Chapter 5
DELANEY
Can someone explain how I go about getting a hurricane named after me?
Asking for a friend.
—Delaney’s Secret Thoughts
I’m not sure what wakes me up, the knock I think I may have just heard or Tori’s squeal.
My eyes open slowly, and reality blinds me with bright sunlight shining through the curtains I left open last night .
. . Although I guess it was actually this morning.
I’m in my bed, my head resting on Ryker Beneventi’s chest, with his arm curled protectively around mine, my knees tucked up against me, and my arm draped around his waist. Safe.
I’m surprised either of us was able to get any sleep at all, but according to the clock, it’s been about four hours since we got home.
Another knock comes, this time more insistent, and Tori takes off for the door, swinging her chubby pink ass as she goes. Definitely more of a people person than me, and right now, she’s dying to see who’s outside.
A chuff comes from the living room, and a smile pulls at my sore lips.
Guess I’m not moving fast enough for her.
With a deep breath, I carefully attempt to extricate myself from Ryker’s hold, but it’s harder than I expected. My head hurts, my body hurts, even my hair hurts, but none of it hurts as much as my soul.
Yesterday was close. Too close. Closer than I’ve let anyone get in a long damn time. I let my guard down. Something I know better than to do. This has been my biggest fear. Not death. A fate I consider worse. And for years I managed to evade it . . . until last night.
My eyes trace silently over Ryker’s face, my heart pounding furiously in my chest. I rarely let a man touch me.
I’ve never let one carry me. Or sleep next to me.
It’s never been safe in my world. But this one came in and turned all that on its head.
Thankfully, there’s only a little bruising around his eye.
His knuckles tell a different story. One that starts and stops with him saving my life.
And with that thought, my throat closes, and a sob catches.
No.
I will not go there.
Not now. Not with him asleep in my bed. And certainly not with a squealing Piggie Smalls at my front door, ready to welcome someone inside.
Another knock comes, and I groan. Jesus. Impatient much?
“I’m coming,” I murmur as I pull on sweatpants and a ribbed tank, grateful for my small boobs because there’s no way in hell my sore arms could manage a bra this morning.
I’m not sure why I bother glancing in the mirror, and regret eats at me immediately.
Bruises mar my face. My cheek is stitched so meticulously, you can barely see the thread.
Then there’re the broken capillaries . .
. I look like my freckles have quadrupled overnight.
And that’s before I look at my throat. At the fingerprints branding my swollen skin.
It looks so bad. A flash of last night comes back so powerfully, I close my eyes and count to ten before opening them again. Yeah, I’m going to need to cover that. I grab the first hoodie I can find and throw it on, the less skin showing the better.
Tori follows me to the door and drops to her haunches as I check the peephole.
Shit. Ashton and Jamie are on the other side of the door, and my sister doesn’t look happy.
“Oh my God, Delaney,” Ashton cries, taking one look at me before she throws her arms around me and squeezes.
Her baby bump presses against my ribs, stealing the breath from my lungs as I try to mask the pain.
“I didn’t want to believe it, but you weren’t answering your phone, and I needed to see for myself. I wanted it to be wrong.”
“Give her some room, Ace.” Jamie kisses the top of her head and steps around his wife into my apartment, reaching down to give Tori some love.
My baby sister, who they’re in the process of adopting, is tucked against his broad chest. She blinks up at me with big golden eyes that crinkle and smile when she sees me.
“La La,” she babbles, throwing herself into my arms. Kyrie’s new go-to move.
“Hi, sweet girl,” I murmur instead of the fuck that hurt that threatens to break free because holy hell, I’m not sure I have the strength to hold her.
With horrified eyes, Ashton lifts her hands like she’s going to touch me. “It’s . . . I . . .” Her face scrunches, and tears pool in her eyes. “He hurt you.”
“I’m okay,” I promise, not quite believing it myself.
A strong, warm hand brushes my hip, and I force myself to keep breathing.
