25. Joker
Chapter twenty-five
Two days after we brought Delilah home, Siren and Phantom come home with the supply run, dragging several heavy boxes into the house.
Everyone moves in unison, stepping up to put things away, and I bounce with excitement.
I gave Siren a fair portion of my bonus from the last job to get very specific items, and I can’t wait to give them to Delilah.
But I have to grit my teeth as I help unpack the boxes.
We’ve gotten the usual resupply of non-perishables, and a bunch of new food based on the list we made so Delilah can cook.
Cross got a special shipment of meds, including heat suppressants for our new omega.
But as the things in the box dwindle, I see red.
“Where the fuck are the things I ordered?” I snap, turning to Siren.
They level a deadpan stare at me, unamused. “The clothes? The blankets? Yeah, no. We didn’t get those,” they answer blandly, turning their back on me.
I let out a growl, advancing a step toward their form. But I’m overruled by Bones’s much more aggressive one.
“We agreed on the basics, and we’ve got those right here,” he snaps, tossing a small duffle bag at me.
I catch it and open it, sorting through the contents. A few t-shirts, a pair of jeans, a pair of sweats, and four pairs of granny panties. Everything covered in cheap-ass scent blocker, which does nothing to mask the scent of dust and charity shop funk.
I glare at Bones, gritting my teeth. “You’re a right prick, you know that?” I grit out.
Bones doesn’t respond, lifting his chin slightly and looking down at me over his mask and respirator. I roll my eyes and stomp off, gripping the handle of the duffle bag tight enough that my knuckles turn white.
The last few days have been a test of my patience and loyalty, and I’m only passing by the skin of my teeth. No one has been cruel outright, but I’ve just about had enough of my pack treating Delilah like a second class citizen.
I knock gently on Delilah’s door when I reach the end of the hall, listening close for signs of movement.
She’s been sleeping a lot since she arrived, at least I think she has.
Delilah has sort of become a ghost, flitting around the edges of our home, cleaning and working and cooking when no one is around.
I’ve had piles of folded laundry appear outside my door overnight, but I never hear the machine running.
When I do see her, she keeps her head down, not looking at anyone or getting too close.
Light footsteps approach the door, and I relax slightly, letting out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I fix a soft smile on my face as the door cracks open, revealing a sliver of Delilah’s pale face.
“May I come in, little wisp? I’ve got something for you,” I ask softly, keeping my tone neutral.
She looks behind me for a moment, as if she’s expecting someone to jump out and stop me, before nodding and stepping out of the way to allow the door to open further. When I step inside, I close it quickly, turning the lock. Delilah looks at me with alarm, but I give her a reassuring smile.
“I just don’t want anyone to come in unannounced. But I can leave it unlocked if you want,” I say, reaching up and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
“It’s okay,” Delilah breathes, leaning in to my touch.
My heart breaks, and I can’t help myself. I drop the bag and wrap my arms around her, pulling her tight to my chest before burying my face into the crook of her neck. Without a moment of hesitation, she returns the hug, letting out a shuddering breath.
“It’s okay, luv. It’s okay,” I whisper over and over, stroking her hair.
A little sniffle reaches my ears and my eyes burn with unshed tears. She’s so small, practically wasting away in my arms, and so desperate for any attention. I scoop her up before she can stop me and look around for a comfortable place to sit.
I look around, more than a little impressed.
Delilah has cleaned up and organized the piles of boxes that we’d shoved in here around our meager gym equipment, and she’s made a snug little nest for herself in one corner of the room.
My heart sinks as I realize it’s made out of rags and torn blankets and other scraps, but I’m glad her nesting instincts are still intact after the shit she’s been through.
“Look at your pretty nest, luv. Can I join you in it for a bit?” I ask gently, nuzzling the side of Delilah’s head with my cheek.
She nods, her breathing slow and measured, like she’s taking conscious efforts to regulate it.
I purr softly before toeing off my shoes and climbing into the little sanctuary Delilah created for herself.
I wrap the only blanket around her after I settle her in my lap, creating a warm, dark space against my chest for her to rest in.
“I’m sorry,” she mutters after a while.
I kiss her lightly along her hairline, sighing. “No, sweet girl. You don’t have to be sorry.”
“I shouldn’t—we shouldn’t…” Delilah trails off, though there isn’t a lot of conviction in her words.
