Page 14 of Vengeful Devotion
“Leave us, Balor,” Declan commands.
I look at Balor, pleading with my eyes for him to stay. It’s not that I’m afraid of Declan. But that doesn’t mean I want to be alone with him. Balor nods and glances at me. His eyes hold unspoken threats in them. Does he really believe I could do anything malicious to his precious boss? I look back at Declan. The muscles bulging beneath his white button down should be evidence enough that my scrawny ass can’t handle him. God, he’s hot. If I was a normal woman, my mouth would be watering. But I’m broken. I shouldn’t be feeling the way I am for this man. He’s my boss’s son, for fuck's sake. The door shuts, the sound prompting me to shake my head clear. Why am I even thinking about this?
Declan’s chair squeaks as he stands, moving towards the bar. He’s silent while he pours himself another glass. The tension creates a lump of unease in my throat.
It’s not until he’s back at his desk that he speaks. “Who are you?”
“E-excuse me?”
“Who are you?”
My stomach churns. Fuck. Did he find out that I lied about my last name? Sheer terror courses through me at the thought of Declan squealing to Lonny.
“I-I’m not sure what you mean.”
“It’s a simple question, Gemma. Answer it. Start with where you’re from.”
“Boston.”
If I wasn’t paralyzed with fear, my knees would be shaking right now. I have no idea what he wants, but I know I can’t blurt out the truth. At least not any more than I already have.
Declan takes a long sip, keeping his eyes trained on me. “You’re a long way from home.”
I nod, not trusting myself to speak. I might mention that I prefer it that way. Every single mile between me and that place is a blessing. The only thing better would be more distance.
Declan stands, rounding his desk, and stands in front of me. He’s close enough for me to smell the alcohol on his breath, but not enough for me to reach out and touch. The way his eyes trail up and down my body makes me shiver. My pulse hammers away inside me. This man is frightening and thrilling all at once.
“Who sent you here?” he asks.
“W-what? No one sent me. I came here to get away from the cold.”
He sighs, stepping closer to me. “Do you know who I am, Gemma?”
“No,” I choke out.
“I’m the King of Vegas. I run this city and this house.”
I swallow, unsure what I’m supposed to do with that information. Who he is and what he does makes no difference to me. I will not be around long enough for it to.
“Okay.”
“That makes me your boss as well. So, I’ll ask you again, who sent you?”
“Francine is my boss,” I reply, before I can think better of it. “No one sent me. I’m here because Boston wasn’t working for me anymore. That’s all.”
His gaze turns predatory. I’m pretty sure he knows I’m lying. I turn to leave, unable to handle the suffocation of this tense meeting any longer. If I have to look at his gorgeous face for another second, I might tell him everything and that would be my worst mistake yet.
Declan moves fast, standing in front of me again. He’s close enough for me to see the gold specks in his eyes.
“Do you know what I do to liars?”
I shake my head, my throat too dry to speak.
“I put a bullet in their skull and bury their body so far in the desert that they’re never found.” He runs a finger down my cheek, shocking me. “Don’t make me do that to you, Gemma.”
Just as quickly as he was there, he’s gone. I hurry towards the door. There’s no more thrill running through my veins. Only fear remains now. I don’t breathe again until I’m free from his office. God, I’m so fucking stupid. I escaped one monster just to land in the hands of another. If Declan ever finds out the truth about me, I’ll be his next pile of bones to bury.
CHAPTERSIX
