by Wilder, L.
“I know that. Just needed to hear you say it.” He thought for a moment, then said, “We’ve got too much going on for you to be watching over her twenty-four hours a day. Get with Menace. Have him put a tracker on her car … and monitor all her calls. Once you’ve sorted that, get with Tripp and Forest. Let them both know they’ll be helping you keep an eye on her for the next couple of weeks.”
“You got it.”
“And bring the girl by my office. I want to have words with her before she’s released.” As he turned and started down the hall, he stated, “She needs to understand exactly what’s at stake before we let her out of here.”
“Understood.”
Once he was gone, Shotgun looked over to me and asked, “You know I’ve got your back, but you sure about this, brother?”
“I know it’s gotta sound crazy, but yeah. I think it’s the right thing to do.” I shook my head. “I just hope I don’t live to regret it.”
“I’ll help see to it that you don’t.”
There was something about his tone that made me wonder exactly what he meant by that declaration, but Shotgun wasn’t the kind of man who’d react without reason. Trusting him to do the right thing, I nodded and said, “Thanks, brother.”
“Tell Menace I’m here if he needs a hand with anything.”
“Will do.”
Not wanting to waste any time, I left Shotgun and went to Menace’s room to give him the rundown of what we needed to do about Delilah. As I expected, he had no problem getting the tracker set up for her car and was able to route her calls and messages through his systems, enabling him to monitor all calls coming in and out of her phone. Once he had everything covered, I went down to the kitchen to snag some breakfast for Delilah. I grabbed a cup of coffee and a couple of biscuits, then carried them down to her room. When I walked in, she was sitting on the bed looking as beautiful as ever in a pair of black knit leggings and a long sleeve t-shirt. Her damp hair was pulled up in a messy bun, revealing her gorgeous blue eyes that focused solely on the wall in front of her.
She didn’t even glance in my direction as I placed her coffee and biscuits on the bedside table. I stepped towards her and stood directly in her line of vision. “We need to talk.”
Her eyes drifted away from me and over to the corner of the room as she replied, “There’s nothing for us to talk about, Hawk.”
“Okay ... Have it your way.” I turned and headed towards the door. “I thought you wanted to get out of here. Apparently, I was wrong.”
“Wait ... Are you saying I can actually leave?”
“That’ll depend on you.” I made my way over to her and leaned back against the desk. “I gotta know that you aren’t going to do anything stupid.”
“Like what?”
“Like run to the cops.” My tone grew serious as I explained, “No one can know anything about what’s gone down here. No one. Danny’s life and yours will depend on your keeping your mouth shut.”
“Okay.”
“I’m not fucking around, Delilah. You even think about going to the cops or—”
“I won’t say anything. I swear.” She stood up to face me as she said, “I’d never do anything to jeopardize Danny’s life. My lips are sealed.”
“I’m going to hold you to that, and just in case you get any wild ideas, I’ll be keeping an eye on you.” Her eyes never left mine as I told her, “I’ll be monitoring your every move, and—”
“You’re going to be stalking me?”
“Call it whatever you want, but I’m not taking any chances. I’m putting a lot on the line by letting you walk out of here.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Her brows furrowed. “Are you saying that you’re the reason why I’m getting to leave?”
“That’s not important. Just remember what I said. Play this thing smart, and you’ll have your life back. One fuck up, and there’ll be consequences.”
“I won’t fuck up.”
“Good.” As I started towards the door, I told her, “Grab your stuff. It’s time to go.”
“Wait ... What about Danny? What’s going to happen to him?”
“That’s not my call.”
“How am I supposed to leave here without him?”
“You don’t have a choice, Delilah.” I got it. She was in a tough spot and I couldn’t blame her for being torn, but she had no idea how lucky she was to be given the chance to walk out of here alive. I could’ve taken the time to explain it to her, but I doubted that it would ease the guilt she was feeling. “You need to remember that Danny got himself into this mess. It’ll be up to him to get himself out of it.”
Despair crossed her face as she whispered, “But he’s my brother, Hawk.”
“I get that, I really do, but if Danny’s any kind of caring brother at all, he’d want you to get out of here. You gotta know that.”
“I know, but—”
“Delilah, get your stuff.”
I waited as she quickly grabbed what few belongings she had, then led her down the hall. I expected her to be thrilled about finally getting back to her own life, but she looked even more terrified now than she had when she first arrived, especially when she noticed that we weren’t going out to the parking lot. “Where are we going?”
“Viper wants a word with you before you go.”
“What?”
When we got to his door, I knocked, then eased it open. “He’s waiting inside for you.”
“You aren’t going in with me?”
“He wanted to talk to you, not me.”
“Why do I get the feeling that this isn’t going to be a conversation I want to have?”
“He’s waiting, Delilah.”
