Chapter 16 ~ It Could Come In Handy

Third Person ~

Three days passed before Delilah had gotten back to being herself.. the last two of which she wasn’t mad at anyone but herself. She truly cared for Brock.. and his perfidy hurt her more than anything Elizabeth or Emily had ever said or done.

But instead of having a shouting match to air their differences.. she ran. Which is why she is pissed off at herself.. She’s not a runner. She’s a stand your ground and fight for what’s right kind of girl. And she’s decided to do just that.

She had read Brock’s letter of apology.. and she realized that she was only mad because he tried to steal her first kiss. She had clenched her jaw.. pulled her lips into her mouth and all he did was slobber on her nose..

But still.. it was the principle of the thing.. and the violating of her personal space. She has forgiven him.. but she still wants him to sweat it out.

She sent him a text.. I will eventually forgive you.. but it depends on you. We were friends once.. I want to be friends again. When you learn No means No.. we can talk. Until then.. never forget how you treated me.

Maddox has come to the diner every day for lunch.. She has come to depend on seeing him.. He has even been to Delaney’s and Venom’s for dinner.. but tonight.. they are all going to be at Maddox’s clubhouse..

Everyone will be there to go over whatever Gizmo and Geek found out.. then she was going to talk to Elizabeth.

Tammy is finally awake.. That happened last night. She still looks terrible.. and her eyes are hollow. She hasn’t spoken yet.. and cowers away when any man is in the room.. even the doctors.. So Delaney has been taking care of her.

Maddox walked over to Delilah and asked her to take a walk with him.. she took the hand he was holding out and he led her down to the lake.. He turned her to face him and said “I can’t tell you how sorry I am about Brock. I wish I had noticed sooner.. I would have stopped it.”

Delilah shook her head “How? How would you have stopped it? You can’t force someone to do what you say.. and you can’t apologize for the actions of others!”

He laughed and said “I sort of can.. It’s called Alpha Command.. I could have made him stop.” Delilah stepped away from him.. “You don’t get it! It would have made it worse. He would have resented you for commanding him.. he would have resented me more because he would blame me for you commanding him! Taking away a person’s free will because you don’t like the way they are behaving is wrong.. and even I would have resented you commanding him.”

He looked shocked a minute.. then he said “I am sorry he stole your first kiss. I know how important all your firsts are with your mate.” She smiled happily “Yeah.. He was drunk as fuck.. He certainly remembers it differently than I do. All he succeeded in doing was filling my nostrils with his spit.. Grossed me out.. but my lips never touched his. What he did was hurt my feelings… he said some hateful things. He apologized.. and I have already forgiven him.. just don’t tell him that. He still has some groveling to do.”

Maddox smiled at her “Does that mean you will come home?” She shook her head.. “Not yet. I can’t. I won’t promise anything.. but, let’s see how things are after my birthday.”

He frowned and said “I don’t understand. Your birthday is only five weeks away.. What’s changed? You were okay being here before.. well.. until Brock pulled a Brock.. anyway.”

Delilah tilted her head.. and asked “What the fuck is ‘pulled a Brock’?” Maddox laughed “Blame Derek.. Whenever anyone does something really stupid now.. Derek started calling it Pulling a Brock. It stuck.. Everyone says it now. You’re deflecting.. what’s changed?”

Delilah whispered “What if I find my mate? I started developing feelings for someone at the clubhouse.. and I got scared. What if I met my mate.. but have feelings for someone else. I don’t know if I could be with my mate.. just because my wolf says it’s true.. while I have feelings for someone else. How is that fair?”

Maddox’s heart was thundering in his chest.. Had she been suffering the same as he was? Did she have feelings for him? Every moment he spends with her.. the more he is convinced she is his mate.. there’s really no other explanation for the feelings he’s experiencing. If it was imprinting.. as Delaney’s wolf has done.. it would have happened. Imprinting by siblings isn’t unusual.. actually.. it happens frequently.. Usually at the same time, though.

The pair walked back to the clubhouse and went straight to the conference room.. where everyone was waiting.. Gizmo was setting up.. and Geek was passing out file folders..

Gizmo looked up at Delilah.. “I believe we have a good idea where your father is.. and.. I believe Venom and Maddox have a plan. First.. let’s go over what we know for certain.

“President Thor runs the Vikings with an iron fist. Anyone who steps out of line in his club are severely punished. His people have lost an eye.. fingers.. hands.. even whole arms.. for an infraction as small as taking the last crescent roll at dinner.

We have learned Thor is Eric Garrison’s dealer.. we also learned he is Eric Garrison’s loan shark. They are holding your father until you can claim your inheritance. Their intention is to extort that money from you.. in exchange for your father’s release.”

Delilah said “I can’t touch my money for another three years.. and only then, if my guardian ad litem gives me the authority.” Delaney laughed.. “Yeah.. like I would ever stop you from accessing your own money.”

Maddox looks at Delilah “The Vikings are a one percenter club. Everything they do is illegal.. We know they are dealing drugs and guns.. We also know they are loan sharking.. Venom and I can do this one of two ways.. We can covertly go in.. and rescue your dad, in the dead of night.. or we can bust through his gates for a little shock and awe.”

Delilah asked “Can’t we do both? I mean.. can we send in the search and rescue units.. get Daddy to safety.. Then shock and awe the fuck out of those bastards?”

Venom busted out laughing.. “Hell yes, we can! My men and I are desperately in need of some shock and awe! I love the way you think, my sweet girl!”

Maddox stood up and said “Two hours! We ride!” Then he led Delilah to the cells to have a chat with Elizabeth.. Delaney followed.. she was interested in reading their body language.

Delilah spun a chair backwards in front of Elizabeth.. straddling it. Knowing Emily wouldn’t have anything useful to impart. All she was ever taught to do was look pretty and bully anyone not like her.

Delilah smiled at Elizabeth “Guess who’s going to die tonight?” Elizabeth spit “Hopefully, you! I don’t care if anyone else dies!”

Delilah laughed “Not even your dear old hubby? Because he is.. and I am the one who is going to kill him. Want to know why? Because he killed my momma.. Want to know who else is going to die tonight?”

Elizabeth had begun to sweat and she stuttered “I don’t care! Do your worst! It won’t change the fact that we killed your mother.. and your father is as good as dead!”

Delilah reached out.. forming claws at the ends of her fingers and sliced Elizabeth’s throat.. watching dispassionately as she bled out. As Delilah stood.. she whispered “One down”

Delaney jumped up and said “No.. She can’t die yet.. She has to see a healthy Henri! She worked diligently and saved her life… Then, she was holding Delilah’s hand as they were walking out of the cells..

As they were all gearing up.. and loading saddlebags.. Venom told Delilah “I have only ever seen one other wolf do what you did with your claws. How long have you been able to do it?” She shrugged “For as long as I can remember.. “

Venom smiled “The other wolf I saw do it.. decapitated a council member for calling his child the demon seed.” Delilah grinned “Yeah. That was my daddy.. After they had made the decision to disband our pack. That was after killing our Alpha.. then laughing as our Luna died in agonizing pain from a broken heart… And my four year old self jumped smack dab in the center of the table.. my eyes glowed bright blue.. showing Blue on the surface.. which is generally unheard of .. and I knocked two councilmen out.. and severely injured a third.. before I could be subdued. That’s the first time I remember my claws.”

Venom nodded “Looks like it could come in handy.” And they both laughed.