Chapter 16
DELANEY
Iwasn’t sure what happened during Soren’s meeting with his club brothers, but he’d come looking for me after and brought me straight to his room. It must’ve gotten his blood pumping because he’d taken me harder than ever before. And I’d loved every minute of it.
We lay tangled in the sheets, Soren’s big body covering mine, one of his hands lazily stroking up and down my side as I caught my breath against his chest. The way he held me afterward always felt so tender, like I was something precious he couldn’t bear to let go of.
I traced my fingers over the speedometer tattoo on his arm, savoring the quiet intimacy between us.
He pressed a slow, lingering kiss to my forehead, then another to my lips. “You okay, angel. I wasn’t too rough?”
I shook my head with a satisfied smile, running my fingers over the strong line of his jaw. “No. I loved it.”
His eyes darkened at my answer, and he kissed me again. When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine. “Good. Because I can’t get enough of you.”
The intimacy wrapped around us like a cocoon until his expression eventually grew serious. He pressed a quick kiss to the tip of my nose before he explained what was on his mind. “You already know we’ve been protecting the woman Magnus picked as his replacement.”
“Yeah,” I mumbled, worried about the dark gleam in his pale eyes.
“Kept her safe without her ever knowing. It forced his hand, and he’s starting to slip. Moving money and relocating materials. Safe bet he’s gonna try to run to evade capture, so we’re going after him tomorrow.”
My stomach twisted in knots, and I pushed up onto my elbow, searching his face. “Tomorrow? Soren, please be careful. He’s so meticulous. If he’s desperate now—”
“He won’t have a shot against us.” His calm assurance stopped me from spiraling as he brushed my hair back from my face. “Gonna take a couple of days, but this ends soon. I promise.”
I nodded but worry still tightened in my chest. The thought of him walking into danger because of me was terrifying. I’d only known Soren for a short time, but he’d already captured my heart. I wasn’t sure what I would do if something happened to him.
He cupped my jaw, his thumb stroking gently across my cheek. “When I get back, we’re gonna have a real talk about our future. No more avoiding it.”
My breath caught at the thread of determination in his voice. I wanted a future with him more than I could say, but the fear still lingered just beneath the surface. It seemed smaller somehow right now, as though my worry over his safety overpowered it as he geared up to face off with Dr. Kinghorn.
I traced my fingers over Soren’s chest, gathering courage from the steady beat of his heart beneath my palm. The words had been sitting heavy inside me since we talked about it, but with him leaving soon, I couldn’t hold them back any longer.
“I want the future you keep talking about,” I whispered. “The one where I’m yours completely, and we build a life together. So badly it scares me, Soren.”
He tensed, his hand pausing on my back as he looked down at me.
“But I still don’t know if I’m strong enough to bring children into this world after what I went through,” I continued, the confession pouring out in a ragged tone.
“Thank you for sharing your fears with me, angel.” He claimed my mouth in a deep kiss that left me breathless.
“I’m not gonna pretend danger isn’t a part of my world.
But it exists everywhere in life. The difference is we don’t pretend it doesn’t.
The Redline Kings face it head-on, and we protect what’s ours with everything we have.
I meant it when I said that’s what I’d give our kids. ”
“I know you did.” That was what made this even harder, because I knew Soren would do whatever it took to keep any children we had together safe.
His thumb brushed across my cheek. “They would know love deeper than most people ever experience. And loyalty that doesn’t break. They’d grow up surrounded by honorary uncles who would die for them.”
I searched his eyes, my heart aching with how much I wanted to believe him. His words painted a picture that felt so strong, but the fear still had a hold on me.
“I’m not ready to fully accept it yet,” I admitted. “But I’m a little closer.”
Soren pulled me closer, capturing my mouth in a deep kiss. “That’s enough for now. When I come back, we’ll talk more. I’m not going anywhere, angel. You’re mine, and I’m going to prove every day that I can keep you and our future safe.”
I nodded against his chest, still torn but feeling another crack in the wall built from my fears. The future he wanted no longer felt entirely out of reach, just terrifyingly real.
It weighed on my mind all night as I tossed and turned in bed beside Soren, being careful not to wake him because he needed to be rested for what he was about to do. But even afraid, I savored those quiet hours while he slept because his nearness held new meaning for me.
Early the following morning, I stood outside with Savannah and a couple of the other old ladies as the men prepared to ride out.
Before he left, Soren found me one last time in the small crowd.
He pulled me into his arms and kissed me, claiming my mouth deeply in front of everyone before he swung his leg over his bike.
“Try not to worry too much, angel. I have too much to live for not to come back to you.”
I watched him ride away with the others, my heart lodged in my throat. The women around me didn’t cry or panic. They stood strong and steady, waving at their men with quiet faith and fierce love shining in their eyes.
The depth of loyalty between these women and their men was impossible to miss. They trusted this life. Built families here. And they loved hard, even knowing the dangers that came with it. Their strength was rooted deep and seemed unbreakable.
At that moment, the last of the wall my fear had caused tumbled down.
If these women could trust this world enough to love their men so completely and raise families here, then maybe I could too. The realization released some of my tension.
Savannah stepped closer and slipped her arm through mine, noticing the emotions playing across my face.
“We’ve all been where you are. Scared. Wondering if we’re strong enough for this life.
But you’re not alone, Delaney. None of us are.
We take care of each other. And our families.
Saying that it takes a village is an understatement with the Kings.
You’ll never have to do this by yourself. ”
I felt the truth in her words, the sisterhood that existed here beyond blood, right along with the brotherhood that was the backbone of the club.
As the last taillight disappeared down the road, I stood a little taller. My heart was still full of hope mixed with lingering fear, but I was no longer running from the future Soren wanted.
I was finally starting to believe I could be brave enough to choose this life with Soren. He just needed to come back to me safe and sound first.