Chapter 29
Delaney
I’m going out of my mind with boredom and almost wishing something would happen to end this fiasco.
I’ve considered going home to Mom but frankly I’m not sure I can just walk out the door which leaves me in a quandary.
Besides knowing that Ice was at their damn home, the day they came looking at the trailer doesn’t bode well.
I mean, I don’t think Mom would put me in harm’s way, but I also didn’t know that my dad was wanted by a dangerous MC.
It shows how much I don’t know at this point.
Maybe it’s stupid to not trust her but I have to rest on some principles, and it might as well be this because I have zero control over anything else.
This may not be about me anymore, but I can’t deny it’s hella suspicious that she allowed Ice into her home and continues to insist that I need to do the same.
Why?
To my surprise, Draven shows up the following day and stalks inside with her customary scowl.
I’m starting to wonder if this is a family trait as she glances around before saying, “C’mon, let’s go.”
“Where?” I ask with a frown.
I’ve been holed up here for days. Why would they let me leave now and with Draven, no less?
“Anywhere but here,” she says over her shoulder. “Don’t worry, Pops gave the okay.”
“I’m not worried,” I mumble, ignoring her smirk.
We pass the MC dude sitting on the porch. I don’t know this one’s name, but he doesn’t even look up when we leave.
Once we’re in her pretty muscle car, she peels out onto the highway and I roll down my window, relieved to feel the wind in my hair.
Between the shit with Maddox and the Aces, my thoughts spin almost constantly.
I don’t know what to do and time is running out.
Although I am eighteen and should be able to choose where I stay, that doesn’t magically solve the issue because I’m still not part of the Shadow Saints MC and it’s clear they don’t want me to be.
All in all, I’m screwed no matter what.
Maybe I should contact the Aces myself. Joey’s gone, I can’t imagine they care about me so much that they would start, or I guess continue a war with the Saints.
The opportunity to get more information arrives sooner than I would like when Draven pulls off the highway into a rest stop and I eye the man leaning against his motorcycle watching us approach.
Why would Draven bring me to Kidd? Does Maddox know about this?
My chest clenches at the thought and I rub the ache away as I turn to Draven and say, “What’s going on?”
I mean I ran to her when they came looking for me and now, she’s brought me right back to them, after warning me away, no less.
Now I’m imagining wringing Draven’s neck when Kidd’s pale blue eyes pass over her to me and they narrow as he stands.
I’ll never forget his threats at the diner or the fact that he was going to force me to leave with them.
Never.
“Draven,” I mutter.
“Chill. I’ve known Kidd for years. It’s cool,” she says but it’s not cool.
I don’t care if they’ve been friends since they were in diapers. This fucker threatened me. Period.
“Did you tell him?” I ask while Kidd approaches.
“Who?” she asks but Kidd barks, “What’s going on, Dray?”
“Chill. Fuck,” Draven says, and Kidd backs off when we emerge from the vehicle, albeit reluctantly on my part.
Kidd’s gaze remains locked with mine until I turn my head and stare off into the distance.
I feel like a fool for trusting any of these assholes but I’m still holding out hope that Draven didn’t bring me here for the sole purpose of leaving me in the clutches of a rival MC.
Is she the one who disclosed information about Joey? Eyeing her sideways, I silently sigh as Kidd says, “Well?”
Spinning toward him, I splay my hands and say, “Look, I don’t know where he is. My dad…Snake. He’s gone.”
Kidd slowly shakes his head and mutters, “Stupid fucker has a death wish.”
Okay…
Wincing, I say, “I’m sorry. I am but I have nothing to do with this, any of it.”
Apparently, I’m a fucking comedian because at my words, Kidd tips his head back and laughs, his burnished gold hair glinting in the sun.
He’s handsome to be sure with his pale eyes and surfer good looks but he’s just as deadly as the rest.
I see it in his hard gaze when he says, “You don’t walk away from the Aces.”
“I never was an Ace,” I say, and he shakes his head.
“Half your family including that bitch Helen is. You’re an Ace, princess, whether you want to be or not and sniffing around the Saints just makes it worse.”
I glance at Draven who’s listening to our exchange with a weird smile. What does she get out of this?
As if reading my mind, Kidd sighs and says, “Dray’s just a piece of ass.”
“Hey,” she snarls and swings at him, but he grabs her hand and twists until she winces.
