8. Declan
8
DECLAN
Hayden
Got plans this weekend?
W hen I left Hayden’s several days ago, I gave him my number. I couldn’t explain why. I was a fuck ‘em and forget ‘em kinda guy, and yet, I didn’t leave like I usually did. I cracked open a door to something more. Maybe I did it because I didn’t think he’d use it.
Neither of us were relationship people. He was a self-proclaimed slut of the highest order as well, or so he said. Well, his exact words were “one and done,” but same difference. And we were both tops. It was a stupid, messed-up situation. So yeah, I gave him my number and walked away, not thinking he’d use it.
But he proved me wrong.
He used it.
Immediately.
The echo of the door closing behind me probably hadn’t faded before the text notification sounded in my pocket. I could’ve ghosted him, but I didn’t. Instead, I texted back, and he responded.
Here we were days later, and he’s messaging asking if I have plans for the weekend. I didn’t know how to respond. My head was still a fucked up chaotic mess that reminded me of the drawer full of cords my mama kept. There were short ones, long ones, thick ones, and thin ones, and they were knotted and tangled in so many ways there wasn’t any hope of straightening the mess out. That’s how my brain felt.
I tucked the phone back in my pocket, thankful I didn’t have my read receipts on and turned back to Heidi, Linc, and Walker, who flew in to meet with us and the pampered baby’s ass and her PR team. The meeting was due to start more than an hour ago, and the diva herself had yet to arrive. Her team was here and had tried to lie for her, but Walker refused to discuss anything without her and her daddy here. Once they realized he wouldn’t budge, they left the conference room and returned to their offices to “work.”
I called bullshit because they wandered past the glass-enclosed room they’d left us parked in every few minutes. And it wasn’t random. They walked by, without fail, in a specific order, precisely three minutes apart.
“It’s a good thing they’re pretty,” Linc said.
Heidi did her best to control her laughter and maintain the resting bitch face she was so well-known for in the family, but Walker didn’t even fucking try. He burst out laughing, and I rolled my eyes.
I was over this shit. I was over trying to pretend I gave a fuck about some slutty girl who only cared about being seen, spending her daddy and grandaddy’s money, getting high, and fucking.
“How long…?” I began to ask, but Walker, still pissed with me, cut me off.
“Jesus fucking Christ, what are you? Five? How long do you think? We’ll wait until they kick us out so we don’t damage our already tarnished reputation, thanks to you leaving her in a compromising situation.”
I bit my tongue. He’d chewed my ass so many times I’d lost count. I knew I shouldn’t have left her, but the cunt would’ve filed kidnapping and assault charges if I’d carried her out of there. And I damn sure wasn’t going to jail over her.
I pulled out my phone and tapped the notification from Hayden.
Declan
Nada, and I need to blow off some steam before I take a swing at my boss.
Hayden
A bunch of us have leave over the weekend and were thinking of hitting up Vegas.
Declan
That sounds like fun.
Hayden
You in?
Declan
Yeah. When are you guys heading out?
Hayden
As soon as we’re off duty.
Declan
I’ll meet you at your place at 5.
Hayden
Make it 5:30.
Declan
Okay. 5:30 it is.
Hayden
See you then, vato.
Declan
I stood, buttoned my suit coat, adjusted my sleeves, and turned to the others.
“I’m not sitting here waiting for her any longer. Fire me if you want, but I will not cater to her childish behavior.”
I strode out of the conference room and headed toward the elevators, passing the gaping faces of several people on Mara’s PR team. I ignored them all.
I jammed my finger against the call button, sliding my hands into my suit pants as I waited. A moment later, Linc, Heidi, and Walker appeared at my side. The four of us formed a silent wall in front of the mirrored elevator doors. We all stared straight ahead with a similar FAFO expression and stance.
The doors slid open, and the princess herself looked up, pursing her lips as she took us in.
“You! You left me there! This whole mess is all your fault!” she yelled, pointing her finger in my face. “You were supposed to protect me, not abandon me!”
I ignored her rants, stepped around her without a word, and punched the button for the lobby. The others followed me into the elevator car. When the doors started to close, she stamped her foot and stepped into the path of the doors. Heidi moved to block her, and the doors beeped loudly, drawing the attention of those who weren’t already watching.
“We did not abandon you. You refused to leave. As for whose fault it is… well, Ms. Cagot, that’s all on you. You’re the one who stripped, climbed on some guy’s cock, and snorted coke off his chest in full view of the cameras.”
Heidi took another step forward, and Mara backed up. The doors slid closed, and I breathed a sigh of relief.
Linc groaned, “I’m going on record that this isn’t gonna turn out well.”
I laughed mirthlessly. He wasn’t wrong. She was a petty bitch and would bad mouth Holt to everyone coming and going.
“Walker…”
He smacked my back and said, “Don’t. I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. We knew going in she would be difficult.”
