Page 47 of Declan's Dove

“Violet.” Matteo’s eyes meet mine. His expression is one of concern. “Did you really think I was bringing you out here to kill you?”

“I-I don’t know why we’re out here in the middle of fucking nowhere alone where hunters stalk their prey!” I shout. My voice sounds shrill in the small space.

“Jesus.” Matteo swears. “What reason would the boss have to end your life? You’ve done nothing wrong, Dolcezza. We’re here to meet Kayce. He chose this place because no one knows about it. It’s a safe house he and his team use from time to time.” He waits for me to respond, but all I can do is stare at the hulking Italian in the seat beside me.

“Violet. Listen to me.” He holds my hand in both of his. “I’m not here to kill you. We’re here to meet with Kayce. He has something he needs to discuss with you and didn’t want to do it around the doctor. He didn’t want her to worry about anything but getting better. She has enough shit on her plate, not to mention Vincenzo being all up in her space for a while. She deserves some reprieve, no?” He releases my hand just as the vehicle comes to a stop behind a flared pickup truck. My stomach flips and my heart races.

“Come on. Let’s go see your friend. He’ll explain everything.”

The driver comes around to open my door and I step out, looking up at the cabin. A home like this in the middle of the woods surrounded by trees and running creeks is appealing.

For a murder sight.

I need to calm myself down. Matteo says he’s not here to kill me and there’s another truck in the driveway.

He wouldn’t have witnesses here if he was going to murder me. I try to reason with myself.

The front door opens and Kayce walks out onto the front steps.

“Hey, sweetheart. You, okay?” Kayce asks. “You look like you’re about to throw up.”

I walk over and hug him. He stiffly hugs me back, lightly patting my back. It’s strange. The last time I hugged him, he seemed to receive it okay. But now he seems uncertain. Maybe it's Matteo’s presence making him uncomfortable.

I stand, pulling back out of the embrace. Kayce studies my face.

“You good?” he asks quietly.

“Yeah.” I nod. “Just overwhelmed. It’s been a long few days, and I wasn’t planning on coming all the way out here like this. I thought we were meeting at Vincenzo’s. What I really wanted to do was get home to Carter.” Tears spill down one cheek and I swipe them away with the back of my hand. “I miss my kid.”

“You’ll see him soon, but not quite yet,” Kayce says ominously. “Not until we know you’re both safe.”

My eyes narrow. “What do you mean? When will I get to see my son, Kayce? What aren’t you telling me? Where’s Carter?”

“He’s fine. He’s with Caleb and Liz on the farm.”

Declan.

Goosebumps scatter across my skin at the velvety timber of his voice. I turn slowly toward the door and find Declan standing with his arms crossed over his chest in the doorway, his shoulders taking up every inch of space. My heart feels like it’s in my throat. My head feels fuzzy, and my eyes sting with tears. I don’t know if it’s anger, frustration, or relief I’m feeling seeing him here.

At least you know they won’t kill you with him here. He’d never allow it.

After a few seconds, I finally muster up the courage to ask, “What are you doing here, Declan?”

I hadn’t noticed Kayce step away. But now that Declan is striding toward me, I feel like prey once again. When he reaches me, the toes of his boots tapping the toes of my sneakers, he leans in close. With only an inch between us, he grips my chin in his thumb and forefinger and says, “Hello to you too, Dove.” And then his lips are on mine in a searing kiss.

Oh, holy hell. The man can kiss.

My hands grip his shoulders, needing something to keep my knees from buckling. Declan’s mouth is greedy, demanding, as it’s dominating mine with each caress of his tongue. He’s intoxicating.

A throat clearing from somewhere behind me forces us to separate, and both shame and anger instantly flood through me. I drop my hands off his shoulders.

“Way to stake your claim, O’Malley,” Matteo says, chuckling behind me.

Declan steps back, his hand dropping from my face. The cool breeze replaces the warmth of his touch, and I find myself feeling disappointed. The edges of his mouth curve and Declan shrugs as he says, “I missed my woman, and you fucks needed to know she’s mine. Two birds and all that shit.”

Matteo laughs. “Subtle.”

“Can we get inside and get this shit figured out now, or do you two need some time in a room to settle whatever the fuck this tension is between you?” Kayce snaps in his usual I don’t have time for this bullshit tone.

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