cribellate | Declan Lynch | The Raven Cycle

[ Declan comes to this gym because it's small, because it's out of the way from work and school, because it's on the way to Rose's house, and finally, because it's filled with Irish boxers who remind him of home, of his gym back near the Barns, where the men would cuss out the Lynches while pouring the younger ones a beer.

It doesn't make him wear heavy padding and it lets him train in peace, and so he does. That's where Rose will find him, in the ring, and there's no doubt that Declan is good - he's fast and he's sharp, and he doesn't pull his punches or complain when he gets hit.

The match ends and he shakes hands and laughs, and spots her.

He looks a little confused for a moment, like he's trying to figure out how the sky went from blue to green. ]

Rose?

[ She's been a little more jumpy lately.

Of course, he hasn't been around to see it. Their affair had been on pause for a number of reasons, Rose working more, Ashley needing more and more of his attention. Maybe she knows, maybe Rose doesn't care. But tonight they both have the chance for an escape. Which is why Rose was here, to work off some steam before he showed up at her apartment. It wouldn't do to try and stab her booty call with a metal stake, not really.

But she hadn't expected to see him. She'd been here for a while, lost in a world of her own, lifting weights in some dark corner, and neither of them had spotted the other. At least not until Rose had taken a break, a towel wrapped around her neck and sweat glistening from her skin, a bottle of water held loosely in her grip.

That's how she looks now, even as she grins wolfishly his way and leans on the bottom rung of the ring. ]

Billionaire vigilante? [ Raising one eyebrow. ]

[He sits near, so that his legs are off the edge of the ring. He still has a slightly puzzled look on his face, but he's smiling.]

If you think I'm a billionaire, I hate to break it to you, I'm not that rich.

[But at least this probably explains his fantastic arm definition.]

Stripper vigilante?

Vigilante stripper. I fight crime then take my clothes off for money. It's a sweet gig.

[ Stripping is secondary. Beating things up is her primary goal, always. Still, she seems impressed, her gaze dragging over him before she leans back to take a long, deep drink of her water. ]

If you've got energy to burn, I'm obviously not doing my job well enough.

[ Capping the bottle. ] I didn't think this would be your kind of place.

You mean lacking safety or lacking in frills?

[Someone tosses him a bandage and he raises his hand in thanks, and starts wrapping his hands.]

It reminds me of my gym back home. that's all.

[He's wrapping with the precision and accuracy of long practice.]

It's homely.

[ Which says something about her idea of a home. She watches his hands carefully, then rests her hands against the ropes to let them take her weight to the back of her heels. ]

Aren't you scared someone's going to damage that pretty face? [ If the people around them know of Ashley, she doesn't care. She isn't the one with something to hide. ] I keep you around for a reason.

[ If the people around know, he doesn't act like he cares much either. ]

Not really. I'm better than that, you know.

[ He really is. He moves faster, he's stronger than he looks, he has a quicker reaction that people expect. Niall trained his sons to be good, and Declan is. ]

You keep me around because I make you come. I don't really need a pretty face for that.

[ But then he smiles. ]

I mean, it's a distinct plus, though. I'll be careful for you.

Careful?

[ She only smiles, a sharpness to her face. And then she's climbing into the ring, tightening her pony tale.]

I want to see what you've got. [ Rose has only ever shown off her strength in her bed, but maybe she wants to see what he can do. Maybe she's so surprised to find him in a place like this that she can't help but want it. ]

Against-

[He looks surprised, then, and he takes a step back.]

Against you?

[ She expected that. ]

Why?

Afraid I'll kick your ass?

[ She will, there's no doubt about that. But she wants him to admit that he doesn't think she can. ]

My dad told me not to hit girls.

[His dad only taught him how to mistreat them emotionally.]

[ She's grabbing the tape that rests at the side of the ring, her eyebrows lifting as she straightens up. ]

Good thing I'm not a girl.

[ Woman, and every inch of it. Bouncing on the tips of her toes, she lets her gaze roll over him once more. It's more assessing than it is predatory. That will come later. ]

Declan Lynch | The Raven Cycle

could it be?? a serious thread for them?

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