Pulling the blanket around myself a little tighter to hide from the frigid November air, I brought the mug of hot coffee to my lips and took a sip. I'd been awake for a few hours and when I came out from what I assume is Declan's bedroom, I found the house empty. Shelly hadn't even left a note saying when she would be back and I had no missed calls or text from Declan.

I felt guilty rummaging through Shelly's fridge for food but I had no idea where the hell I was, I don't have a car and ordering food was out of the question, I'm not that much of an idiot. So instead, I made myself a pot of coffee and some eggs and decided to sit out on the patio and look out into the snowy woods that surround the house while my mind replayed the events of last night, ripping apart every detail.

Declan could tell me all he wants not to talk myself into thinking he used me but there was no way in hell my mind would listen. The moment he closed the door last night I pulled my clothes back on and dove under the covers, crying into the pillow that still smelled like him until I fell asleep.

Okay, yea, he admitted to falling for me. He had a visceral reaction when I argued about not needing to stay with him so he could keep me safe but was it just to get between my legs? I hated my mind. I find out that the man, a murdering criminal man, I have feelings for feels the same way and I turn into a crying mess, convincing myself it's a lie. Why the hell did my mind have to be such a dark place at times?

Then there was the matter of Declan's childhood.

Declan's father was a part of the same criminal family. He was friends with Desmond, who's now the head of said family and in control of Declan. Desmond got jealous of Declan's dad so he framed him, eventually killing him and then held Shelly hostage in a sense and pulled Declan into the life at a young age. Shelly and her husband were trying to get away from all of it to keep their son safe but because of Desmond's jealousy, he took away Declans father leaving him to think his dad was some uncaring piece when he couldn't be further from the truth.

Shelly had to live with this lie for all these years, keeping it to herself in fear Declan would retaliate and get himself killed. And now I have to live with this lie, too. There was no way I could tell him. That is something Shelly has to tell her son on her own. I mean, even if I did tell him, it's not like he would believe me because in all honesty we barely know each other. Hell, I didn't even know my dad was involved with this shit and now I'm going to tell Declan that everything he knows about his dad and his life is a lie?

My mind was being torn in a hundred different directions, trying to see things form every possible angle when my phone buzzed on the metal patio table making me jump. I couldn't help but bite my lip and smile when I saw his name on my screen.

"Hey." I answered.

"Hey, little one. I'm sorry about last night, I had something important that needed to be taken care of." His voice was low and calm on the other end.

"It's okay." I answered, biting my lip.

"No, it's not. I'm going to make it up to you, baby. I'll be there in an hour to pick you up."

"Where are we going?" I asked, confused.

"The gala is tonight." He answered.

All of the giddy feelings were instantly replaced with nerves. I'd completely forgotten about it. I brought my bottom lip between my teeth and started to nervously bite down thinking about how they will all be there. How Uncle Mike said he wanted to introduce Declan to his friends. All of Alex's threats ringing in my ears.

"I'll be there soon." He said, ending the call before I could beg him to reconsider.

I chugged the rest of the coffee and headed back inside. Locking the door behind me, I took the blanket from around my shoulders and headed to the kitchen to put my mug in the sink.

"Scarlett," Shelly greeted me. Not expecting her to be back home I screamed, jumping back from her almost dropping the mug on the floor.

Grabbing my chest, I could feel my heart hammering against my sternum. "Sorry." I said breathing out a sigh.

Shelly tried to hide her smile but failed, she couldn't hold back her laughter. "I should have called out to you when you came through the door."

"It's fine." I said, moving to rinse the mug out in the sink.

"I'd left early this morning to go to the store to pick up more food. I'm not sure how long you are staying."

That was a good question, Declan and I never got a chance to discuss that last night.

"About last night. Declan came back before we could really end the conversation," She started.

I put my hand up to stop her. "I didn't tell him anything. It's not my place, that's something you need to talk to him about."