“Wait,” I cry as he pushes her away.
“You know it,” he says. “I know it. Tell yourself whatever you want to sleep at night. You think I don’t know why you’re messing with me? I bet daddy would have a field day with that. Huh?”
Draven straightens and points her finger at him before barking, “Fuck you. I can get dick anytime I want. C’mon, Delaney.”
When Kidd doesn’t bother to respond, I turn back to him and he raises a brow.
What gives? I’m just a freaking teenager.
I may not know much about MC but what I do know is that they don’t accept females into their ranks.
So why would they care about me? Unless they want to use me as bait…
With a shiver of unease, I back away, ignoring Kidd when he shakes his head.
Maybe Kidd is speaking the truth but that doesn’t change a damn thing for me. I won’t be used for anyone else’s gain.
Besides, I shudder to think how these savages treat women.
At least Maddox didn’t threaten to abduct me, although to be fair, he didn’t have to when I continued to walk into his arms.
Between this whole Aces saga and Maddox, I’m starting to feel like a pinball.
What if Maddox has been using me to get information?
I’m halfway to the car and more confused than ever when Kidd says, “What about Helen?”
Pausing, I turn around and ask, “What about her?”
His eyes slide to the right, and he works his jaw before saying, “She can’t hide from this. Ice always gets what he wants.”
“What does he want?” I ask.
“Her. You,” he says simply but I don’t fucking understand.
“Why?” I rasp as Draven honks the horn and waves at me.
“Because she belongs to him. Always has.”
“C’mon,” Draven shouts, while I stare at Kidd dumbly.
I don’t even know what to say and horrified at the prospect, I back away when he eyes me before muttering, “Jesus, you’re fucking clueless. Go. Before I change my damn mind.”
About what?
When he tips his chin toward the car, I round the vehicle and slide inside.
His gaze doesn’t waver as Draven revs the engine, and I sink in the seat until we’re back on the road and heading toward the cabin.
Dazed, I rub my brow and say, “What now?”
I’m not necessarily asking her but Draven sneers, “You make a choice.”
“Which is?”
“Go to the Aces or stay.”
I was hoping for something a little more profound.
“If I were you,” she says. “I’d leave. Get the fuck out of this town and this life.”
“Is it true?” I ask.
“What?”
“Am I somehow stuck with the Aces because of who my parents are?”
Her mouth twists as she turns into the drive where Joker stands on the porch with his hands on his hips.
“Fuck,” she says. “Do me a favor and don’t tell him where we went.”
Okay, so Joker wasn’t in on this. That’s good to know.
“What am I supposed to say?” I ask but she’s out the door and stalking toward her dad before I get a satisfactory answer.
Turns out I don’t need to come up with a lie because Draven’s got it covered, leaving me disturbed at her ability to make up a story on the fly with a straight freaking face.
After Joker chews Draven out for taking me on a joyride, she leaves.
Unfortunately, it looks like Romeo won’t be my guard or whatever tonight because he’s not here and Joker proceeds to get comfortable on the couch.
He hasn’t mentioned the Aces yet and I’m just starting to relax into the cushions beside him when he says, “Where’d she really take you?”
Fuck.
I don’t know whether to lie, pretend ignorance, act like I didn’t hear him or confess all.
For all I know, he’s testing me to see if our stories match up.
I have to assume he wouldn’t ever imagine what we were really doing though which leaves me betraying her when I don’t truly understand her intentions or lying to him when I don’t know his either.
He turns his head and meets my stare before raising a single brow. He should look completely benign with that stripe of rainbow hair on his head, but he doesn’t.
I’m staring at the president of the Shadow Saints MC, and he’s not amused which makes my decision easier to swallow.
I don’t want to be a snitch, but I also have to look out for myself, and my life is more important than Draven fucking around with Kidd.
Thankfully, I’m saved by the bell when someone pulls up outside the house, their headlights illuminating the room before it darkens once more.
My pulse stutters at that and I stand in anticipation both thrilled and wary when Maddox steps through the door and our eyes lock.
He’s back to his icy cool demeanor, I see, and I shift uneasily as Romeo follows him inside.
I know something has to give. I’m just hoping I’ll have a little more time to figure this shit out before they either kick me out or use me as bait to lure their enemies into the open.
Fighting back a shiver, I glance between the three dangerous men before focusing on Romeo because he’s the only one who doesn’t look ready to rip my throat out.
