Page 5 of Declan's Dove

“Hey, Violet,” Cillian Fitzpatrick, one of Kieran’s younger fighters, greets as he enters the gym for his afternoon session.

“Hey yourself.”

“You’re looking good today,” Cillian says. He’s always been a flirt with everyone, but he’s also a liar. I know for a fact I have dark circles under my eyes, and my messy bun is just that, messy.

A low growl rumbles behind me, scaring the crap out of me.

“Oh, hey Dec.” Cillian says, looking like a kid who has just been scolded. “Good talking to you, Vi.” Cillian hoists his bag over his shoulder and scampers off to the ring.

“Hey there, Dove.”

“Jesus, Declan. Don’t sneak up on me like that. You know Ethan doesn’t allow anyone behind the front counter. You shouldn’t be back here.” I attempt to reprimand, but my complaint falls short when he cages me in with his arms and said counter.

He leans in, his face so close to mine I can smell the minty gum he always chews.

“I’m not anyone. I’m a brother. Ethan knows he can trust me to be back here. The one who seems to struggle with trusting me is you, Dove.”

This man both excites and terrifies me on a level I don’t understand. He’s been sniffing around me and my son for months now. Only recently, he has become more embolden with what he wants or has to say.

His eyes trace over my face, and his forehead scrunches. With the softest touch, his finger grazes my cheek. “You haven’t been sleeping well.” It’s not a question, so I don’t answer.

He’s not wrong. I haven’t had a good night’s sleep since we all took a trip to Devil’s Canyon to watch Ronan and Cillian in their first fights. The night I was stabbed in a crowd of people panicking to get out of the building over a misunderstanding. The same night Skyler was kidnapped, and Lilah was found. Things haven’t been the same since.

“When did you last eat?” Declan’s simple question catches me off guard, pulling me from the memories.

“I-I, uh, I had breakfast with Carter this morning before I took him to school.” I stutter. This man, being this close, rattles my brain. The warmth of his body so close to mine is doing things to me. Things I shouldn’t be okay with. Like making my core clench.

The disadvantage for me is how good Declan is with my son. My son adores Declan. He thinks he’s cooler than Batman. Which, for a ten-year-old boy, is pretty freaking awesome.

When I first started working at the gym, Carter came in here talking about wanting the guys to teach him how to kick butt so he can protect me. He’s got everyone around here’s respect for taking his position as man of the house, but I wasn’t sure I liked the idea of my son learning something as violent as fighting. I later decided it was better for us both if we knew how to at least defend ourselves from a would-be attacker.

I’ll never forget the way Carter’s face lit up when Declan pulled him into a ‘private club meeting’ in the locker room several months ago. He and some of the other Kings, including their president, Gabe, gifted my son a cell phone with all their numbers and a hoodie with their logo, making him a little King.

Carter has spoken to all of them from time to time on the phone, but he speaks to Declan the most. Declan is always asking him if he’s doing his chores and helping me with things around the house or doing his homework. He even came to the gym one afternoon when Carter got out of school to help him with his math while I finished my shift.

Declan’s sweet words and constant flirting I can resist. But teaching my son how to be a respectable man. How to love his mother and take care of his responsibilities—all the shit his own father was supposed to teach him — those are the things that make this man damn near impossible to deny.

“Grab your things. We’re going to lunch.” Again, he isn’t asking. Declan gave up on asking for things about the same time I was stabbed. Before the events of that night, he was gentle, soft-spoken, although he was still very clear about his interest in me. But something changed after he spent the night holding my hand and watching over me at the hospital. I’d be lying if I said I don’t like it. But the idea of a man like him being genuinely interested in me frightens me just the same.

Declan is not a small man by any means.

He’s well over six feet tall, towering over me in both height and width. I can stand at my full height and his chin wouldn’t even touch the top of my head. I feel so small next to him, yet he never makes me feel intimidated by it.

Quite the opposite, actually.

“Dove. Get your things. We’re leaving.” Declan places a soft kiss to my temple, then pulls back, giving me space to move.

“I can’t leave. I have work to do and Skyler isn’t back yet to cover for me. She left an hour ago for her doctor’s appointment with Ethan.” It’s the truth, but it’s also an excuse, and Declan’s scowl tells me he knows it.

Declan stands back, arms crossed over his chest and a small smirk playing on his lips.

“Yo, Kieran.” He calls out.

“Aye.”

“I’m taking Violet for lunch. She’ll be back in an hour or so.” Again, not a question. He’s not seeking permission. Declan says what he’s doing and to my utter shock, Kieran doesn’t argue.

“Aye. Go ahead, Lass. Enjoy yourselves. Anna and I have got it covered.”

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