Chapter 26
Maddox
I know it’s fucking stupid, but I can’t send her away knowing she’s in danger. Besides, I’d like to know how the Aces figured out where her daddy was when we barely knew ourselves.
Do we have another mole in our midst?
It’s too risky for her to be out on her own, especially if the Aces are looking for her dad. Delaney doesn’t know shit about the Aces, and I won’t be the dick who intentionally leaves her exposed.
This is a problem though. If the Aces MC is in her blood…she’s got more than a missing daddy to worry about.
Ice don’t take kindly to defectors and he’s real possessive when it comes to what he deems his property, women and children included.
How the fuck did this asshole fly under the radar for so long?
Now that she’s here, we’ve opened another can of worms. The Aces already hate our guts. What happens when they find out we’ve been hiding their princess?
Whatever.
For now, she can stay here and when Pops isn’t on a rampage about two of our men who are missing, I’ll bring up the subject.
“O-Okay,” she says and my chest clenches when she looks at me with those wide blue-gray eyes.
She’s trusting me to keep her safe, but I have no control over this. She’s not only related to pigs but now the Aces are going to be on a rampage.
Despite the seriousness of the situation, when she bites her lip, my dick stiffens because I know what lays between those silky thighs—fucking paradise.
Ignoring the pulse in my pants, I step into the hall and say, “I’ll grab food.”
I’m out the door before she can respond and with a sigh, I lean my head against the wood.
Get it together. I can’t afford to make any mistakes.
She’s in bed with the enemy. Shit. Fuck. Damn.
Wrong choice of words…she better not be in bed with fucking anybody.
Fuck me.
Grumbling under my breath, I head downstairs. Toni waves from the bar which I bypass because I’m not in the mood for idle chit chat. Not even with her and she’s one of the coolest chicks here, as far as I’m concerned.
Thank fuck Delaney’s in the bathroom when I drop off a plate of eggs and bacon. I’m not ashamed to admit that I beat a hasty retreat, focusing on the day.
Still, the entire time I listen to Pops rage at the front of church, my mind whirls. Did I lose my chance to make that fucker pay? I knew we shouldn’t have waited.
It’s a shitty thing but maybe stashing Delaney away is the better bet because now I have leverage with the fucker when the time comes.
However, now I have to face off with my pops and the brothers because I can’t keep Delaney a secret.
I know just about as much as he does but the news that her dad skipped town does not go over well when Wolf leans over the table and rasps, “Why didn’t we know about this before?”
When I glance at Pops, he rubs his jaw and sighs. “Stand down. I didn’t say anything because there was no proof.”
“I guess we got it now,” Jersey mutters and I glance his way.
It’s hard to determine what the fucker is thinking but I’m pretty sure it’s not sunshine and roses and let’s have a tea party with the new girl.
Kicking Delaney out after everything she’s been through doesn’t sit well and while they all chat about what the fuck to do, I blurt, “I’ll take her to the house. No one is there. Can’t cause much harm.”
While I don’t trust anyone but my brothers and some days, I’m filled with doubts about even that, I can’t see how Delaney is a true threat.
She’s a fucking high school student for fucks sake. It’s not like the Aces are using her to run drugs.
Although a tiny voice in my head reminds me that I was suspicious of her motives when I met her pig stepdad. Is she hiding anything else?
As if sensing my thoughts, Pops says, “We’ll question her first.”
It’s not an affirmative but it will have to do until we know more. I just hope Delaney isn’t hiding something that she can’t take back.
After that, I sit back while my brothers discuss Bambi and what we found out after sweeping the town and her usual haunts.
“We need to get our hands on one of those fuckers,” Jersey grunts.
“Yeah, but how? The assholes are hiding behind their fucking badges,” Reaper grumbles.
Reaper’s grandfather, Zeus, was one of the founding members of the Saints. A true bad ass mother fucker, he unfortunately succumbed to cancer five years ago.
Reaper’s father, Ocean nods from where he’s leaning against the wall. Ocean lost his father and brother, Ace, in quick succession, followed by Danny, Ace’s son, who joined the wrong fucking team and ended up dead for his mistakes.
Now Reaper’s the only one left of the Jackson clan beyond Ocean’s sister who doesn’t come around much anymore.
“We know he’s been to the diner, the warehouse and Rawley’s,” Jersey ticks off on his fingers. “We need to see if he might come back.”
Rawley’s is Reaper’s bar. If a cop showed up there, they were smart enough not to wear their uniform.
This leaves the diner and the warehouse.
