Chapter 19
Maddox
The music thumps in my ears as I push through the crowd. Behind me, Romeo shoves some over enthusiastic dancer to his knees and I brace for a confrontation until the guy gets a good look at Romeo and backs off.
Strobe lights dance over my head, creating a series of shadows and light as they bounce around the room.
A woman in a slinky red dress and high heels plasters herself against me, licking her lips.
Her long lashes flutter as she grasps my bicep and says, “Where did you come from, sexy?”
Fighting off a tingle of annoyance, I summon a smirk and lean down to say in her ear, “I’m looking for someone.”
She arches a brow and thrusts her fake tits in my face, purring like a cat.
Shaking my head, I try to focus on why we’re here but Delaney’s burning cheeks and shy smile dance over my vision.
Fuck me but before I met the pretty little teenager, this woman would have been right up my alley.
I’m not sure what that means but I push the thought aside. We’re here because another woman is missing.
This time it’s Bambi.
We got word that she was coming here before she disappeared and now, we’re back to searching for clues to find the bastard taking out our women.
“I’m right here, sugar,” she says, and I brush her hair out of her face.
My skin crawls at the contact but I’ll get more answers with honey than fucking vinegar.
“You seen Bambi around?” I ask and she tips her head, encouraging me to move my fingers south.
My impatience rises and I bite back my demands when Romeo steps up, flashes a charming smile and the woman’s panties practically melt off.
With a nod, I move away, grateful to leave him to it. She’ll be eating out of his hand before too long while I’m not in the mood for foreplay.
At the bar, I lean over the makeshift plywood and bark, “You seen Bambi around?”
I know she’s a regular here. She likes to party and get down when she’s not at the club.
One of the other sweet butts mentioned seeing her two nights ago, so we’re hoping someone remembers something.
The woman behind the bar shrugs and says, “Yeah, I guess. Been a few days.”
My pulse spikes and I pull out a wad of cash before slamming it on the bar. “You see who she was with?”
She eyes the money and licks her lips before pulling out a beer and sliding it my way.
Nodding, I take a sip of the beer as she leans in and says, “She was with some preppy fucker. Young. Wore a hoodie.”
Pushing the money toward her, I keep my fingers pressed against it as I say, “Got a name?”
Shaking her head, she waves to another customer before saying, “No, but he knows people.”
“Who?”
When her eyes narrow, I release the money but once she reaches for it, I grab her hand and she huffs, “Cops. Seen ‘em around the neighborhood.”
After that she snatches her hand away and pockets the money before moving down the line just as Romeo appears at my side.
When I nod, he follows me toward the door.
If this fucker really is affiliated to cops somehow then that’s a whole new ballgame.
Our only option is to hang out and see if any assholes appear and I’m about to push through the door when a flash of light brings me around.
Squinting into the darkness, I watch as my fucking sister passes down a hall, easy to spot because of the sparkly combat boots on her feet.
“Fuck,” I growl and stomp that direction.
If she’s here, does that mean Delaney is too?
Delaney
I wake to a thunderstorm in my head and turn to my side, groaning.
What the hell?
My belly hurts and my throat burns.
Was I sick?
I try to remember anything leading up to this but it’s spotty. I fought with Joey. Draven picked me up and took me to a warehouse. I danced. Micah was there.
After that, I don’t remember shit.
I’m not in my room though and glancing to my right, I find Maddox asleep beside me.
My heart thumps at the sight of him in repose and I turn quietly, hoping not to wake him.
His bare chest rises and falls in a deep cadence, and I roll my eyes over his form, starting with the arm he has flexed behind his head.
The beautifully savage tattoos covering his skin provide a glimpse into this biker’s soul and I curl my fingers to keep from tracing the artwork of skulls, mysterious symbols, and tribal images, showing a darkness to his thoughts with a sprinkling of whimsical on the side.
I would think any man who selects his art so carefully must have more below the icy layers.
His smooth, well-defined pecs twitch, and I glance up at his face, my core pulsing at the sight of his lips relaxed, soft and no doubt warm.
I want to trace my finger over the ridges of his abs and feel the crisp hair leading into the band of his boxers.
When I spy his dick hardening beneath the sheets, my cheeks warm and I relive what we did in this room not too long ago.
My fingers tingle at the thought of reaching over and smoothing them over his skin but my savagely pounding head takes precedence.
Still, my curiosity grows as I take in his beautiful form and when Maddox stirs, I glance up to find him watching me with a tiny smirk.
Did he catch me ogling him?
“How’s your head?” he asks, and I touch my forehead.
What the hell happened? Did I drink too much and how did I end up here?
“It um, hurts,” I mumble and he brushes his thumb over my bottom lip.
“Hold on,” he says, sitting up and moving to the edge of the bed.
I admire the flex of his stomach muscles as he goes, and rustling ensues before he turns back with a bottle of water and two painkillers in his palm.
After downing the pills and drinking greedily, I hand him the glass and bow my head, feeling inexplicably shy in his presence.
What the hell happened to my clothes? Is this his shirt that I’m wearing?
Shifting around, I confirm that I’m still wearing panties. Wait…did we do something while I was wasted?
“How do you feel?” he asks.
“Horrible,” I moan.
“What were you thinking?” he barks, and I grab my aching head.
“What?”
“You got drunk at a fucking warehouse with a bunch of wannabe thugs!” he roars, throwing out his hand.
“Too loud,” I say but he just keeps going.
“You never drink in unfamiliar surroundings!”
“I was with my friends,” I protest before pausing. I mean, Micah is my friend. Right…?
When I raise my gaze, Maddox is staring at me with a scowl and pinching the bridge of his nose, he says, “Who? The fucker who assaulted you with a drink? Some friend…”
“What happened?” I mumble and his brows slam over his eyes.
“You don’t know? Jesus, Delaney.”
My stomach roils as he stares at me and with a groan, I collapse back to the bed. “I get it, okay? It was stupid. I’m sorry.”
He scoffs while I play with the edges of the shirt before glancing down, which is when he says, “You puked all over yourself. We had to change you.”
Humiliation, thy name is Delaney. At least I didn’t puke on him…ugh.
“Look, you need to stay away from that douchebag and my cousin,” he mutters, and I eye the tic in his jaw.
“Why?”
When he doesn’t answer, I roll over and grab his wrist, tugging until he meets my gaze.
“Why?” I ask and when his eyes flicker, I cover my mouth. “Did he…”
I’m afraid to know the answer but how can I not ask?
“No,” he grunts, “but I don’t trust the fuckers. You were completely out of it, and I found you in the trees with Micah but…nothing happened, Delaney.”
How stupid am I?
“You’re not stupid,” he rasps before he wraps me up in his arms.
Although I’m fine, I think it's the final nail on a slew of shit that just keeps coming and tears fill my eyes.
I just want to go back to that girl who thought life was about Cheer and partying. I can’t be this girl…I can’t.
“Shit,” he mumbles, rocking me carefully while I stain his shirt with my tears.
What the fuck am I going to do?