Page 108 of The Road to Ruined

"Here," Declan says. "In Mexico, waiting for you. We can move more easily here. I was always coming back for you, Teagan. But after everything that happened, the deal was always stay out, stay away, and stay alive."

"But why?" I ask.

"Because if we got caught, they'd have to kill us—just in case. And we're too well-known to risk it."

"Well, what's the plan then?"

"Remember the man from downstairs?"

"Yeah…"

"He's going to find you during the wedding reception tomorrow and bring you to us, and we're going to get on a plane, and it'll take us to Venezuela, and then we'll get on another plane and get the fuck out of here…forever, Teagan."

"And we'll take care of you forever, baby," Luca says.

"You make it sound like it'll be so easy," I say. "It wasn't easy last time."

Just hearing the word "plane" come out of his mouth takes me back to that abandoned airfield and the worst day of my life. My heart rate elevates, my palms begin to sweat…I wring my handsin front of me, hoping to smother the panic attack I'm teetering on the edge of out of existence.

"It'll be easy," Declan assures me. He removes his hat and glasses, setting them on the table beside the television, and then runs his fingers through dark hair much longer than I'm used to seeing, but I guess it's probably easier to hide behind. "I know what I'm doing."

"Breathe, Teagan," Luca says. "You're not breathing, baby."

Declan closes the space between us and covers my hands with his. "What's going on in there, kitten?"

You're going to leave me again. This is a trick.

I can't say that, so I just shake my head.

"I didn't let you jump, Teagan," he says. "Even though it made my dick hard seeing you like that. I won't leave you—I'll die first. I've already lost everything else."

It's crazy to think how different everything was just four months ago—how one decision can alter the course of multiple lives forever. There are so many places where, if we'd just done one thing differently, we wouldn't be here right now. They'd be working on their next album and getting ready for a new tour. I'd be at home in the mountains with River and Hazel, and Brady and Rhett would still be alive.

He pulls his shirt over his head and then kneels in front of me, pressing my hand against the 'T' carved into his chest.

"Look me in the eyes and tell me I'm lying, Teagan," he says.

I shake my head again. "I have a hard time telling the difference between what's real and what isn't."

"We're going to help you with that, too, sweetheart."

"You need to relax, Teag," Luca says, unzipping the back of my dress. "You want one of my pills, baby?"

"Nah, she doesn't need that," Declan says. He stands and then pulls me to my feet. "You know you're okay, don't you, Teagan?"

Declan pushes the straps from my shoulders, and the little black dress falls to the ground, leaving me naked in front of him. He bites his lip as hungry eyes linger on my chest before running down the rest of my body. My cheeks flush when I feel them settle on the 'S' carved into my lower abdomen.

"What's that, Teagan?" he asks.

"I told you," I say quietly. "I have a hard time telling the difference between what's real and what's not."

"It's okay, honey," he says. "You tried. And who wouldn't love you?"

"What'd she do?" Luca asks, stepping around me.

Unlike Declan, his eyes turn angry when he sees it.

"I'm sorry," I tell him, looking down at my feet.

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