Guess he woke up.
“How about you give me Kyrie?” Ryker offers as he comes to a stop in front of me, reaching for her before I answer. The small grin on his face offers a little extra strength.
“Thanks,” I silently mouth back as he shifts Kyrie from my arms to his.
“Hey, baby girl.” He tosses her high in the air, and her squeals elicit a similar sound from Tori.
Babies are so easily redirected. Sisters, not so much.
My very pregnant, very hormonal sister plants her hands on her hips and narrows her eyes on Ryker. “You better have a really good reason for not calling me, Ryker Beneventi.”
Ryker looks at Jamie for help, but he just shakes his head, clearly taking Ashton’s side.
Men.
One pregnant woman asks a question and everyone clams up.
“I told him not to.” I put Ryker and Jamie out of their misery, but the hurt look on Ashton’s face puts me firmly in their place.
“Why?” she asks, and Ryker grimaces.
“How about we go get you guys some breakfast and give you some privacy?” he asks, bouncing Kyrie on his hip. “You want coffee, Lane?”
“No thank you,” I try to sign. What’s the sign for tea? “T.E.A.”
He nods. “We’ll be back in a few.”
Jamie kisses Ashton’s temple and waits for Ryker, who’s staring at me like he’s waiting for permission . . . or maybe waiting for me to be sure I’m okay. I nod, and so does he before walking through the door.
Silent communication with this man who saved my life but who I really don’t know.
Not well.
Not yet.
Ashton takes my hand in hers and drags me over to my small couch, tugging me down next to her. She smooths her hand over my hair and pushes it away from my face. “What happened, Lane?”
Running my tongue over my split lip, I sit back, bringing my knees up to my chest and making myself as small as possible before telling her everything.
Everything that happened inside West End after she and Jamie left.
Everything that happened outside . . .
The hospital . . .
The detectives. Olivia. Every awful detail.
Dying a little more with each word. Each memory.
The only thing I skim over is what happened once we were here.
I’m not even sure why, but I’m just not ready to share that.
Not yet. This whole sharing with your sister thing is still new to both of us.
We’ve actually bonded over it already. Neither of us are women who grew up with tons of women friends.
So we both get it. But we’ve already bonded to each other.
Life and death situations will do that for you, and we seem to continually find ourselves in them.
If this is what’s on my bingo card for the year, I need to burn that bitch.
“So wait.” Ashton sits up and presses the heel of her hand into her bump, moving the baby. “Are you really going to marry Ryker?”
“If that’s what will save him, yes.” I don’t hesitate. Not on this.
Thank God, he didn’t hesitate last night.
“But it’s not like you love him, right?” she asks like the idea of marrying a man for any other reason is insane. She’s not wrong, but nothing about any of this makes much sense.
“No. But I owe him.”
Ryker
Jamie and I sit hidden away in a back booth of The Busy Bee Café, waiting for the pancakes and waffles we’ve ordered for the girls.
Ashton’s a pancakes girl. I don’t have a clue what kind of breakfast food Delaney likes or if she even eats it or will want it today, but waffles and fruit seemed like a good choice.
I may have also ordered a few pastries and an order of eggs just in case.
The crowded diner buzzes with people as we wait.
“I wish we hadn’t left when we did,” Jamie says quietly as he signs. He’s too low to hear in the crowded diner, but hopefully, no one else can either. “Maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”
“You can’t take that on yourself,” I answer just as quietly.
He breaks off another piece of donut for Kyrie, who’s in heaven, licking the glaze off the first bite he gave her. “How much trouble does Liv think you’re in?”
I shrug. “Enough.”
“You really going to marry her? It feels like there has to be a better way.”
Kyrie smacks my hand with a smooshed, wet donut, trying to shove it my way. It looks disgusting, but I act like I’m going to eat it anyway. There’s basically nothing I wouldn’t do to make this baby girl smile.
My phone lights up and vibrates with another text.
