Chapter 13
Delaney
Irun the brush through my hair, noticing that it is looking healthier than usual. It has been three days since I let Thorin finger-bang me in his room here at the clubhouse, sucking blood from a small wound on my collarbone.
My climax ripped through me, reaching every nerve ending from the top of my head to the tip of my toes, making me cry out his name. Never have I ever felt like that before, not even when I have gotten myself off while thinking of him.
Pulling my hair up into a tight, sleek ponytail, I add product to keep it in place while I work my shift at Starlight.
Next, I do my makeup, adding a sexy smoky eye and some red lip stain to last the night. Being a club girl, but not really, I had to make myself look sexy and presentable, so I watched tutorials online to make my makeup look sexy, but with minimal effort.
I am too lazy for all that contouring shit.
Blowing myself a kiss in the mirror, because I look fucking hot, I get to my feet and dig through my duffle that was stuffed full of my clothes by Skyla.
Thorin sent word that I was in lockdown, but if he thinks that he can keep me tied to the clubhouse, while he gets to fuck off Lord knows where, he has another think coming.
He left this morning, telling me that he would be back later. He has not touched me since the first night, and if I am being honest, it pisses me off.
As I pull my work shirt over my head, the bedroom door opens with some force.
“Where the fuck do you think you are going?” Thorin growls.
Rolling my eyes, I look to him, seeing blood splatter on his arm and the bottom of his grey T-shirt.
“Work. I need to earn money, ya know. Not all of us have a bank account filled with money from doing illegal shit,” I snark.
Pulling on a pair of tight pleather pants, I reach for my ankle booties, but they are ripped from my hand and thrown across the room.
“You are on fucking lockdown, Del. You do not get to leave.”
Oh yeah, he has taken to calling me ‘baby’ or ‘Del’ but only at home. It is strange, but deep down, I fucking love it. For years, he would call me by my full name, or just throw a grunt my way.
So hearing him give me an endearment, which I know that he does not use on any of the bitches he fucks or feeds from, makes my heart pitter-patter. Stupid heart sometimes forgets what he did to us, but my soul still feels the pain he caused.
“You are not leaving,” he snarls, but I do not fear him.
“Oh, but I am. You can come with me or send one of the brothers with me.”
“Not going.”
My hands go to my hips, my attitude in full effect. “Oh, but I am, Thorin Blackwood. You see, I have not been claimed. I wear no patch on my back, no ink on my skin, and no Blood Oath mark on my palm,” I snap.
The veins in his neck throb with anger, but I couldn’t care less. I am going to work.
“You are mine,” he barks, stepping closer, his cool hands on my hips pressing my back to the wall.
“In here I am. Out there”—I nod my head toward the door, meaning the main room— “I am a friend of the club who needed protection. You have found nothing in the last few days, so I am going to work. Come with me or don’t, but I am going.” I glare at him.
He drops his head, licking my neck, and my knees go weak. Damn this vampire.
“I could make you,” he says low against my skin.
It is like a bucket of cold water has been dumped on me.
“Didn’t I warn you?” I snap, moving away from him.
Snatching up my jacket and purse, collecting my phone from the table, I storm out of the room, not bothering to wait to hear what he has to say. Fucking men.
“DELANEY.” My name is bellowed behind me, but I keep my steps hurried toward the main room.
I reach the main room, scanning for the person I want to speak to. Seeing Winger sitting with Camo, I let out a sigh and hurry over to them.
“Do not involve my Pres and VP in this, Delaney. You will not like the consequences,” Thorin directs his threat toward me.
Looking over my shoulder, I shrug, knowing that I am acting like a brat.
“I am tired of being cooped up, Thor. Nothing has happened—no threats, no warnings. All I want to do is go to work and see my friends,” I state firmly, letting him know that I am tired but not backing down from this.
“You may not have seen or heard of the threats, Delaney, but they are still fucking there. You are not an Ol’ Lady, or claimed, so you are not privy to club business. Not that you would be anyway,” he bites back.
His words hit harder than I could have expected.
My body turns to stone. Any hope that had blossomed just wilted.
The air is filled with tension, and I know that the brothers feel it too.
“Why don’t we take a step back and calm down,” Camo says, walking across the room to us.
Keeping my gazed fixed on Thorin, my heart aches in my chest, like a scab has been pulled free and is starting to bleed again from his words.
“I do not need to calm the fuck down when it comes to my woman.” Thorn glares at his VP.
Camo is one mean motherfucker and will not back down, even from Thorin.
“But as you just made it clear, I am not your woman. Not an Ol’ Lady or claimed, so you have zero fucking say over what I can and cannot do.” I look to Camo. “I would like to go to work; you can put a brother or a prospect on me, but I am going.”
He thinks on it, looking at me, keeping eye contact. He looks like he is trying to figure something out, but what, I do not know. Maybe he is dragging out the suspense only to tell me that he agrees with Thorin, and I have to stay put.