When he winks, I muster a wan smile before Maddox steps between us with a scowl and Joker says, “What’s the deal with Helen?”
“Mom?” I ask.
“Yeah,” he grunts. “Does she know Snake is missing?”
Does he know my mom? How? When?
Would it be better if I told them Joey denied being my father? But to what end? They don’t trust me, and I have no reason to believe they’ll leave her alone.
“No,” I finally say.
“Why?” Joker says, splaying his hands. “Why wouldn’t you tell her? Her husband’s a cop. They could’ve filed a missing person’s report.”
It’s a valid question but I can’t answer it without revealing the sordid mess with my mom. I won’t do that. I can’t…
“I didn’t want to get Peter in trouble,” I whisper, ignoring the bead of sweat that slides down my icy spine.
Despite my resolve, I know I’m playing with fire.
If Ice is a murderer, what does that make these men? They’re not kittens, that’s for sure.
When Joker circles around me, I follow with my eyes as he says, “Your stepdad ain’t man enough to fight for his family?”
“He's not you.”
It’s true. While I don’t see Peter as a weakling, I know he’s not the type of person who can fight an entire MC.
“Sit,” Joker barks and I flinch before reluctantly pulling out a chair at the table and plopping my ass down.
When Maddox eyes his dad with furrowed brows, I shiver. If he’s worried, then I should be terrified.
“Call her,” Joker says.
“Why?” I ask and he pins me with an icy stare.
“Call. Her,” he says, enunciating the words like I don’t understand.
It’s pretty clear cut except I don’t want to call her while they hover over me.
Why does Ice think my mom belongs to him? What if she’s in danger and I’m making the situation worse?
I’m considering my options and what might happen if I flat out refuse when Maddox says, “Delaney, we need to have all the information.”
Do we or do they?
Either way, I’m pretty sure saying no isn’t an option and I pull out my phone, fumbling to unlock it while they’re all practically staring over my shoulder.
Avoiding the three pairs of eyes drilling into my skull, I pull up her contact, wincing when Joker grabs the phone from my hand and puts it on speaker just as she says, “Hey Delaney. I’m so glad to hear from you.”
I don’t know what to say even if I could swallow past the lump in my throat and I glance up at Joker for direction.
He’s glaring at the phone like it might bite him, and I curl my icy fingers into my palms as she says, “Del–”
“Red!” Joker barks, cutting her off.
Red?
Covering my mouth, I turn to Maddox who’s watching his dad with wide eyes.
Meanwhile, Romeo approaches, stopping just behind my chair. He’s never been the least bit threatening, but I still feel penned in as Mom says, “Jason?”
Jason? What the actual fuck?
“Where’s my daughter?” she cries, and I pray for my poor phone when Joker’s meaty paw clenches around it.
“I guess you got what you wanted,” Joker says. “MC life wasn’t for you, so you went and married a fucking pig?”
He does know my mom. How? Why? When?
She doesn’t answer but he’s on a roll anyway, saying, “What the fuck is going on, Red? Snake? Did you really think he’d get away with it?”
Get away with what? Leaving the MC or something more?
I’m eyeing the throbbing vein in his forehead when she cries, “Where’s Delaney? What have you done?”
“I ain’t done shit,” Joker sneers. “But it seems the Aces want their brother back. Why’s that, Red?”
Maddox’s head swivels my direction, and I read the question in his eyes but it’s not my problem his dad didn’t fill him in on whatever he’s talking about.
“You listen to me, you bastard,” Mom hisses and I rear back.
I’ve never heard this particular tone from my mom, and I can’t help but wonder if this is the woman Joey described before.
Who’s the real woman though?
“If you hurt one hair on her head,” she snaps. “I’ll kill you my-fucking-self.”
“Yeah?” Joker sneers. “Come and get me.”
With that, he ends the call and drops my phone on the table.
Dazed, I stare at it as it begins to vibrate, Mom’s face flashing on the screen while it dances across the wood.
“What’s going on?” Maddox asks and Joker shakes his head before stalking to the door. “Pops!”
“Stay here. Don’t let her out of your sight,” he barks while Romeo follows behind him.
Into the silence, I turn back to Maddox while he stares at the door. Finally, his gaze meets mine and he says, “Who the fuck is Red?”
Shrugging, I drop my head to the table and mumble, “That’s what I’d like to know.”