The Assassin's Blood: The Confradia Assassins 3

Chapter 27: Put up or shut up

Declan

My thoughts return to the fact that Santana and Connor plan to leave. It was definitely unexpected, and I don't know how to feel about it. I certainly don't feel the relief my mother seems to think I do. If anything, I feel like I lost something. It's disquieting because I'm the one that has pushed them away. Gazing out into the distance, I make my way to my mother's clothing shop. My thoughts are turbulent, and my mind is on automatic. My mother continues to talk, but I'm too distracted to utter more than a simple yes or no.

"Are you sure about this, Declan?" My mother asks softly. It doesn't take a genius to know what she's asking me. "It's better this way, mom. All I can offer them is money, and they don't want it." Her face falls with dismay. "You know I love you, Declan, but I've never been more disappointed with you than I am at this moment. How can you let your brother go this easily? I know you have a heart. Is it because of how things worked out for your father and me? Is that why you're pushing them away?"

I look away from my mother's disappointed gaze, the look back at her. "No, ma. You're the best. I know that you and dad had to end things. Like I said, it's just that my life is too complicated for attachments and─."

"What about me? Aren't I an attachment?" My mother asks in accusation. "No, ma. With you it's different. You're my mother."

"And Connor is your brother!" She grits out vehemently. "Doesn't that matter? He needs you, Declan." She digs the knife deeper when she sniffles and mutters in a disheartened tone. "And that poor girl is working herself to the bone to be a mother and a father to him. She's probably never been able to do the things a young woman would do. Did you see the look on her face when I gave her the clothes? I bet you no one has ever given her a thing. I was so lucky to have your grandmother to."

"Enough!" I grit out, slamming my palm against the steering wheel hard. Mom quirks a brow at my tone and crosses her arms in front of her chest with a daring glare. Feeling repentant, I take a deep breath and loosen my hands. "I'm sorry, ma, but my decision is final. Please, just let it go." She looks like she wants to reply but maintains her silence. However, I can feel her disapproval all the way to the shop, and a large part of me agrees with her.

Once I get back, I head straight to Priest's office. "Hey, did you look through the information Connor and Hunter found?" Priest looks up from his monitor and replies. "Yeah, I did. I sent some of the information to Reaper and Savage. Hopefully, we can use the information we gathered to pinpoint Kazik's whereabouts." Sliding back on a chair, I fold my hands against my stomach and ask. "What about Christoph?"

"I'll leave that up to you, man. Right now, I think we should take care of Perroni. By the way, have you spoken to Santana?" I narrow my eyes at his speculation. "I brought my mother to meet her and Connor earlier. She offered them her place to crash until they get back on their feet." Priest's face stills with shock. "What? Are you serious? Wow, your mother is a saint." I wince and nudge my chin in acknowledgment. "Yeah, she is. And after Santana told her they were leaving, she reamed me out for refusing to include them in my life."

Priest chuckles. "Well, I can't say that I don't agree. Another thing you should know about Declan is that I was given leave by Jaxon Maxwell to invite Connor into the Confradia." My mouth opens in surprise, but before I can respond, Priest continues. "Connor refused because he wants to take care of his sister. He also asked that I don't tell Santana about the offer─ he was interested, though. I told him that the invitation is open indefinitely if he ever changes his mind."

My head spins at my brother's dedication to Santana. "His love for his sister is truly admirable," I mutter in reverence. Priest smirks. "She's devoted to him just as fervently. By the way, Santana asked me if I could give them a ride to the bus station tomorrow. When I offered to pay for them to take flight, she refused. She's a really tough woman. Like your mom, huh?"

"Yeah," I reply, "She is. Don't worry, I'll give them a ride to the bus." He doesn't respond, but from the expression on his face, I know he objects. "There's nothing I can do, Priest. She and Connor are better off without me." Priest shrugs. "Look, Declan, what you do is your business. I just don't want you to regret this later. I lost my family over some really shitty mistakes, and it would suck to see you do the same thing. Connor seems well adjusted, considering his only influence is his sister, and Santana is a fighter. The girl won't give an inch, and Connor worships the ground she walks on. Right now, all we can do is take care of the Perroni problem before they leave."