Then my stomach releases the knot that was there when Camo smiles, winking at me.
“You can go to work. Cotton will watch over you. You listen to every-fucking-thing that he says, you get me?” His voice takes on a serious tone.
He was holding out to piss off Thorin, not me.
Fucker is good.
“Yes.” I nod, smiling, but guilt settles in my gut when Thorin explodes.
“NO. She stays here. You would never risk Skyla like this, so why are you allowing my woman to be at risk?” He lunges for Camo, but brothers step between them, making me gasp.
Fuck.
Never would I want to come between the brothers; I only wanted to go to work and get out of the club for a little while. Shit.
Tears fill my eyes watching Thorin try to reach Camo, pushing Rush off him in anger.
“STOP!” I cry out.
Thorin is raging, snarling at anyone who is holding him. He may have vampire strength, but the other brothers have their own powers and with that comes strength.
I go to step forward, but stop hearing Winger.
“ENOUGH!” he bellows, and everyone stops. He assesses the room, frowning at what he is seeing.
“What the fuck is going on here?” His voice is full of command, enough to make everyone look at him.
He oozes power, but that is why he is the president of the club.
I rush forward to explain.
“Nothing, just a misunderstanding. I am going back to Thorin’s room. It is fine,” I rush out. He looks down at me, because Winger is a tall fucker, over six feet three.
Looking to Thorin, I see rage staring back at me and my heart cracks open that little bit more. He hates me for causing an issue with his brothers. That one look makes me pause, and a solution pops into my head.
With one more longing look at the man who owns my heart, I turn back to his president. Clearing my throat, swallowing the lump in my throat and before I lose all courage, I speak.
"On second thought, I would like to go home now." I push my shoulders back, flashing my fake bravado.
“I think someone may have a say on that, don’t you?” he prompts, but I shake my head.
“No.” I stand firm, an edge to my voice so they know I am not fucking around. “I am not claimed, so I am free to go,” I force out, each word tasting vile on my tongue.
I thought we had turned a corner, but clearly Thorin is still being the Thorin who hurt me. Not giving into the mating connection but wanting me here to no one else could have me.
I do not know what he is thinking, and right now, I do not care.
“She stays,” Thorin snarls behind me.
I keep my eyes on Winger, who looks between the two of us.
“I have to agree with Thorin, Pres. We have not found any new information on the two Furies. No new sightings of the vampires, but that does not mean that they are not out there, biding their time.” This comes from Oryn.
I sigh, my shoulders dropping in defeat.
“Let her go.” Thorin’s words cut me deep.
I swallow hard, and my eyes fill with tears over his cold harsh tone. Yes, I got what I wanted, but his words feel final.
“Cotton and a prospect will be at her back watching her while she works, but she comes straight back here after her shift. She does not stay to clean up; she is to be brought straight here and to my room.”
“Delaney, is that good for you?” I nod to Winger, tugging at the hem of my shirt.
Tilting my head to the side, I see Thorin’s back as he leaves the room. My stomach rolls with guilt and hurt, mixed with a fuck load of other emotions that are connected to this man.
His body craves me—I have seen and felt that—yet his mind will not claim me.
He hates me right now, and he has cracked open my heart once again.
How many times will I let it happen before I leave for good, taking my broken heart far away from here and letting someone else heal me?
“You ready, Delaney?” Cotton asks, looking at me with sympathy.
I nod, not speaking.
My emotions are all over the place.
I feel like I am going to be sick.
Placing my hand on my upset tummy, I walk behind Cotton, out into the cold night air, then I slip into the passenger side of the SUV the club uses.
The prospect climbs into the back, and I look over my shoulder to see him offer a gentle smile to me. I try to return one back and fail, my eyes filling with tears.
Facing forward, I wrap my arms around my middle, before looking out the side window, watching as Salem flashes by. People, buildings, the fall colors of the leaves on the trees.
Christmas is not too far away, but the way things are right now, I am not sure where or who I will be spending it with.
“You know that he is a stubborn fucker, right?” The sudden sound of Cotton’s voice makes me jump. “Sorry.” He offers me a shy smile. “He is very protective of you, honey. You know that.”
“Not really, Cot. He is hot and cold with me. He makes my head spin.”
“Do you trust him?”
His question takes me back to when I was straddling Thorin’s thighs and he asked me the same question before he cut me with his new dagger, then tasted my blood and made me come.
The memory has my pussy fluttering, but I breathe in deep, pushing down any romantic feelings for him right now. I need to clear my head and see what happens next.
“That is a loaded question, Cotton. One I cannot answer right now.” I look back out the window, ending the conversation.
Before I know it, we have arrived at Starlight Lounge. The prospect climbs out of the car, meeting me at my door. I nod to him, offering a thanks. Cotton is at my side, scanning the area as we walk inside.
Taking a deep breath, I brush off any shitty feelings, slip my mask on, and get to work.