Chapter 32
Brooke
I’ve pushed myself harder than I have in a long time. The trip with Declan weighs heavily on my mind. It’s been a few weeks since we’ve been back. I haven’t seen him or made an attempt to, but neither has he. I know how torn he was about everything that happened while we were up there. It hasn’t slipped my mind, though. It’s a constant nagging reminder. I care about Declan, but I’m not sure if being mixed up in his club life is such a good idea.
I’m dripping with sweat when I feel the coldness hit me. I look over my shoulder and see Declan standing there with a bottle of cold water. He squeezes the bottle and shoots me with another round of cold water before I laugh.
“You have to know that feels extremely good right now,” I tease him. That cocky grin on his face is too goddamn perfect.
“Figured that much. You done?”
He nods toward the equipment before I say, “Yeah. I need to get over to the club, though.” I turn and walk away from him, remembering I’m still pissed off at him. His smile may have dazzled me for a second, but reality caught up real quick. He left me alone in that hotel room that night after our talk. By the time I woke up the next morning he was already waiting outside ready to leave. We haven’t talked in weeks, and it’s a weight bearing down on me.
“Where the hell do you think you’re going?” I hear Charles’ voice. I turn to see him stopping Declan as I walk into the girl’s locker room.
“I need to talk to my girl,” Declan says, his face changing from charming to deadly in seconds. Shit! He can’t do that in here.
“It’s ok, Charles. He’s with me. I was just going to change, and we’ll get out of here.”
Charles looks over his shoulder at me and shakes his head. “I hope you know what you’re doing, Brooke. Your daddy would roll over in his grave,” he says before walking away.
My heart races at his words. He’s right, though. My dad was against everything Declan believes in; he was the complete opposite.
“Asshole,” Declan grumbles, stepping closer to me.
“He’s not. He’s a good guy. He’s just watching out for me.” I look at him as I wipe the sweat from my neck with my towel. “What is it you wanted?”
Dec’s eyes move over me, and my body heats from the inside out. I want nothing more than to have him fuck me senseless but I won’t. He walked away from me.
“We need to talk,” he says finally meeting my gaze.
“We are.”
“Don’t be a smartass, Brooke.”
“Declan. It’s been weeks. I get it, ok? You changed your mind. It’s fine. I’m fine. I have work to do.” I start to turn when he grabs my arm. He yanks me toward him roughly.
“We’re not done,” he growls in my ear.
“Do you realize that you are the criminal in a gym that associates with cops?” I grit my teeth as he squeezes my arm tightly. I can’t help it, I’m pissed.
“Is that why you’re here? Daddy keep you in check with them?” he growls.
My heart sinks. All the color leaves my face. He knows. He knows my dad was a cop. That wasn’t something I wanted him to know. I didn’t want him to look at me differently, but now he knows.
“No. I always felt safe here. I had a connection to him here.” I shake my arm free of his grasp and hurry into the locker room, rushing to get away from him. I shower quickly and change, hoping like hell that he left. I can’t do this with him today. I don’t want to. I have too much going on at the club to fight with him about this.
I peek around the corner of the locker room trying to check if he’s still here or not. Charles’ laughing catches my attention.
“He left, honey,” he says when he sees me looking. I smile before I step out. “He bothering you, Brooke?” he asks, his tone changing in seconds.
“No, he’s a friend, Charles. We just haven’t been getting along lately,” I tell him as I set my bag on the counter.
“I could see that. Is he a good friend of yours?” I know what he’s asking me. I know that he wants to know and that it’s only for my wellbeing.
“He is. He was helping me with some things at the club. We just had a disagreement is all.”
Charles nods his head before he says, “If you need anything, you call me.”
I nod with a smile before grabbing my bag and head outside. Once outside, I have the shit scared out of me, caught off guard by his words. I was so lost in thoughts I didn’t see him or his bike.
“It’s cute how you thought we were done talkin’.”
“Jesus Christ!” I scream with my hands up, ready to fight. When I see it's him I lower them.
“Why the fuck are you still here?” I ask him, annoyed as hell. I thought the dick left.
“I told you we weren’t done talkin’. Get on,” he says, nodding toward his bike. I shake my head and start to walk away. His hand grabs mine, and the fire that races through me is unsettling.
“Why are you doing this, Declan?” I ask, letting my head drop. I can’t handle this. I can’t handle the unsure Declan anymore.
“I fucked up when I claimed you the way I did. I didn’t want you in my world like that. I don’t want you to be a target and get hurt, Brooke.”
Oh, that was fucking comforting! I jerk my arm trying to get away from him.
“I’m so fucking sorry you messed up! Don’t worry though; we are nothing, Declan!” I snap. In response, his eyes flash with anger before he yanks my body into his.
“Oh, butterfly. You don’t get it, do you? I said I fucked up when I claimed you the way I did, not that I claimed you. Whatever the fuck you have rollin’ around in that head of yours, get it the fuck out now. You are mine. Nothin’ is changin’ that. Now get that sexy ass on the back of my bike.”
His hand slams against my ass, making me yelp from the sting. I walk over, sling my bag across my body so I can climb on his bike, and wait. He grins like a fucking lunatic. If he wasn’t so fucking sexy, I’d slap the shit out of him. With that look in his eyes though, all I want to do is climb up his big hard body and ride him.