"Yeah, just give me a minute to talk to her." Priest waves his hand in dismissal. "Do your thing."

Quirking a brow at his dismissive tone, I turn around and make my way to Santana's room. Before I can knock, the door opens, and Santana steps out. "Declan?" She mutters nervously. I open my mouth, but words fail me as I take in the vision of her in a blue jersey dress that falls mid-thigh. Her hair is up in a ponytail, and her face is free of makeup. She's breathtaking. "Declan?" She mutters again with a concerned frown.

Jarred from my thoughts, I clear my throat and manage to finally respond. "Hey, Santana, Priest told me that you and Connor need a ride to the bus station tomorrow. I'll take you." She licks her lips, the replies. "Okay. Thanks."

Not wanting to leave yet, I slide my hands into my pocket and ask, "So, where are you going?" She bites her lips with a casual shrug. "We're going to San Diego. I have a friend there who offered me a job and a place to stay until we get back on our feet." My stomach flips at her words. San Diego is further than I expected them to move. For some reason, I thought they'd move to another town in New York, not straight across the country. "Okay." I manage to croak out. "Well, I have some things to take care of right now. Is there anything you need?"

Santana shakes her head. "No, I'm good. By the way, tell your mom thanks again for us. She's a very kind lady." I nod. "Yeah, she is. She liked you and Connor too." Santana smiles, wistfully. "She's a good hugger. I'd like to think that my mom was like that too, but I was a baby when she died─ Alma certainly wasn't like that."

I narrow my eyes at her words. "Didn't anyone ever hold you as a child?" She snickers. "Not really. It's always been Connor and me─ your father and Alma were not the kindest people." Remorse courses through me at her statement. My mother was always a warm presence, and my grandmother was just as sweet. I can't imagine how Santana and Connor survived without a scrap of kindness from the adults around them. "I'm sorry, Santana. You didn't deserve to be treated like that." Santana curls her lip with a derisive scowl. "It is what it is, right. At least I have Connor. He was mine from the moment his parents brought him home, and I've loved him since. He's the best part of my life."

I feel humbled by her sincere words. "Connor's lucky to have you," I earnestly reply. And I mean it because I can see that her love for him is like the love of a mother, which is amazing considering that they're not even related by blood. Priest and my mother are right, Santana is amazing, and I'm an idiot for letting them leave. Moving closer, I wrap an escaped tendril of her hair between my fingers and lay a gentle kiss on her temple. A sigh escapes her lips as she glances up to meet my eyes. "I wish things could be different. Santana," I whisper against her temple. She doesn't respond. Instead, she raises her hand, caresses my jaw, and kisses my chin. We stand there for a few minutes without saying a word. However, that doesn't mean our eyes don't communicate our desire. I don't know if it's second or minutes before I lay another gentle kiss on her head, turn around, and walk away.

Priest and I meet in the garage that night. Hunter is staying behind with Santana and Connor. "A source of mine told me that Perroni's been looking for Connor and Santana. He has men watching the apartment and the diner. Santana and Connor are ordering their tickets with cash tomorrow, so they should be fine. I also had Hunter put a scrambler on their phone in case he's tracking them that way. For now, they should be fine. But the sooner they're out of the state, the safer they'll likely be. From what Connor explained, Perroni had a cadre of men the night he broke into their home. He was surprised because Perroni was always alone when they'd see him. My guess is, he instructed his men to fall back and kept a low profile because he didn't want to scare Santana off. No need to fake it now. Not after he broke into their house. From what I gather, he still doesn't know about you. You killed two of the men, and the third one is in traction. Which means that we have the element of surprise. I think that after you drop off Connor and Santana, we should go and pay him a little visit. What do you think?" My blood stirs with anticipation. "I say, tomorrow we go hunting."

I decided to stay in the garage one more night under the pretext that I wanted to make sure Santana and Connor were safe. I don't know how to explain what happens next, though. Call it desire, or just the need to be close to her one more time, but right now, I'm in front of Santana's door. Knocking gently, I take a deep breath and wait for her to answer. My heart is pounding wildly in my chest, and my mouth is dry. Santana opens the door a moment later. Like the night before, she's wearing a plain white t-shirt to sleep.

