NICO
Aweek.
A fucking week has passed, and Declan is nowhere to be found. Carter has offered rewards, threatened more people than I can count and has put some people in the dirt for thinking it was funny that someone touched a member of the Whitlock family.
I’ve tried to be more subtle about finding D, but it’s like no one knows a single fucking thing. I don’t like that someone is smart enough to fool two fucking families.
Carter’s contact says he’s close to unlocking who the account belongs to, even though it was probably made through less than legal means. But he said something about isolating an IP address and tracking the information down from there.
I hate feeling so fucking helpless. I hate that I know fuckingnothingand Declan is out there, probably getting hurt while I’m sitting here with my thumb up my ass.
With nothing else to do, I decide to track Austin and Donny down so I can ask about the guy that was following D around the grocery store again. The description they gavewas so generic, even down to the scar in the eyebrow. I need to know more.
Carter gives me the address of both Austin and Donny, not sounding like he wants to deal with me, but letting me keep busy looking for Declan.
My chest aches as I drive to Austin’s house. I’ve been staying at Declan’s condo every night he’s been gone, needing to feel close to him. Kai understands, seeing that I can’t leave his place, that I wouldn’t be in the headspace to keep him safe while I have no idea where the man I love is.
I wanted to tell Declan the night I took him out how I felt about him. When we got home, I planned to make love to him, to put all of my heart and soul into the act, then actually say the words, even though he told me not to catch feelings.
As soon as I find him, it’ll be the first thing I say to him. The first words out of my mouth. I fucking love him and he has to know.
The GPS blares that I’ve arrived at my destination, so I push my feelings for Declan away and approach Austin’s door.
I knock for several minutes, but no one answers. As far as I remember—though I remember fuck all about the Whitlock men—he’s single—no partner, no kids.
He’s probably out on patrol for Carter, checking any spots for where Declan could be.
Giving up on him, I head to Donny’s.
My senses are on high alert when I approach his door and find it ajar about an inch.
“I’m not a fucking cop,” I seethe quietly as I pull out my gun and press my back to the wall. I swear this better not be another fucking crime scene. The last time shit felt off I found the bodies of the man I thought was blackmailing Declan, along with his family. If I find another fucking body…
“God dammit,” I say after I’m greeted with Donny’s body, snug in his recliner, his brains splattered on the wall behind him.
Sighing, I put my gun away and step further into the house. Unlike with Jadon, I know this was a suicide, as the gun is still in Donny’s hand. There’s also…something in the other.
Stepping closer, I see he has a note clutched in his palm.
Unclenching his hand, I peel the piece of paper from his fingers and read it.
I see fucking red when I get to the bottom of the letter.
Fucking Austin.
Fucking.
Austin.
Crushing the letter in my palm, I pull out my phone and press Carter’s number as I storm out of the house.
That fucking snake was in our face, lying about what was going on, lying about protecting Declan when he had plans to fucking abduct him and extort him for money. I bet he got a kick out of guarding Declan, knowing he was the one making him look over his shoulder.
Carter answers, but before I can say anything, he shouts, “You need to get over here fucking now! Right goddamn now, Nico!”
“On my way.”
I don’t ask questions, just run to my car and peel out of Donny’s driveway. I don’t stop at any lights, weaving in and out of traffic and almost getting into two accidents. I don’t care; I keep gunning it to Carter’s house to figure out what the fuck is going on.
