Chapter 24 Delaney
DELANEY
Fuck till death. You’re mine in this life, and I might just chase your ass down and find you in the next one too.
—Delaney’s Secret Thoughts
Badass Book Club
Jamie
What’s this shit you’ve got us reading this time, Dillan?
Dillan
It’s called a why choose.
Hendrix
It’s called a gang bang.
Kaleigh
It really isn’t. Just trust us. It’s super hot.
Ryker
The dude’s share her? Sorry. Hard pass. I’m not sharing my wife with anyone.
Lexie
We’re aware big guy. We’ve barely seen her since you married her.
Dillan
You never did share well.
Lucky
I don’t get it. Do you want to be shared, Lex? Gotta tell you, no chance it’s happening, but seriously, I’m confused.
Kaleigh
Oh my God, children. It’s called fiction. Not reality. We get it. No sharing the wives. Now can we just read the book.
Delaney
Ummm . . . I feel like I should let you know that I already read this one.
Ryker
Baby! This is the stuff you read? Do you fantasize about being shared?
Ashton
Aww. He called her baby.
Jamie
Shit. Don’t make her cry asshole.
Ashton
Don’t call him an asshole. He’s sweet!
Jamie
WTF. He’s not sweet. He used to call you the hot ballerina.
Ashton
Aww, Ryker. You thought I was hot?
Jamie
How the fuck does that get an aww?
Ashton
Don’t yell at me. I’m a million months pregnant with the biggest baby that ever existed. My hormones are in overdrive and my vagina hurts.
**Lucky has left the chat**
**Hendrix has left the chat**
**Ryker has left the chat**
Kaleigh
Pussies.
Shit. I see Detective Brooks on the other side of the glass door before he even pushes through this time. Why does he always show up when I’m here alone?
I grab my phone to text Ryker, but it’s nearing six, and he’s already at the stadium, so it’ll have to wait. Hell, I’m supposed to be meeting the girls soon to head over ourselves.
The bells chime, and I force a smile on my face. “Hello, Detective Brooks. Here to pick up flowers for that special someone?”
My phone vibrates on the counter next to me, but it’s face down, and I don’t want to look away from this creep to answer it.
“How’d he do it?” His eyes swing around the shop, landing on Tori in the corner, asleep on her bed, before coming back to me. This man is angry, and not just a little angry.
Shit. Shit. Shit. Don’t poke the bear.
“Come on, Ms. Rousseau. You’ve got to give me something.”
Okay, if this asshole can poke, so can I. “Actually, it’s Beneventi, now. And I don’t know what you’re talking about, detective. How did who do what?”
Brook’s sneer is blatant and hideous.
This man doesn’t bother to mask just how much he hates me, and I honestly have no idea why.
“Don’t play dumb, Delaney. Your husband.” The way he says husband sets the hair on my arms on end. The word drips with venom. Like he’s a King cobra ready to strike, and I think that makes me his prey.
What the hell?
I’m tired of being prey.
I’m tired of cowering.
I promised myself I was done with it all once my father was out of the picture, and I will not let this man drag me back there.
“How did your husband convince the DA not to press charges? He killed a man. It’s on tape.
It was all over the news. Everyone knows it.
For fuck’s sake, Sports Center did an entire feature on it.
He killed him, and he’s still walking free.
” Brooks slams his palms against the counter, and my phone falls to the floor.
Tori jerks awake, scared, and runs over to me.
And damn it, so am I now.
“He was protecting me.” I hate the way my voice shakes with each word, but I square my shoulders and refuse to give him the satisfaction of knowing I’m scared. This man is a bully, and bullies feed off fear. With a deep breath, I look him in the eye. “It was self-defense.”
“You’re trouble, Rousseau.” He points his long finger my way. “You were trouble last summer, and you’re trouble now.”
“Beneventi,” I correct him again, wishing Ryker were with me right now.
Not even to handle Brooks, but because he makes me stronger.
Although I doubt Brooks would pull this shit if Ryker were here, which pisses me off.
