Declan: Trillionaire Shifter Club Book Three

by Rosette Bolter

  “So what do we do now?” she asked Declan. “Where do we go?”

  “We have to follow Chill and Cordelia. To the resort.”

  “How far away is it?”

  “Hours and hours. But don’t worry. We have a … more than a head start on that assassin. There’s a teleportation device hooked up in the basement. So we’ll be there in minutes.”

  “Teleportation what?”

  “It’s … never mind. You’ll see when we use it.”

  “Okay, but, can I call my friend first? So he can pass on this address to the police?”

  “Of course.”

  Declan moved away from her to give her some space. As Maisey dialed Marshall’s number she saw that the limo driver had resurfaced from whatever cover he’d taken. Declan walked over to talk to him.

  “Hello?” Marshall’s voice came through the phone.

  “Marshall. It’s Maisey.”

  “I know.”

  “You’re not still mad at me, are you?”

  Silence.

  “Marshall?”

  “No, I’m not mad,” he said. “Did you find Cordelia?”

  “No, we’re only about to go to the place where they are now.”

  “You shouldn’t do that.”

  “I don’t care anymore about my safety. I have to get my friends back. I have to try. I mean, what if it was me out there. All alone. With no one to help them –”

  “Okay, okay,” Marshall said. “I get the picture.”

  “I’m going to text you the resort’s address. You should go to the cops with it. I’ll try to keep you up to date through the whole thing, so if something does happen, you’ll know.”

  “Good.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” Marshall sighed. “I just miss her, you know. Sorry I flared up at you.”

  “That’s okay.”

  Her eyes shifted towards Declan who had finished his conversation with the driver.

  “I should be going,” she said.

  “Alright,” Marshall said. “Good luck.”

  She ended the call.

  “Marshall’s fine,” she said to Declan as he came over. “He’s going to the cops with the address when I text him.”

  “Good.”

  “Is the driver okay?”

  “Yeah, he’s fine. I told him to tell the tigers about Slash once we’re out of sight. He’s giving us two minutes so we have to get a move on.”

  “Okay. I’m ready.”

  They started towards the house a moment before Declan stopped them.

  “Listen, Maisey,” he said.

  “What?”

  “Thank you.”

  “For what?”

  Declan swallowed. Now she could feel his heart beating.

  “For sticking up for me,” he said.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  As the second hand moved passed eleven pm, a shadow moved across the snow towards the resort. The blue haired woman behind the front desk, otherwise known as Ms. Lindsay Calow, remained seated, staring into space. The doors to the side of her opened, and the shadow veered in across the carpet from outside. Then it moved towards the desk where she was.

  Unblinking. Unflinching.

  Barely breathing.

  Snap.

  Lindsay sat up with a start, awoken from her trance. She turned her head slightly and saw Chase staring down at her.

  “Oh my,” she whispered. “What is happening? Where am –”

  Chase touched her lips with his finger. “You’re here now. With me.”

  “Are we alone?”

  “As forever and always,” Chase purred. “Won’t you come round out of there, and greet me properly?”

  “Okay,” Lindsay whispered.

  She stood up and undid the latch to the barrier separating them. As she approached Chase he quickly swept her up into his arms. His hot lips were pressed against her own, and his hands moved over her entire body. He touched … everywhere…

  “Did you miss me then?” Chase inquired breaking away from her.

  “Yes,” Lindsay said in the same quiet voice.

  “I know, of course you did.” He paused. “How many times did you cry without me?”

  “Once.”

  “Next time I want you to cry three times.”

  “Okay.”

  Chase inhaled her scent deeply. “I’m hungry, you know. And I could use a drink.”

  “Where will you take it?”

  “In the bar area. But send all the staff home. I want you to serve me.”

  “Okay.”

  Lindsay bowed her head and moved in the direction of the bar area, while Chase followed.

  Inside, it was almost deserted. Lindsay quickly moved to tell the remaining guests that they were closing up, for them to return to their rooms. She dismissed the bartender and waitress, before assuming her position behind the bar.

  Chase sat down on the stool in the centre of it, paying no attention to anyone else but her.

  “So, aren’t you going to ask me how my day was?”

  Lindsay smiled a little. “How was your day?”

  “Rather unspectacular,” Chase confided. “I was just on the lookout for some vagabond panthers, up to no good. A blow here, a scratch there. In the end I was just too damn charming for them to fight me anymore.”

  “Of course,” Lindsay said. “No one can resist you.”

  “I hope not. So where’s that drink of mine?”

  “What will you have?”

  “I think I’m in the mood for some rum. With a piece of lime in it.”

  Lindsay began to make his drink.

  “You know what else I did today?” Chase continued. “I went and looked up that sister of yours. Yes, the one who married the doctor and lives in the big house. Who thinks she’s better than you are.”

  “How is Clementine?”

  “You mean before or after I fucked her?”

  Lindsay set the drink down in front of him. Chase took a sip from it.

  “It’s okay, you don’t have to answer that,” he said. “I know any answer I give will be fine.”

  “You fucked her?”

