Page 118 of Pretty Poisoned

"Please stop."

When the doors open on the first floor, Luca is waiting in front of them.

"How the fuck did you get down here?" Declan asks.

"Ran down the stairs," Luca says. "Or jumped down most of them. I'm in better shape than you—fuck off."

"Teagan!"

Blakely stands in the lobby beside a security guard, calling for me.

"I love you, Teagan," Luca says.

"Get the fuck away from her, you psychopath!" Blakely yells. "You should be in jail!"

"You know what, bitch?! Fuck you! I know all about you. Maybe if you didn't treat her like shit—" Luca starts before Declan cuts him off.

"Luca,don't.Go upstairs. Now."

"I love you so much, baby," he says again. "Please don't leave me."

I meet his eyes but say nothing as I step around him, and Declan guides me through the lobby toward Blakely.

"Get your stuff, Teagan," Blakely says. "We're leaving. If I have to get the police, I will."

"That's really unnecessary," Declan tells her. "No one is making Teagan stay here. Why don't you two go somewhere and talk? There's a cafe around the corner."

"Yeah, let's go, Blake," I say.

"Call me if you need anything," Declan says.

"She doesn't need anything from you—you're a fucking criminal."

Declan laughs. "If you do decide you want to go, I'll bring your stuff down, Teagan."

"Okay."

"And if your sister wants a ticket for the show, I'll leave one at the box office for her."

"We'll be long gone by then," Blakely says.

"You know, it sounds like you actually care about her; that's pleasantly surprising."

"She's my fucking sister, you asshole!"

"See you later, Teagan."

Declan reaches beneath my chin, tilting it upward before kissing me softly on the mouth. He flashes Blakely a smile before he walks away—back toward the elevators where Luca still waits.

"What the fuck was that?" Blakely asks. "Which one are you sleeping with now?"

"Let's just go," I say, my cheeks flushing as I hurry through the doors, eager to escape the scene we just made in the lobby.

"Are you fucking both of them?"

I don't answer her question. "It's just right here," I tell her, turning the corner.

"Are you?!" she asks again, stopping me with a hand on my shoulder.

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