Her hair is strewn wildly around her shoulders, her eyes puffy, and her mouth swollen with sleep. "Declan?' She mumbles sleepily. Stepping close, I lean down and kiss her lips. Her arms wrap around me as I usher her into the room. Releasing her lips, I whisper gently. "I didn't come here for this, but you're so beautiful. I can't stop thinking about you." Santana's eyes smolder as she gazes into mine. A soft groan escapes my lips when she leans close and mutters. "It doesn't have to go beyond tonight. Let's just make tonight ours and go back to being familiar strangers in the morning."

I nod my head without a thought. Even though every part of me hates the idea of just having one night with her, I don't argue. I want her too much to argue. Without another word, I close the door behind me and lead her to the bed. Our lips reconnect again, and our tongues seek each other's as her fingers comb through my hair. Deepening the kiss, I slide my hands up her thighs and slip them beneath the hem of her shirt. Her silken skin feels so good beneath my fingers, and her tongue seeks mine as I lift her into my arms and wrap her thighs around my waist. Soft mewls escape her lips as she grinds her hips against mine. Sliding my knees on the bed, I let her unbutton my shirt and remove it. Santana gazes down at my naked chest and maps out the lines of my pecs and abs with a pleasurable sigh. Savoring her touch, I lift her shirt over her head and toss it behind me. Her beautiful breasts rise, and fall and the buds of her stiff nipples invite my touch. Sliding down, I wrap my lips around the hard nubs and suckle them. Santa's hips undulate against mine with every pull of my mouth. Enjoying the silken feel of her back, I slide my fingers down and pull her closer. Santana cries out in pleasure and claws her hands down my bareback with a mewl. Lying back on the bed, I roll Santana onto her back and rise to take off my slacks. We don't move as we admire each other's bodies. Her golden skin looks smooth like honey, her rounded breasts are firm, and her legs are long and shapely. I slide my hand up her hips until I reach her small waist. Looking down at her flat stomach, I inhale with desire. Her naked folds gleam with arousal. She's the most beautiful creature I've ever laid eyes on.

Licking my lips, I slide on a condom, squat down in front of her and kiss my way up her body until my mouth is hovering over hers. My cock weeps with the need to be inside of her snug walls. It's almost painful. Santana opens her legs, wraps her arms around me in welcome, and bites my lower lip with a growl. Our hands explore as our bodies strain to move closer. Moaning, I arch my back when her fragile fingers wrap around my cock. Her lips move down my neck to suck on the tendon as her hand massages my shaft and rubs the head. "Oh, shit!" I cry out with every pull of her fingers. Not wanting to be selfish, I slide my hand up her thigh and slide my fingers into her folds. Her breath hitches when my thumb rubs gently against her swollen clit. "Declan!" She mewls with an ecstatic sigh.

Sliding my fingers between her wet walls, I plunge in and out and bite her lip. Our lips seek, and our bodies glisten with sweat. "Please, Declan, take me." Santana cries out against my lips. Sitting back on my haunches, I settle her on my lap and slide inside her snug walls. Stars burst behind my eyes as her tight walls constrict around my cock. "Ride me, San." I huskily whisper against her lips. Santana's breath hitches as her body begins to twist and ride mine. Her pelvic bones grind against mine, making my stomach contract and my body ignite with exhilaration. Our mouths are practically eating each other as we come close to our climax. My balls swell with every hammering movement of her hips. Santana's sighs blend with my husky groans as she picks up the pace and slams her hips down harder against mine. After a moment, her body stiffens against mine, followed by her rapturous cry.

Mouth tight, I close my eyes and let myself follow her over the edge. Every part of me ignites with pleasure as wave after wave of ecstasy rolls through my body. Pulling San's pliant body into mine, I take a few breaths and lie back on the bed. The scent of wildflowers permeates my senses as contentment like I've never known washes through me, and I fall into a deep sleep.