Shelly's lips pursed, moving to the side before she bowed her head. "I should have told him years ago." She admitted. "I should have gone to the police, they could have protected us but I was so scared. I'd lost Liam, I couldn't lose my son too and now he's in too deep."

"You're not a bad mother for not going to the police." I said, trying to comfort her. "I could't imagine being put in that situation."

Shelly finally looked up at me and gave me a tight lipped smile. "You're sweet but you don't have to try and make me feel like I made the right choice. I could have done more to protect him."

There was an awkward silence between us, both of us not knowing what to say.

"Well," she said, smoothing her hand down her sweater. "Declan seems smitten with you."

"Really?" I excitedly blurted out, my voice an octave higher than normal. I could feel my cheeks turning red from embarrassment as I cleared my throat to try and play it off. "Really?"

"I questioned him before he left last night." She smiled, working to fill a tea kettle and put it on the stove. "He couldn't hide his smile when he was talking about you."

We spoke for some time, getting to know each other while we sipped on the tea she had made. When the conversation finally dried up, she suggested I go and freshen up. I grabbed a towel from the linen closet that was in the hallway and went back to Declan's room to shower.

An hour later I was showered and had already done my make up, thanks to Declan being kind enough to pack my cosmetics bag when he had gone back to my apartment yesterday. I pulled my damp hair back into a messy low bun and left some tendrils out to frame my face.

Coming out of the bathroom with the towel wrapped around my body, humming and dancing along to the music I had playing on my phone, I stopped when I noticed a black dress was laid out on the bed. My eyes snapped around the room expecting to see him but was let down when I found the room empty. Readjusting the towel around myself so that it would stay in place, I picked up the dress by the thin straps to examine it.

It was floor length with a plunging neckline and a matching high slit up the right side. I bit my lip, trying to hide the smile that was slowly creeping on my face. He had bought this for me. Wasting no time, I dropped the towel and shimmied into the dress. Smoothing my hands down the fabric I turned in the mirror, appreciating how the fabric clung perfectly to my curves.

The door to the room opened and I felt my heart hammer against my chest. I watched him in the mirror step into the room and put his body weight against the door until it closed. A slow smile spread on his face as he took in the image of me in the mirror in the dress he had gifted me.

Licking his bottom lip he pushed off of the door and closed the distance between us. Pressing his chest against the bare skin of my back, he snaked his hands around my waist and placed soft kisses along my shoulder. My body was already reacting to him, melting under his touch.

"You're beautiful." his voice was low and husky. His fingers spread, moving slowly up and down my sides while he placed kisses up my neck. My eyes fluttered shut and I tried so desperately to stifle a moan when his teeth grazed my skin before he bit down lightly.

His hand roamed down my stomach, down to the top of the slit of the dress. His fingers traced circles on the bare skin of my leg before they dipped under the fabric to my bare pussy. He groaned when he found I wasn't wearing any panties. Without hesitation his fingers dipped between my thighs and felt how wet I was for him already.

"That's my girl," he growled against my neck causing butterflies.

My hands grabbed for his arms around me as he started to spread my arousal over my clit with his middle finger. I melted into his chest, my head falling back against his shoulder breathing out his name. His finger dipped inside my dripping core making me gasp. The walls of my pussy clenched as his finger dipped in and out of me slow and torturously.

I watched in the mirror as he moved to kiss along my jaw, while he fucked me with his finger. My cheeks turning red as I felt the ecstasy start to grow, making my hips start to move against his hand for more. My breaths became more ragged. Slowly taking his finger from inside me, he brought his glistening finger up to his mouth. Locking me in his gaze, he closed his lips around his finger, slowly pulling it from his lips.

"I don't want to mess up your make up." He said, with a sly smile when he saw the look of confusion on my face. I was cursing at him mentally for starting something he had no intention of finishing.

Bitting my lip, I turned and faced him, his hands staying on me the whole time. I could feel my juices running down the inside of my legs.

