Kill The Innocent

Chapter Twelve

your lips, my lips, apocalypse

cigarettes after sex

***

Declan walks in with me on his arm. The look on his face is pure disgust, and I don't blame him. Somebody under this roof is betraying us. Betraying him. And we didn't know who it was.

I wanted to know why Declan didn't let me kill Nolan. Why. What could possibly be so bad that I'm not allowed to slaughter the one person who's caused us so many problems? I need to know why and it's killing me.

I walk with him as he scowls at everyone we walk past. He doesn't trust a single person in here, and neither do I. The only difference is he's displaying it outright on his face, and I'm keeping it hidden.

If we're going to catch this person, we need to make sure whoever the traitor is doesn't know we're on to them. We need to act clueless.

When we get to our bedroom, Declan punches in the code, and the door opens, he leads me in first and then follows.

"I have a question," I ask, as the door closes behind him.

"What's up?" he asks, taking off his jacket and draping it over the end of a chair.

"Why is nobody letting me kill Nolan?" I ask. "This would be so much easier if someone would just put a bullet in his head."

Declan shakes his head, his eyes on the ground. "It's really complicated, amour."

"Tell me," I say, sitting on the end of the bed.

He sighs and sits down next to me. "Nolan and I have been rivals for quite some time," He says. "Ever since he's been in charge, he's gone after me in more ways than one, why, I don't know. It was a constant war forever. A few years ago, we met over the phone and agreed to leave each other alone. No harm is to be done to either of us by either of us.

"We both know that if one of us were to break that agreement, it would be taken care of. Both of us have a well-established team. They're trained to take down another and they will." He reaches out and grabs my hand. "If we were to kill him, all his men would come after me and mine, it would be more complicated to hold off hundreds of men than it is to hide you away in my care."

I nod, but I can't possibly understand what he's talking about. Declan has hundreds more men than Nolan. How could this be possible?

I wonder these things, but also realize there is a lot that I don't know, and even more, I wouldn't understand.

"Are you alright?" He asks me, bringing one of his hands up to cup my cheek.

"No," I respond, flatly. "I'll never be alright, but at the moment I'm somewhat content."

He gives me a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry this is the way our life has to be," He says, pausing only to press his lips to mine, softly. "I'd change it if I could."

"I know, I would too, but we can't." He sighs, then moves the hand that was previously holding mine, and bends my head down so he could kiss my forehead.

When our eyes meet again, a fire seems to be pulled from nowhere in particular. His lips meet mine again, softly at first, then rough, needy.

I give back with just as much, and before I know it, my arms are around his neck.

He pulls away from my face. "Valerie, today is not the day,"

"Declan," I whine. "I don't give a fuck what day is it. I want you."