“Declan!Goddammit! Ewwuuuh!”
CHAPTER 23
The Princess
The months have been flying by.
Declan is occupying his time with his work, and as I’m supposed to be getting a feel for adult life…I decided to make something to occupymine. I rented a storefront. Redirected Castine’s gossip chain and gave them something to actually talk about. The invasion and series of unfortunate events at Leviticus House hasn’t been forgotten, just shelved. If anything, I think the Greys get more trusted business around here. They don’t look at Sev like some dark smudge on their town anymore. Now it’s me. The harlot that opened alingerie shopin the middle of a quaint harbor town and called it‘Scarlet Sin’.
I love pissing people off.
I sat with my laptop, drinking chocolate milk on the couch with my toenails drying on top on a stack of boxes. The imports I’m getting in this week are gonna look lovely in the front window. The old ladies in town like the word ‘scandalous’ lately. I’m trying to pick out the most fitting pieces to use as rage bait.
“Moving truck will be back around three. Are those good to go?” Dec asked, pulling his hair up into a knot as he walked through our packed apartment. Saturday will be the first night we spend in the new house…and I can’t fucking wait.
“All of it can go. I’m fine with crashing at Malek’s for a couple of nights if we can leave this bitch empty and never look at it again.”
He shut the fridge and cracked open a beer, chugging down a bit as he leaned back against it. “Fine with that too…but you do know the poor sod is fightin’ for his life over there, right?”
“Leave her alone. How would you feel if you grew a massive beer gut in a few months and couldn’t manage to tie your own shoes?”
Dec pressed a hand to his chest. “Are you implyin’ that I’m inching closer to the dad bod, lass? I’ll fuckin’ do push-ups rightnow.”
“Gross,” I said, punching in numbers on the keyboard. “Old man cringe…strike one.” I typed furiously, sipping my milk again, and…when he didn’t respond, I slowly turned my head to find him staring at me. He pushed his glasses up.
“I got a strike for you.”
“Don’t you dare.” He sat his beer down, prowling towards me and I snapped my laptop shut. “Declan! I mean it! My toes are still wet!”
“Good. I’ll ruin ‘em like I’m about to ruin your—”
“Dec!”
Malek answered the door with a dinner roll hanging from his mouth and I immediately snatched it, popping him in the face as I darted past and ate the rest. “Christ, you make me wanna kill people, brat…again.”
He let Declan in with the takeout bags and I went straight for the empty coffin. “Where’s Mama? She divorce you yet?”
“No, she’s probly dying of fuckin’ starvation, waitin’ on you two. You’re late.”
They unloaded Chinese while I stretched across Sev’s throw pillows and gnawed on buttery bread, shooting Declan a look. “Yeah, sorry ‘bout that. Had to say goodbye to the apartment. And by goodbye, I mean…we fucked like rabbits.”
“Must be—”
“You finish that sentence, and I’ll break your fucking nose, Malek Byrne.” I peeked over with a mouthful to see Seven waddling into the living room. Half her tattooed belly was exposed under a tight black tank top, and…
“Holyjugs!” I giggled, leaving my spot to tackle her. “Where’d these come from?Jesus.”
“Exactly,” Malek said, pointing a fork at me. “Jesus. Sent straight from the big lad, himself. Look how beautiful they are.”
“Don’t patronize me.”
Declan sat at the kitchen island, dragging noodles to his mouth while he grinned at her. “You look like…like Vivian drew on a balloon with a permanent marker.” Rice flew out of Malek’s mouth when he laughed, immediately regretting it when his head turned and Seven pinned him with a murderous glare. Well-deserved, in my opinion.
“Sorry…sorry, love. That wasn’t funny. Declan…you should be ashamed.”
Sev strutted up to the island and grabbed Malek’s plate…and then the egg roll out of his hand. “Don’t be so hard on him. He lights up every room he walks the fuck out of.”
We all laughed then…all except Dec, who gawked as she walked back to the living room like a queen. The door buzzed and Malek answered it while I got my own takeout box and helped Sev into the coffin. She sat the plate on top of her belly and started inhaling MSG.