My bet is on the warehouse if anything because it’s a broad mix of people where anyone can hide, but if the target is our women, will they go back there?
Once church ends, I step reluctantly into the hall. The time has come for Delaney to answer Pops’ questions and with a kernel of unease, I move toward the stairs, hoping that this doesn’t blow up in my face.
Delaney
I’m picking at the food Maddox left for me when Draven taps on the door and enters before I can answer.
She eyes Maddox’s bed with a curl to her lip while I mentally groan and close my eyes.
Did I really admit everything to Maddox earlier? He sure left in a hurry after my confession, and I do believe he’s now avoiding me.
But what was I supposed to do?
Joey is gone. Some scary ass goons are after him via me and they weren’t shy about going to my damn mom, who must know them, by the way.
Now I’m at the mercy of Maddox and his people and regret barrels through me when Draven says, “You look like shit.”
“I feel like shit,” I mumble.
Her mouth curves into a frown before she continues, “Well, you butter suck it up, butter cup, you’re about to meet my pops.”
“Your pops?”
“Yeah, he’s the prez. He decides what happens,” she says with a sour smile.
“Oh,” I mumble. “Do you think he’ll make me go?”
I know it sounds stupid, but I feel safe here and it’s not just about those MC freaks after Joey.
I don't want to face my mom because I’m afraid of what she’s going to tell me, which is freaking horse shit.
If they kick me to the curb, I’ll figure something out. If I absolutely have to, I’ll go back, although that’s my last choice until I figure out how deep they are with the Aces.
“C’mon,” she says.
It’s quiet as we make our way down the hall and at the top of the stairs, Draven says, “Cry.”
“Huh?”
“The ol’ man hates tears. Cry,” she says before Maddox steps into view at the bottom.
His solemn dark eyes meet mine and I grab the banister hoping my legs don’t give out as I stumble down them.
I can’t read his expression which only ratchets my paranoia until we pass a pretty, young woman with strawberry blonde hair and she smiles, easing my fears.
When she nods, I straighten, taking strength from a stranger.
Maddox leads me down an intersecting hall away from the main room and when we reach a closed door, he knocks once before pushing it open.
Two men are inside, and I lift my chin as I enter and stop before the desk.
Draven and Maddox’s dad sits behind it. I recognize his short hair formed into a mohawk of various colors. His bright blue eyes scan me curiously while another guy, leaning against the wall, broods quietly.
This one is younger, although not as young as Maddox, I suspect. He’s hot, tall, and really fucking stern which does nothing for the doom swirling in my belly.
“Well, now it seems you have a problem, darlin’,” the older man says.
“Delaney, you know my pops, Joker. He’s the prez,” Maddox interjects.
“Hello,” I whisper woodenly while Maddox waves toward the man by the wall.
“This is Wolf, the VP.”
Wolf inclines his head but doesn’t speak as Joker says, “Your daddy skipped town?”
Despite his actions, it feels sketchy to talk about Joey especially when I don’t know if these men are just as eager to see him hurt as the others were.
However, Joey isn’t exactly innocent himself and I know I have to confess all after everything Maddox has done for me, but the words stick in my throat.
If what Joey has said is correct, the Aces are more than just the enemy, they’re animals and despite Draven’s involvement, I’ve been consorting with them…sort of.
“I think so. I don’t know but he’s gone,” I finally say and Joker glances at Wolf, sharing a silent message.
When Joker turns back to me, he asks, “You know who your daddy is?”
Shifting, I glance between them, wishing I could see Maddox’s expression but he’s standing behind me by the door.
Slowly, I shake my head before whispering, “No. Just that those other dudes called him Snake.”
When the blood drains from Joker’s face, any kindness, such as it was, fades from his eyes too.
Dread pools in my belly when Wolf stands from the wall, dropping his arms like somehow, I just became a threat.
“Who the fuck is Snake?” Maddox barks.
“Thought the fucker was dead,” Wolf growls.
At the sound, I cringe and splay my hands while Joker runs his hands down his face and says, “He is or was Ice’s right-hand thug.”
“Ice?” I ask, bewildered by the turn of events.
Just a few days ago, my dad was my dad—Joey, and I had never heard of Snake or Ice. Now I’m caught between them and these men who look less than pleased by the revelation.
“Right hand?” Maddox echoes.
Joker’s brows flicker before he rubs the bridge of his nose and says, “His brother. Snake is Ice’s brother.”
Silence ensues and I’m processing what this means when the low hiss of something unidentifiable assaults my ears. My heart jumps into my throat and I slowly turn, confirming that the animalistic sound was coming from Maddox.