"Thanks for the, um..." His hand cupped my jaw, his thumb smoothing over my bottom lip. The air was stripped from my lungs. Pleased with how he had me tongue tied and melting in his hands, he gently tugged my lip down and let it pop back.

Looking away, I cleared my throat. "F-for the dress."

Declan leaned down and brushed his lips against mine in a long, gentle kiss. His breath fanning across my face before he pulled away, putting some space between us so I could finally breathe.

"It looks good on you." He said, eyeing me over once more then walked to the closet at the corner of the room.

He pulled a black suit, white dress shirt and black vest from it and laid the clothes out on the foot of the bed. He started to undress, taking off his black shirt revealing his inked skin. I pressed my thighs together absentmindedly, thinking about last night while I watched him undo his belt buckle and pull it effortlessly through the loops of his jeans while he looked at me out of the corner of his eye, smirking.

Blinking rapidly to try and break the spell he has over me, I went back to fixing my hair in the mirror.

"So, where did you go last night?" I asked awkwardly, glancing back at him.

He stopped for a moment, his fingers on the button of his jeans. I could tell he was thinking of how he should respond. Was he trying to hide something?

"Declan, I um... I don't know what's going on between us but if this is going to work, I deserve the truth." I said, impressed with my new found self confidence. Declan turned to me with his normal stoic expression.

His bare shoulders dropped, letting out a breath through his nose. Looking away from me and going back to undressing he answered, "Nick was at Club Se7en last night. He invited Alex and a bunch of his men. They were trashing the place, stealing money, harassing the girls."

"Wait, Nick was with Alex?"

I took him not answering as a yes. "But isn't Nick Desmond's nephew and aren't you guys supposed to be trying to stop the Russians? Why was he with them?"

More silence from Declan. I was getting annoyed that he wasn't even looking at me let alone giving me an answer. I walked over to the side of the bed so that I could see his face and put my hands on my hips.

"Is Nick working for the Russians?" I asked, furrowing my brows.

Tugging his dress pants up his thighs he locked eyes with me but remained silent. "Oh God damn it, Declan answer me!"

"And say what?" He snapped.

"Last week you constantly rubbed my nose in all of this and now that I'm actually asking questions your silent? What the hell, why won't you answer me?"

"Desmond put the word out to keep you safe." He ignored me, changing the subject. He bent down to the other side of the bed and retrieved his duffle bag, setting it on the bed. He pulled a bulletproof vest and a gun holster from the bag and worked to situate it on the waistband of his pants. My eyes widened at the sight of him needing a bulletproof vest for tonight and I would be in nothing but a revealing dress. "No one from our syndicate is to harm you and you'll have full protection from us."

I crossed my arms over my chest, rolling my tongue over my top teeth. "Like you kept my dad safe?"

Declan's head snapped up at me, his eyes narrowed, nostril flaring. "Some fucking thank you after everything I went through to get Desmond to finally listen to me."

"Well I mean, you did a bang up job with my dad so forgive me that I don't have much faith, particularly when we're about to walk right into their hands." I retorted.

"Are you fucking kidding me, Scarlett?" He hissed, stalking towards me, glowering. I took giant steps backwards until my back was pressed against the wall. My heart was in my throat and my palms became clammy as his tall form towered over me, caging me against the wall. For as attractive as he is, he is equally as terrifying when he's angry.

"Desmond ordered me to stay away from you because he thinks you're involved with the Russians. Do you know what happens when you go against the captain, regardless of rank?" His finger pressed harshly between my brows, forcing my head back against the wall. "It'll get you on the bottom of the fucking Queens river with a bullet between your eyes."

"I repeatedly disobeyed him, I argued with him that he was wrong about you. I fucking laid my entire life, everything that I've built, all of it out on the line for you."

"I didn't want any of this!" I yelled, repeatedly pushing against his chest, trying to put some space between us. I squirmed out of the small space and took a few steps away from him, taking in deep breaths to calm myself.

