His voice drops, suddenly serious. "That girl has stars in her eyes when it comes to you, and you haven't stuck your dick or any other part in anyone else in almost four years. So whatever holier-than-thou shit you're trying to convince yourself of, just stop. No one's gonna love that girl like you do."
I freeze, the weight plate hanging from my hand. "What did you just say?"
"You heard me." Declan shrugs. "Everyone sees it except you two idiots. You look at her like she hung the fucking moon, and she looks at you like you're the only guy in the room. It's nauseating, honestly."
"You don't know shit about me and Reese," I mutter, slamming the plate onto the bar with more force than necessary.
"I know you've been following her around like a lovesick puppy since freshman year," Declan counters. "And you beat the shit out of that lacrosse player who grabbed her ass at Theta Chi."
I clench my jaw so tight I can hear my teeth grinding. "I'm not discussing my sex life with you."
"What sex life?" Declan laughs. "That's my point. You're not fucking anyone else because you're too hung up on dancer girl."
"Her name is Reese," I snap.
"I know her name," Declan says, his voice softening slightly. "Everyone knows her name because you practically growl at anyone who so much as looks at her sideways."
I drop onto the bench, running a hand through my hair. "Look, it's complicated."
"It's really not," Declan counters. "You want her; she wants you. The end."
"She deserves better than me," I say.
Declan's eyes narrow at me, his expression losing that usual smirk. "Take it from someone who's been there, done that before," he says, leaning in closer. "She may deservebetter than you. Hell, most women do. But no one—and I mean fucking no one—is going to treat her better than you."
I shake my head, grabbing the bar again. "You don't understand?—"
"No, you don't understand," he cuts me off, his hand shooting out to stop me from lifting. "You got this darkness in you, and you're afraid it's gonna swallow her whole. But you ever stop to think maybe that's what she wants?"
I snort. "Right. Because everyone wants to be with a fucking psychopath."
"Maybe we're all a little fucked up," Declan continues, ignoring my comment. "Just trying to find the thing in this world that makes life worth living while we can. Because I don't know if you've looked around and noticed, but the fucking world is shit. Every aspect of it."
His words hit something deep inside me, cracking open a door I've been keeping shut.
"Don't waste the fucking time being a white knight," he says, his voice dropping lower. "Maybe what she needs is the villain."
The weight of his words settles in my chest. Maybe he's right. Maybe I've been so busy trying to protect Reese from myself that I never considered she might want exactly what I am—darkness and all.
"Fuck," I mutter, letting the bar slam back into the rack.
"Yeah, fuck is right," Declan says, stepping back. "Now are you gonna stop being a little bitch about this and actually lift, or should I get you some tampons while I'm at the store later?"
I flip him off but can't help the laugh that escapes me. "You're a real fucking poet, you know that?"
"I have my moments," he shrugs. "Now shut the fuck up and lift. Your moping is ruining my morning."
I push through my workout with renewed intensity, Declan's words echoing in my head. By the time I'm done, my muscles are screaming and sweat is pouring down my face, but my mind feels clearer than it has in days.
Chapter 25
Reese
The door clicks shut behind me as I kick off my heels, the house dark except for the glow of the security panel by the door. My feet are fucking killing me after six hours in these torture devices, but Oakley insisted we "dress to impress" for our girls' night at Armand's.
"Sweet motherfucking relief," I groan, wiggling my toes against the cool hardwood. The clock on the microwave reads 11:07 PM, and I'm already fantasizing about face-planting into my pillow.
That's when I notice the silhouette on the couch, perfectly still in the darkness.
