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Declan nodded, his eyes shining with pride. “You and Kat.”
The world around me blurred as I tried to process this information. Captains? Us? It seemed impossible, yet Declan’s face held nothing but sincerity.
“But... the men tonight at the docks, the chase, the shooting...” I stammered, my mind reeling.
“All part of the test,” Declan explained. “We needed to see how you’d handle a high-pressure situation. And you both passed with excellence.”
I felt like I was drowning, struggling to keep my head above water in this sea of revelations. “The men Rory killed... the ones in the barn?”
Declan’s expression sobered slightly. “Ah, yes. That was... an unexpected complication. But as it turns out, Cameron Finn had been looking for an excuse to get rid of all of them for a while. You did him a solid favor, really.”
The casual way he spoke about the deaths we’d caused sent a chill down my spine. I looked at Rory, seeing my own shock and confusion mirrored in his eyes.
“So, all of this... it was just a test?” Rory asked,his voice tight with barely contained emotion.
“Yeah,” Declan nodded, oblivious to our distress. “The way you worked together, protected each other... it’s exactly what we need in our new leadership.”
I felt sick to my stomach. The adrenaline, the fear, the guilt - it had all been for nothing. Worse yet, it had been planned to deliberately manipulate us.
Rory was off the toilet in a flash and had Declan by the throat up against the wall. Through clenched teeth he said, “You mean to tell me that Kat almost died because of a ‘test’?”
Declan’s eyes bulged as Rory’s grip tightened around his throat. For a moment, the bathroom was silent except for the sound of Declan’s labored breathing. Then, with surprising strength, Declan grabbed Rory’s wrist and pried his fingers away.
“Did you forget yourself man?” Declan growled; his voice raspy but filled with authority. “I am still Captain. You’re lucky I consider you like a brother.”
“Sorry,” Rory stumbled back, the color draining from his face as the gravity of his actions sank in. Assaulting a Captain was the gravest offense one could commit within the Clan. Men had been killed for far less.
“As for your question, only tonight’s job was staged. An idea concocted by Connor and Wren,” Declan explained. “I needed to see how you’d manage a high-stakes situation with limited information. The shipment of guns was fake, yes, but the danger was very real. Those men at the docks? They were Cameron Finn’s crew, and they had no idea this was a test. If you hadn’t taken them out, they would have killed you both without hesitation.”
I felt my knees go weak, and I leaned against the sink for support. The magnitude of what we’d been through - what we’d survived - crashed over me like a tidal wave.
“Why?” I whispered, my voice barely audible. “Why put us through all of this?”
Declan’s eyes gleamed with a mixture of pride and something darker, more primal. “Because leading this Clan isn’t for the faint of heart. We needed to be sure you could handle whatever comes your way. And you have, time and again.”
I marched over to him, my tone laced with bitterness. “You can stick your precious Captain title up your ass, Declan. I only agreed to do it because Rory pissed me off. I never wanted it then, and I certainly don’t want it now.”
I stormed out of the bathroom, leaving both men stunned as they watched me leave.
Chapter 32
Rory
Declan broke the silence first. “Go find out what the fuck is wrong with her,” he said.
I stood and looked at him, not believing how he couldn’t know. But then again, he didn’t know Kat like I did. “What do you think is wrong with her Declan? She came here under the assumption that her family was normal. Nothing about this family is normal.”
He took a step back and looked at me, realizing something about me that I had known for weeks. “You’re in love with her, aren’t you?”
I hesitated for a moment, torn between loyalty to him and my feelings for her. But in that instant, I knew there was no choice to make.
“Yes,” I said firmly, meeting Declan’s gaze. “I am in love with her. And I won’t let you or anyone else put her in danger again.”
Declan’s expression softened slightly. “Rory, you know as well as I do that danger is part of this life. We can’t shield her from it forever.”
“Maybe not,” I conceded. “But we don’t have to throw her into the deep end either. She’s been through enough.”
I turned to leave, but his voice stopped me. “And what are you going to do if she decides to leave?”