His anger dropped for a split second and I could have sworn he looked sad. Hurt, even at my words. Quickly recovering, his glare came back to his face. I could see his tattooed chest rising and falling with every angry, ragged breath he took in.

Declan grabbed my bicep, pulling me closer to him so I would have to look up at him. "Tough shit, Scars. You're in it now and there is nothing you can do about it. So how about you show a little fucking appreciation." He replied between clenched teeth, pushing me away from him.

The event was being held at Wyndham tower, a newly constructed sky scraper that was near the center of the city. The modern building with its sleek, dark tinted windows loomed over most of the buildings in the city skyline. Its large red neon letters at the top of it cast the surrounding buildings in an ominous red glow. There was a long line of expensive luxury cars and limos along the street, wrapping around the city block, all filled with the esteemed guests waiting to join the event.

Declan chose to park in the parking garage of a neighboring building. I would have asked why he chose not to have the Jag valeted but since our argument at his mother's house we haven't said a word to each other.

There was a plush red carpet that was laid out on the sidewalk that led guests to the massive tinted glass doors of the building. Women draped in formal dresses and dripping in jewels were on the arms of the city's wealthiest men as they flooded into the building, all trying to out-class each other, walking with their noses turned up, not so subtly showing off their diamonds, designer watches and the like.

Declan's hand rested on the small of my back as we walked through the doors of the building. The atrium was entirely modern, from the stark white tile floor to the black stone reception desks on either side of the huge space and the sterile white lights of the massive crystal chandelier that hung from the middle of the tall ceiling.

Guests were directed to the black elevator doors at the back of the room and told to go to the top floor where the gala was being held. I couldn't help but feel like a lamb at the slaughterhouse. Being grouped with tailored dressed strangers and pushed into an elevator we rode up to the top as instructed. Declan's pinky finger curled around mine, bringing my hand closer to his. I wanted to snatch my hand from him but I knew I had to behave tonight and play the part, no matter how angry I was at him.

When the doors opened we all shuffled out, moving in different directions. The ball room was much different from the rest of the modern architecture of the building. This felt like we were in a different building all together with the marble pillars, intricate cornices and warm colors. There was a second story balcony that circled the entire space with an elegant iron railing that guests were looking over, down at the rest of the crowd as if they were the more important party goers.

Round tables covered in white linen with small red floral centerpieces, surrounded by gold and black chairs were organized closest to the elevators while the other end of the space was open with a band playing soft instrumental music. A few couples were dancing while the rest of the socialites were waking around, drinks in hand, conversing.

Moving away from the elevator Declan led us over to the bar, ordering himself a Maker's, neat and a glass of Chardonnay for me. As the bartender turned to make our drinks he pulled me to the side, leaning down to speak in my ear.

"You will not leave my side tonight, understood?" He ordered, his voice low and monotone. He didn't even bother to look at me as he spoke. I fought to not glare up at him.

"Whatever you say." I huffed under my breath, my tone was dripping with sarcasm.

His hand moved up to the nape of my neck and brought me closer to him so I could feel his breath on my ear. "That's right Scarlett. Whatever I fucking say." He growled, letting me go so he could grab our drinks.

Handing me my wine he took his phone from his pocket and started typing away with one thumb. I gulped down most of the drink, rolling my eyes and then looked out onto the crowd of people. Smartly dressed waiters were moving around the crowd holding trays with hors d'oeuvres, stopping to ask if they could offer them food.

"Hors d'oeuvre, madam?" One of the waiters asked from behind me making me flinch.

Turning to look at the waiter I couldn't help but feel like I'd seen him before. Squinting my eyes I looked him over, his black hair was cut short at the sides of his head while the top was longer and slicked back. How did I know him? His green eyes looked me over as he smirked. I could see a tattoo peaking out from the collar of his dress shirt. He took one of the brie and prosciutto short breads from the tray and handed it to me before I could answer. The moment I saw the spider tattoo on his thumb it registered. He's one of Declan's lap dogs, the one who drove me home the other day from The Atlantic.