  “Oh yes. Silly woman, she probably doesn’t know what happened to her. I mean, of course she knows, but the real question you want to ask is, was she a better fuck than you?”

  Lindsay swallowed. “Was she?”

  “No,” Chase said. “I prefer you.”

  “Okay.”

  He grinned. “You’re going to be fine to fuck me later, won’t you?”

  “Of course.”

  “I think I want something extra too. Something … with a little more kink to it.”

  “Anything.”

  “Good. Anything it shall be then. I’m happy to satisfy your request, Madame.”

  Lindsay nodded. “Are you still hungry?”

  “I might be,” Chase purred. “That depends on whether –”

  Ding.

  The pair looked at each other.

  Ding, ding, ding.

  “See who that is, my love,” Chase said. “I’m right here if you need me.”

  Lindsay bowed her head, and went to obey his command.

  Of course.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Maisey bashed the bell on the front desk a few more times. Ding, ding, ding, ding!

  “Take it easy,” Declan murmured. “Don’t want to break the thing.”

  “Really?” Maisey rolled her eyes. “Come on, Declan. Loosen up, bud.”

  His pained expression was both cute and adorable. She wanted to keep pushing it just to see how adorable he could get.

  “Okay, okay, I’ve heard you,” a blue haired woman said from a short distance away. She closed a sliding wooden door behind her and moved up to the front desk. “We don’t usually get visitors this late. Would you like a room?”

  “Yeah, we’re here to see some friends of ours,” Maisey said.

  “Chilton Burrows and –” Declan began.
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  “Cordelia Ambrose,” Maisey finished. “They probably got here like, two hours ago or something?”

  “Oh yes…” the woman said in a quiet voice. “Will you take a seat over there? I’ll see if they can come down.”

  “Thank you.”

  Maisey led Declan over to the seating by the wall. They sat down together.

  “Why on earth did Bane choose to go to this place for their honeymoon?” Maisey asked. “He’s supposed to be fucking wealthy, isn’t he?”

  “He is.”

  “So why here? I mean, there’s got to be much better with what he can buy.”

  “I suppose so,” Declan nodded. “He never really brought it up.”

  “So…? We’re not seeing anything suspicious yet, are we?”

  “I don’t know,” Declan shrugged. “We’ll see what she says when Chill and Cordelia don’t come down.”

  “How awesome would it be, if they did come down?” Maisey asked. “And then we could just forget this whole thing and let everything go back to normal?”

  “I guess so,” Declan said. “But I’d want to see you again. Would you want to see me?”

  Maisey licked the top of her teeth. “You’re blushing, Declan.”

  “Oh. Shit. Sorry. Don’t listen to me I’m –”

  Maisey grabbed a hold of his collar and kissed him on the lips.

  Declan stared back in utter surprise.

  “Excuse me?” the blue haired woman called to them, tapping her long nails on the desk. “Excuse me…?”

  “Sorry.” Maisey grabbed hold of Declan’s wrist and pulled him out of the chair with her. “So are they coming down?”

  “Someone else is coming to speak to you about them,” the woman informed.

  “Who? What for?” Declan asked.

  “That’s all the information I have for now. Please go back to your seats and wait for him. He won’t be too long.”

  Maisey and Declan moved back to the seating but didn’t sit down.

  As they waited, the woman moved by them back in the direction she’d came from.

  “Where are you going?” Maisey called after her. “What if we need you?”

  The woman forced them a smile and then retreated back behind the wooden door.

  Maisey and Declan looked to each other.

  “Who do you think’s coming down?” she asked.

  Then she saw Declan’s eyes had moved to the staircase opposite them. They both said his name at the same time.

  “Bane.”

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  “Hello Declan,” Bane said casually. His eyes moved to Maisey. “Have we met?”

  “At your wedding. Derr.”

  “I’m so sorry. Your name still escapes me.”

  Maisey grimaced. “I’m Maisey. Friends with Harper and Cordelia.”

  “Right,” Bane said. “I think I remember now.”

  “Are you okay?” Declan asked.

  “I am,” Bane nodded.

  “So where is Cordelia and Chill?” Maisey demanded. “And where’s Harper?”

  “Harper’s upstairs, sleeping. You’re right, Chill and Cordelia were here, but I believe they went out together.”

  “What do you mean ‘out’?”

  “They went for a walk or something.”

  “In this cold?”

  “Chill likes the cold,” Bane said. “Actually I think they both feel rather at home here.”

  “Is there somewhere we can talk?” Declan asked. “Not just standing in the open here?”

  Bane nodded. “Yes, I’ll need a private word with you. No offense, Maisey.”

  “Well, what am I supposed to do?” she stammered.

  Bane smiled. He went to the side wall where the wooden sliding door was. He opened it to reveal the bar area where the blue haired woman had entered.

  As they stepped inside Maisey saw that she was now behind the bar, serving a handsome blond haired gentleman.

  “Who’s that?” Declan asked. “Do you know him?”

  “I do actually,” Bane replied. “That’s Chase. He’s … a business associate.”

  “Is he one of us?”

  Bane nodded. “Yes. Not a bear mind you. He’s a cheetah.”