Too many men have tried to hurt me because they underestimated me, but only two ever managed.
My father and Roger Dennings.
I will not let Detective Brooks be the third.
“I think you should leave, now, detective.” I wish I could glance down at my phone without taking my eyes off Brooks.
I learned young you never take your eyes off a predator, and this asshole is absolutely a predator.
Instead, I pick up the store phone, acting like I have a plan, but seriously, who am I going to call—the police?
Pretty sure that won’t work since he’s standing right here.
I’m regretting every number I’ve saved in my cell phone right now, because I can’t remember any of them at the moment, since I never dial them.
Instead, I dial one of the few numbers I do know, and thank God my sister isn’t there since she’s already started her maternity leave.
I wouldn’t put it past her to march her pregnant ass down here and lose it on Detective Brooks.
“What are you—”
I hit the speakerphone button just as Annabelle Sinclair answers, “Hart & Soul Academy of Dance.”
“Hey, Annabelle . . .”
Brooks glares at me, his teeth grinding together so tightly, that stupid toothpick he’s always chewing cracks in half.
“Delaney. Hi, sweetheart. Are you looking for Ashton?”
“This isn’t over,” Brooks warns me as his face darkens to the shade of an overripe tomato before he turns to leave.
The bells chime again above the door, and I slide down the wall behind me to my ass, a shaky breath ripping from my lungs.
“Delaney . . . are you there? Are you okay, honey?”
I try to force words out, but nothing comes.
“Hendrix, can you go down to Love in Bloom and check on Delaney?”
My hands shake as Tori curls into my lap.
“Delaney . . .”
“Maybe we should call Ashton.” Hendrix does a shit job of whispering to Olivia.
“No,” I tell them, even though he wasn’t talking to me.
“Fine, then at least let me call Ryker,” Olivia demands, but I shake my head. This is supposed to be one of the biggest games of the season. I’m not letting them ruin this for him.
“You said your mom already pulled him in to tell him he’s been cleared, right?
” I look up at the two of them from my spot on the floor.
The same one I’ve been sitting in for the past thirty minutes.
Almost positive Olivia told me that a few minutes ago but questioning everything at this point.
“I’ll tell Ryker everything as soon as the game’s over. ”
“He’d want to know now,” Hendrix argues. “Trust me when I tell you this. Knowing what happened matters more to Ryker than any game, Delaney. You matter more.”
I drop my head in my hands and groan. I know he’s right, but it doesn’t make it any easier when the last thing I want to do is bother Ryker with this before his game. “Fine. I’m meeting the girls in a half an hour, and we’re heading over together.”
“Not a chance, Beneventi. I’ll take you over now.”
I glare at Hendrix. “You don’t know me well enough to be this bossy.”
“He’s always been a bossy bitch,” Liv groans. “But he’s right. Go get changed and get over to the stadium. I’ll let them know you’re coming and that you need to speak with Ryker.”
“Fine. I’ll go with you, but you have to let me go to my sister’s first. You can go with us, if you want, but I promised we’d all go together tonight.”
Olivia clears her throat, trying to cover a laugh. “Not as much fun when someone else is being a bossy bitch, now is it, Hendrix?”
“Stop calling me a bitch, Liv.”
“Umm . . . are you two . . .” I point between them, wondering if I missed something.
“God no.” She looks disgusted, but Hendrix just ignores her.
“Fine. Grab your stuff, and we can swing by Ashton’s. But I’m not leaving your side until we talk to Ryker.” He looks down at Tori and groans. “And no pigs in my car.”
“She has to come with us. She’s staying at Ashton’s during the game.” As if she knows she’s being talked about, Notorious swings her chubby little bacon butt Hendrix’s way and circles him before sitting at his feet. She might as well say, Look at me, I’m cute while she’s at it.
“Swear to fucking God. The shit I get myself into,” he grumbles. “Fine. The pig can come. Now, let’s go.”
Guess I’ve officially got an escort to the game.