"Ben?" I asked, tilting my head.

Declan's eyes shot up from his phone the moment I said his name. "The three of you got in?"

"Obviously, bossman." Ben replied, flashing a toothy grin my way.

Looking between Ben and Declan, I saw him narrow his eyes, glaring daggers at Ben making his smile falter for a moment.

"Don't bring attention to yourselves, hide your ink." He snapped.

"Oh, right." Ben shoved the tray of food in my chest making me struggle to hold it while he pulled the white cloth gloves from his coat pocket and put them on.

Declan pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and index finger at the sight of how unprofessional Ben was being.

"Tell me you have your earpieces?" He questioned with an annoyed sigh. Ben nodded in response.

Earpieces? I looked at Declans' ear and noticed a small, flesh colored piece of plastic balanced in his ear, half hidden under his hair. Ben had a similar one.

"Paul was told to serve upstairs. I assume that's where all the big dogs are?" Ben asked.

"You know who you're looking for?" He asked, his eyes darting up to the balcony that wrapped around the room. Ben nodded again, scanning the people behind us at the bar.

"Good, now stay the fuck away until I need you."

Turning back to me, he spoke in my ear, his voice low. "Let's find Mike." His hand pressed on my lower back and led me away from the bar and Ben and out into the crowd of people.

"What was that all about?" I asked, using my finger to point between him and that Ben kid. Unsurprisingly, I was met by silence.

"He seems competent." I grumbled sarcastically, not bothering to look at him.

Declan hummed in response. "He and his friends are a work in progress."

Bumping into one of the women as we made our way through the crowd, I turned and mouthed an apology which earned me a look of disgust. Pursing my lips at her response, I turned and sipped my Chardonnay.

"You brought the B team tonight, that's good to know. Good help hard to come by or something?"

"Or something." My comment must have annoyed him. Drinking his whiskey, he moved his eyes upward towards the people on he balcony. "They owe me."

Now it was my turn to hum back. Declan stopped, his hand moving around to my hip. He leaned in close to me as he spoke. "If this is going to work, you're going to have to stop with your little temper tantrum."

"Temper tantrum?" I hissed. "You were the one who-"

"Scarlett!" Uncle Mike's voice cut through the dull chatter of the room. Looking up I saw him pushing his glasses back up the bridge of his nose while he made his way towards us. "Scarlett, dear, it's so good to see you." He said, bringing me in for a hug. "How have you been since everything happened? We didn't see you at Patrick's funeral. I am so sorry about your dad, he was such a great guy."

My mouth turned dry and I struggled to form words. What the hell do I say to him? He pulled away from me, keeping his hands on my shoulders. His smile dropped when he felt the bandage on my arm from when Alex shot me.

"What happened here?" He questioned, eyeing up the bandage.

"I, uhm..."

"Mike, it's good to see you again." Declan interjected, putting his hand out for Mike to shake. I mentally thanked him for changing the subject. Letting go of me, Mike took his hand and shook firmly, his crooked smile growing wider.

"Ah, Declan my boy. How are you? I'm so glad you could make it."

"Well thank you for extending the invitation." Declan answered, sly as ever.

Mikes' fake smile dropped for a moment as he pulled out his phone from his pocket upon hearing it ding. Reading whatever was on the screen, he pushed the lock button on the side and pocketed it, straightening his bowtie and clearing his throat.

"You'll be sitting with us at table six. If you'll excuse me," He used his elbow to nudge Declan's arm, "I have some more schmoozing to do but I'll see you both in a little bit. I'm excited to introduce you to my friends, Declan." Mike flashed another fake toothy grin and then disappeared.

I let go of a breath through parted lips once he was out of sight, trying to fight back the tears that were burning my eyes. Finishing the rest of the wine in one gulp, I pushed my way towards the bar leaving Declan to have to fight through the crowd after me.

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