  “And we’re in business with him?”

  “Not the club,” Bane said. “Just … we have a personal arrangement. I’ll discuss it further with you. Perhaps Maisey can be left alone here…?”

  Maisey glared up at him. “Is it safe? What if I disappear?”

  “If anything happens, then scream,” Bane said. “We’ll hear you. But nothing will happen, of course.”

  Bane signaled to Chase and the blue haired woman. “Guys, can you look after our friend here? Declan and I have to talk business elsewhere. We shouldn’t be more than ten minutes or so?”

  “Absolutely,” Chase called back. “We’d enjoy the company.”

  “Are you sure he’s safe?” Declan asked Bane again. “Like a hundred percent certain?”

  “Better than that,” Bane replied. “I give you my word.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  As Maisey stepped further into the bar area, Bane closed the wooden door behind her. The woman at the bar was staring at her, her face expressionless, her eyes full of ice. The gentleman continued sipping from his glass.

  Maisey stood next to him. “Should I sit down here? Or at one of the tables?”

  “Please, join me,” the man said.

  Maisey climbed up onto the wooden stool.

  “Drink?”

  “I’ll have a white wine if you have it.”

  “Lindsay, get our friend here your finest glass of white wine.”

  The woman bowed and lowered herself to a cupboard at the foot of the bar.

  “I’m Chase,” the man said offering his hand.

  “Maisey.”

  She lightly shook it.

  “You’re here looking for your friends, aren’t you?”

  “Why?” Maisey asked. “Have you seen them?”

  “Oh yes.”

  “And did they really go for a walk like Bane said?”

  “In a manner of speaking.”

  “Well, what does that mean?”

  The woman placed the glass of wine in front of her.

  “Thank you,” Maisey murmured.

  “A pleasure,” the woman said dryly.

  Maisey shifted in her seat, uncomfortable.

  She caught Chase staring at her skirt.

  “I think we’d be best suited elsewhere,” he said.

  He stood up from his stool and poured the remainder of his drink all over the bar.

  “Lindsay, clean that up please.”

  “Okay,” she nodded.

  “Why’d you do that?” Maisey demanded.

  “Please,” Chase said taking her hand. “Come join me over here.”

  She got up, feeling a little disorientated. But it wasn’t from the wine, she hadn’t touched it yet.

  It was from Chase’s eyes.

  “Please,” he said. “Over here now…”

  They sat down at the table near the back wall. Maisey was feeling dizzy. She sipped her wine hoping it would clear her head.

  “I have a feeling,” Chase said, “that you would like to know what happens to you.”

  “Pardon?”

  “The future is written, my dear, Maisey,” Chase beamed. “I can see yours just by looking at you.”

  He reached into his pocket and pulled out a deck of cards. The backs of them were a pattern of green and black.

  “What are those?” Maisey asked.

  “I think I want to give you a reading, if that’s okay?” Chase purred.

  “I don’t believe in that stuff,” Maisey lied.

  “Then just for fun. You do like to have fun, don’t you?”

  Her gaze drifted from him, back to the bar. The woman was still cleaning up Chase’s mess.

  “Over here, dear,” Chase said redirecting her attention. “Yes, look at me. Now take t
he cards.”

  Maisey took them.

  “Shuffle.”

  She shuffled.

  “For you we’re going for a simpler reading than some. Past, present, future. That type of deal.”

  “Are you psychic then?” Maisey asked.

  “Everyone’s a little psychic,” Chase said. “It’s just about opening the right door.”

  “I’m finished.”

  He took the cards from her and then spread them out between his hands.

  “Pick three cards.”

  “Okay.”

  Maisey browsed through the cards in front of her and then accepted three of them from the cheetah’s grip.

  The woman approached the table. “What do I do now?”

  “Go stand in the corner,” Chase said. “I’ll call if we need you.”

  The woman bowed her head and walked away.

  Chase took Maisey’s gaze again and forced her to look down at the three cards she’d placed on the table. “Shall I do the honors?”

  He overturned the first card.

  It was a picture of Maisey sitting in the schoolyard reading a book.

  “What the fuck?” she whispered.

  “This represents your past,” Chase said. “That’s you, obviously. I’m sensing you were a lonely child, who didn’t have a lot of friends. One who got caught up in her own imagination. Who got lost in the dreams of better worlds.”

  Maisey shivered. Something was peering in at her.

  Something wanted to take control of her mind and body.

  “Second card, that’s your present.”

  Chase turned over the card to reveal an image of both her and Chase standing together, naked in each other’s arms.

  Behind them, in the background, a panda was tied up roasting over an open fire.

  “That’s bullshit,” Maisey whispered. “That’s not happening.”

  “It appears I’m in there now,” Chase said. “I’m a part of your present. We’re naked together, because of course, we are in love. I had no idea you had such strong feelings for me, Maisey.”

  “Excuse me?” the woman in the corner called out. “I have to go to the bathroom.”

  “Run along then,” Chase said, without taking his eyes off Maisey.

  The woman departed.

  “Can I see your hand?” Chase asked.