My thirty-second of the morning.
I haven’t opened any of them yet.
My family is overly involved on a good day, and today isn’t a good day.
“You gonna answer that?” Jamie nods toward the phone that’s facing up. This time, my brother Maverick’s name flashes on the screen. “Mav’s gonna be pissed you’re ignoring him.”
“He’ll be more pissed when he finds out you’re with me,” I joke because what the fuck else can I even do about it?
Begrudgingly, I slide my finger over the screen, immediately wishing I hadn’t.
Family Group Text
Mom
Ryker Beneventi! Why am I waking up to texts from your aunts asking when you got engaged?
Maverick
What?
Mom
All my sisters and two of my brothers have texted, already wanting to know what’s happening. Apparently, I need to go on social media to find these things out.
Maverick
Seriously?
Mom
You are a college-educated man, Maverick. Use more than one goddamned word, please.
Maverick
You’re freaking out, Mom.
Dad
Oh boy.
Not the right answer.
Mom
Where are you, Sebastian?
Dad
Just got home, Len. I was running.
Mom
Do you know what’s going on?
Dad
No one texted me anything.
Maverick
Oh shit.
Mom
Mav . . .
Dad
That was two words.
Mom
I’m going to kill you both.
Maverick
Oh, you’re definitely going to want to add Ryker to that list, Ma.
Mom
Don’t call me, Ma.
What did you find?
Maverick
According to what I’m finding, he’s engaged.
Text from Maverick to Ryker
Maverick
What the fuck happened last night? There’s a video of you beating the life out of Roger Dennings. People are saying he’s dead. Where are you, brother?
Ryker. Answer me.
Text from Hendrix to Ryker
Hendrix
Hey, man. Checking in. How are you? How’s Delaney?
Anything you need?
Guys Group Chat
Maverick
Does someone want to tell me where the hell my brother is?
Jamie
Not here.
Finn
I have an idea. But I’m not sure.
Maverick
Where?
Finn
Jamie, has Ashton spoken to Delaney?
Jamie
Ashton’s not awake yet.
Finn
Wake her up.
Maverick
Finn!
Finn
I’ll get back to you.
And that’s just the start of them. Fuck.
I look across the table as the waitress drops the bags in front of us.
“Yeah, Mav’s freaking. Guessing your parents are too.”
“Yeah.” I shake my head. “Guess so.”
I toss a hundred on the table and grab the bags before I see Liv’s name flash and groan.
Text from Liv to Ryker
Liv
I’m on my way to your house.
Ryker
I’m on my way back to Delaney’s.
Liv
Where are you!
Ryker
Grabbing breakfast with Jamie. We’re heading back now.
Liv
Get back there. NOW. Do not leave and do not get photographed. I’m coming to you.
Ryker
Relax, Olivia.
Liv
If anyone asks you anything, do not speak. I’m serious, Ryker. Not a word. Let them think you can’t hear them.
Ryker
Seriously, Liv.
Liv
Do as I say, you dumbass. I’ll see you in a few.
And answer your parents. Now they’re texting me.
Switching back over to the family chat, I hang my head and grab the bags.
Family Group Chat
Mom
You got into a fight!
Maverick
Give him a break, Mom. We don’t know what happened.
Dad
Roger Dennings attacked Delaney Rousseau. Your brother protected her and apparently, according to the video your uncle just sent me, also married her.
Maverick
What the fuck?
Mom
Where is he?
Ryker
I’m at Delaney’s place.
Mom
Why haven’t you answered me?
Ryker
I’ve been a little busy, Mom.
Mom
Are you okay? Is Delaney okay?
Dad
Where does she live? We’re on our way.
Maverick
You need anything?
Ryker
I’m okay. Delaney will be okay. She’s not right now. I don’t need anything. And she lives above Love in Bloom. Olivia is on her way here now.
Mom
We’ll be there in thirty minutes.
Fuck. Me.