I chuckle once ironically. “I don’t care. You need me right now, so I’m here.”
“But Bones—”
“Can kiss my well-toned arse, Delilah,” I interject, hooking one finger under her chin to force her eyes to meet mine.
She goes quiet at the use of her name, a reaction I store away for later.
Her steel-grey eyes go wide as I hold her there, focused entirely on me.
She’s so trusting, so vulnerable. My eyes flick to her slightly-parted lips, my mouth watering as I imagine what she tastes like.
As I drag my eyes back up to hers, I smirk at the pink painting the tops of her cheekbones and the bridge of her nose.
A greater man wouldn’t push, wouldn’t be thinking about how red her cheeks would get if I told her even a fraction of the things I would love to do to her, and he certainly wouldn’t lean in to kiss her.
Thank fuck I’m a degenerate piece of shit.
I adjust my grip on Delilah’s chin, cupping her jaw so I can tilt her head up to where I want her.
She doesn’t fight at all, which makes me purr.
I keep eye contact as I lean in, giving her time to move away or object if she truly doesn’t want this.
But she stays silent, her body relaxed in my arms. I pause when our lips are a hair’s breadth apart, letting out a chuckle.
“I’ve been waiting to do this since the first time I laid eyes on you,” I breathe, my lips brushing hers ever so slightly as I speak.
When I press my lips to hers, I moan slightly as she reaches up and clutches my t-shirt in her fists, holding on for dear life even as she melts into me.
I hold her even closer, my hand sliding back to grip the hair at the base of her skull.
She’s so soft, so pliant, moving exactly where I lead and not pushing for dominance.
It’s been so long since I’ve been with someone like this, and the thrill makes my cock twitch in my jeans.
“Fuck, you feel so good,” I whisper as I pull away for air.
“Joker,” Delilah whimpers, one of her hands threading into my hair and pulling me back down into another kiss.
I groan, moving Delilah so she’s straddling me, and I let my hands roam up and down her back. She shivers and I smirk into the kiss, loving how responsive she is. When I run my tongue along her lower lip, she obeys and opens for me, allowing me to taste her for the first time.
Delilah’s scent has been tainted with smoke and ash and rot since the moment I met her.
A ruined scent, meant to ward off potential matches while she’s vulnerable.
But when her tongue brushes mine for the first time, I taste dark chocolate and spices, warm and just a little bitter, but then infinitely sweet.
She tastes like a delicacy, handcrafted by the gods for my enjoyment.
I kiss down her jaw, reveling in the little gasps she lets out whenever my teeth brush her skin.
“You’re so fucking beautiful, little wisp,” I purr into the side of her throat.
Delilah clutches my shoulders, hands shaking slightly as she whimpers again. I pull back and brush the hair from her face, brow furrowed as I frown. Her eyes are closed, her cheeks more flushed than ever.
“Look at me,” I mutter.
Delilah swallows and slowly opens her eyes, her gaze finding me more on instinct than conscious effort. Her pupils are blown wide, and I smile.
“You’re so cute right now, you know that? You needed that, didn’t you?” I ask softly, running my thumb along her jaw as I cup the side of her neck.
Delilah nods, taking a deep breath. “It’s been so long since…”
I lean in and give her another sweet but short kiss as she trails off.
But even that brief touch makes her melt.
My heart aches for her all over again. Omegas are sensitive creatures, more so than any other designation.
They need safety and security, and often that comes in the form of physical touch.
Having someone to lean on, both emotionally and physically, keeps omegas healthy and happy.
And if she’s gone so long without those things, it’s no wonder Delilah is in such rough shape.
I take my time to run my hands over her body, imagining what she’ll look like once she’s gotten a few really good meals and enough affection to last a lifetime. I can feel her bones through her clothes, and my protective instincts flare to life.
“You deserve to be worshiped and cherished every day, little wisp,” I say, making sure she’s looking in my eyes so she knows I mean every syllable.
Delilah’s eyes water but I refuse to let her look away.
I only break the contact to drag her down into another deep, thorough kiss, one that leaves her breathless as I pull away.
I keep her close as she rests her forehead against mine, wrapping my arm around her waist to make sure she’s as close as she can be without my cock inside her.
“Thank you, Joker,” Delilah breathes, so low I’m not entirely sure she meant for me to hear.
“Always, my dear little wisp. I’ve got you,” I murmur, sealing my vow with a kiss.