one tightly and putting it outside. Then he sprays some kind of Lysol shit to get the smell out of the air.
I stand in the middle of the living room, ass naked. Declan’s eyes roam my body, but his usual scowl clouds his face when he says, “Shower. Now.”
“You gonna give me clothes to wear home?”
In a voice brimming with faux patience, he says, “Yes, Nico. Please, you smell.”
Chuckling, I make my way to his bathroom and start the shower. Once it’s hot and steam swirls around the interior, I step inside the glass enclosure, ducking my head under the spray.
A few seconds later, cold air drifts across my skin. I look over my shoulder and see a naked Declan climb in behind me. I lift an eyebrow when he reaches around me for his body wash.
“Can I help you?” I ask when he drizzles some of the woodsy smelling gel into a washcloth.
“You won’t be able to reach your back. You need to wash every inch of your skin so you don’t make my house smell like a morgue.”
I turn to face him, resting my hands lazily on his hips. “If you wanted to wash me, handsome, that’s all you had to say.”
He snorts but proceeds to run the cloth over my body. I allow him to do what he wants, not making a big deal out of it so he doesn’t run.
When he finishes my front, he nudges me and I turn around and let him wash along my back and shoulders. His hands are firm and strong, digging into tight muscles. I groan and let my head roll forward. My cock twitches at the feel of Declan’s hands and his closeness, but I keep it under wraps.
For now.
“Turn around,” he says in a voice of gravel. When I do, I see the heated glint in his eyes. “Tip your head back.”
I do as he says, getting my hair wet, and he reaches around me again. He pops the top of a bottle, then lets a dollop fall onto my hair. “I won’t mess up your waves, I promise.” I hear the grin in his voice.
“You better not. Took a lot of training to get them how I wanted.”
“I’ll be careful.” He washes my hair, his firm fingers feeling better than they should. Our dicks brush against each other, but neither of us does anything about our arousal.
This is more than I ever thought I’d get from Declan. When I fucked him at The Devil’s Den, I thought I’d have him a few times, then go about our business. This is so much better, so much more.
“All done,” he whispers, then leans forward and pecks me lightly on the lips. “I have pajamas for you.”
“You expect me to drive home in pajamas?”
Declan gives me a dry look. “Rinse off and get out of the shower before you piss me off.”
I bark a laugh and wrap my arms around his waist, pulling him closer. “Wouldn’t dream of it, handsome.” I kiss him slowly, pushing my tongue into his mouth. Declan sighs and wraps his arms around my neck, kissing me back.
We stand there, exploring each other’s mouths until the water runs cold. Then we hop out and get dressed, Declan handing me a pair of pajama bottoms. “No top?” I ask as I shove my legs into the pants.
He rolls his eyes and pads to his room. I watch the muscles of his back bunch and relax, wanting my tongue in all those dips and grooves.
Declan is in bed when I leave the bathroom, so I pull the blanket back and lie down. He immediately pastes himself to my side, like it’s second nature. I won’t admit how much I love how he feels against me.
“Who do you think killed them?” he asks.
“Not sure. Someone who didn’t want any witnesses. The kid had to only be seven or eight.”
“Eight,” he says, voice tight. “Almost nine. He had a birthday coming up.”
There’s something in his voice that has me on high alert, but I don’t ask. Right now, Declan is in my arms. Anything else will have to wait.
“I’ll call the cops in a little bit to report the deaths,” I say.
“Dad wants to see me tomorrow, so I’ll fill him in. He can talk to the chief of police and make sure my name is as far away from this as possible. With him just being fired though…of course, I’ll have eyes on me.”
I hum and wrap my arms more securely around him. This is my first time staying over in his bed. When we finish fucking, I usually hang out for a while and we talk but judging from how he’s holding me—and the fact that he didn’t give me a shirt or a pair of shoes—I’m not going anywhere tonight.
It’s been years since I’ve slept with someone, but I like Declan being so close.
“Guess it’s all over now,” he mutters. “Well, kinda. I’ll have Dad keep his ear to the ground about the murder case. Who knows? Maybe Jadon wanted to get money so bad because someone threatened to kill him. Were the bodies staged?”
“Yeah, hold on.” I untangle myself from his arms and head to the living room to grab my phone. When I get back in bed, I show him the picture I snapped. “See how their wrists and ankles are bound? Looks like a hit.”
“You’re probably right. I think he might have been murdered by some of the loan sharks after him. Poor kid got caught in the crossfire.”
He hands my phone back and I place it on the nightstand. Then I adjust us until we’re lying down once again. “You’re free now, Declan. Guess you don’t need my help anymore.”
He tenses, but says, “You’re supposed to teach me to spar. Or are you going back on your word?” He glares up at me, though I see the hint of uncertainty creeping in his gaze.
“Nah. We’re still sparring.” I kiss his forehead and smile when he relaxes into me. “I’ll get you to stop being so fucking angry at some point. Stick with me, kid and you’ll be unstoppable.”
“Shut the fuck up and go to sleep,” he grumbles, turning over onto his other side. But I don’t miss the smile on his face.