We headed back to the beach house, and I made my way upstairs as soon as we arrived, blowing off the others as they planned what to get into that evening. Shutting the door to the bedroom behind me, I cued up my favorite playlist on my phone before sitting it on the charging station.
Stripping off the Men in Black suit, all the guys on security details at Holt wore, I flipped on the shower while moving to the music, remembering Hayden’s big, graceful body moving sinuously to every song, no matter the beat or tempo.
Anticipation filled me, overriding the niggling doubt and worry from the previous weekend. As a top, my body’s response to him horrified me. Of how I’d submitted to the man with such ease, but I couldn’t rid myself of how good it felt to hand him the reins. My brain screamed at me, reminding me of who and what I was.
Shaking my head, I tossed off the weirdness I still felt about what happened and, instead, focused on how what he’d done to me had led to the best fucking orgasm of my life. I latched onto those memories, lodging them firmly in my mind as I stepped into the shower. I coated my cock with lube. The silky slickness eased my movements as I leaned against the shower wall. Closed eyelids provided the perfect backdrop for the vision of Hayden Marin as I jerked off.
The man had starred in all my dreams, waking and sleeping, since meeting him. One hand roamed my chest, tweaking my nipples, while the other worked my dick until my breath deserted me and my knees went weak. Ecstasy rolled through me like a freight train, and I bit down on my cheek to keep from shouting the walls down.
As soon as my legs recovered and I could stand, I rushed through the shower, shut off the taps, sluiced the water from my hair, and wrapped a towel around my waist.
Grabbing my luggage, I tossed it on the bed before heading back into the closet. I didn’t know what he and his buddies would want to get up to, so I pulled out something for everything. As I headed back into the bedroom, I caught sight of my favorite suit—a custom-tailored Armani—that a red-carpet event forced me to buy. I looked fucking spectacular in the thing for as much as I hated how much it cost.
When everything was arranged, I turned back to the closet for the suit. I doubted I’d fucking need it but being raised by a bunch of military types taught me nothing if not preparedness. I can still hear Walker, Foster, and Uncle Matthew saying, “Two is one, and one is none.”
I sat the suitcase next to the door, grabbed my dab kit, and went to the bathroom to get ready. Primping in front of the mirror until my hair had that just fucked look to it, I dabbed on cologne and deodorant before brushing my teeth. I packed all the stuff in the kit, tucking it in the suitcase as I eyed the clock on the nightstand.
Right on schedule.
The worn denim of my favorite jeans slid up my legs over my naked ass as I got dressed. The jeans were a snug fit, and there was no fucking way I wanted briefs crowding my dick. I tucked myself in and fastened the button fly. The smell of leather filled the room as I threaded my belt through the loops. On the dresser, the last rodeo buckle I won caught my eye, and I hurriedly switched them. I settled the buckle over my cock like a crowning jewel before adjusting myself.
“Damn, I look good.”
I grabbed the plain black t-shirt and pulled it over my head, tucking the shirt in my pants behind my belt, then pulled on my boots. It’d been a long time since I let the cowboy out of the bag. Years of working personal protection and dressing like a G-man had become second nature, but this was me, and I’d missed it.
Filling my pockets with my wallet, keys, and phone, I strapped on my watch, slipped my sunglasses into the neck of my shirt, and headed out of the bedroom with my suitcase in tow. I hoped I’d miss the others, but Linc was playing video games, Walker was video chatting with his kid, and Heidi was curled up in the chair with her current book. By the looks of it, she was on another dark romantasy kick. I’d have to borrow it when she was through.
Stepping up behind Walker, I looked at the kid, who was a miniature version of Foster and me, much to Walker’s chagrin.
“Hey, Jackie! How’s it hanging?”
“A little to the left.”
“Jackson Murphy Holt!” Lillian, Walker’s wife and Jackie’s mama, yelled.
He smirked, and I laughed at him.
“You riding this weekend?” I asked.
Jackson nodded, “Yeah. We’re in ‘Bama this weekend. Gee Mom and Gran Dad will be here.”
“Good luck, and keep the dirty side down, kid.”
“Will do. You look like you’re hunting trouble.”
Smirking, I laughed and said, “Always.”
“Don’t forget to wrap it.”
“Jackson, I’m going to wash your mouth out with soap!”
Walker, Jackson, Linc, Heidi, and I all burst out laughing. The whole family loved to rile up Lillian and her twin sister, Elizabeth. They were two prim and proper New England WASPs. Elizabeth fell for a filthy rich guy who became a doctor, but Lillian fell for a Texas cowboy turned Navy SEAL who worked his ass off for every dime he made, refusing the family’s wealth and help as much as he could. She was just as comfortable roping a steer as she was serving tea to the upper-crust society she came from.
I glanced at the clock on the stove. It was time to bolt. Patting Walker on the back, I waved to Linc and Heidi and called out farewells to Jackson and Lillian.