She let out a deep breath, then stepped inside his office. I closed the door and waited in the hall for what seemed like an eternity. I had no idea what he was saying to her, but when she came out ten minutes later, I could tell by the horrified expression on her face that he’d made quite an impression on her. I didn’t ask her about it. Instead, I led her towards the back door. As we got to the parking lot and walked past a couple of the guys, she wouldn’t even look in their direction. Pretending to ignore them, she silently followed me over to my Harley. When I handed her a helmet, she looked at me like I’d lost my mind. “Wait ... What’s this?”
“That is a helmet”—I motioned my hand towards my bike—“and this is a 2019 Road King Classic.”
“You don’t have a car or something?”
“Nope.”
“What about that truck they brought me—”
“Not mine.” I threw my leg over the seat and slipped on my helmet. “Unless you wanna stay here, get on.”
“But I’ve ... um … never ridden a motorcycle before.”
“Nothing to it.” I took her things out of her hands and placed them in the saddlebags. “You’ll see.”
When she overheard the guys snickering behind her, she rolled her eyes and put on the helmet. Looking less than pleased, she eased her leg over the seat and settled in behind me. “Okay ... Now what?”
“Just hold on and follow my lead.”
Once she’d placed her hands on my hips, I started up the engine and pulled out of the parking lot. The second I pulled onto the main road, Delilah leaned in closer, tightening her grip around my waist, and damn, it felt incredible. That’s when it hit me. I’d never had a woman on the back of my bike—at least not one who I’d found remotely memorable. Not a woman like Delilah. I didn’t expect to like it as much as I did. I wanted to savor the moment. It was one of the reasons why I chose to take the long way back to Danny’s place. When we finally got to his apartment complex, I pulled up next to Delilah’s car and parked. As soon as she got off my bike, she asked, “How did you know to come here?”
“I wouldn’t be doing my job if I didn’t.” I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the phone and keys we’d taken from her on the night Shotgun and Rafe brought her to the clubhouse. “You’ll need these.”
>
“Thanks.”
As she took them from my hand, I told her, “I texted your mother.”
“You did?”
“Yeah ... and your boss.” She glanced down at the screen, skimming through the messages I’d sent, along with all the missed messages she’d received. “Told them both that you were sick with some stomach thing, so keep that in mind when you talk to them.”
“Okay.” I grabbed her things out of the saddlebags and handed them to her. She went over and put them in the back seat of her car, then turned back to me. “So, now what?”
“Go home ... Get back to your normal routine, and while you’re doing whatever you do, don’t breathe a word about the last forty-eight hours.”
“What if someone asks me about Danny?”
“You’re a smart girl. You’ll think of something.”
I knew she wasn’t happy with my answer—or lack thereof. It was written all over her beautiful face. As fucked up as it might’ve been, seeing that look on her face made me want her even more. Hell, it took every bit of my restraint to keep my fucking hands off her, especially when I saw the fire in her eyes roar back to life as she stood there glaring at me. After several long, agonizing moments, she started towards her car with all the sass she could muster and spat, “All right then. I guess I’ll ... see you around.”
“Oh, you’ll be seeing me. You can count on that.”
Delilah
“I was worried sick,” my mother complained. “I’ve been trying to call you since you sent that text that you weren’t feeling well.”
“I know, Mom. I’m sorry I worried you, but I just didn’t feel like talking.”
“Are you feeling better now?”
“Yes, much better. I think it was just something I ate.”
“Well, I’m glad you’re feeling better.” She paused for a moment, then asked the question I knew was coming. “Did you make it over to Danny’s?”
I’d taken a couple of days to collect my thoughts before calling her, hoping I’d be able to come up with something to tell her when she asked me about him. Sadly, nothing had come to mind. I wanted to just tell her the truth. It would’ve been so much easier—at least it would have been for me. The weight of being the only one who knew was soul crushing, but I simply couldn’t tell her what was really going on. Even if I wasn’t worried about what Hawk and his friends would do, I knew my mother wouldn’t be able to take it. The truth would destroy her. Doing the only thing I could, I lied. “Yes, ma’am. I went by there, but he wasn’t home.”
“Oh, good heavens. I wonder where that boy could be.”
“I don’t know, but Mom ... he’s old enough to take care of himself. He doesn’t need you to worry so much about him.”
“But something could’ve happened to him. He could be in trouble.”
Guilt washed over me as I thought back to Danny in that room, beaten and fighting for his life. I quickly swallowed back the emotions that were building in my throat, then said, “He’ll be okay, Momma. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Thank you, sweetie.” I heard a commotion in the background, followed by the sound of a man’s voice. Before I could ask her what was going on, she said, “I have to go, sweetheart, but I’ll call you back tomorrow.”
I didn’t have a chance to respond before the call ended. My focus was quickly redirected when I heard the rumble of a motorcycle outside. I went over to the window and looked out only to spot Hawk pulling into my parking lot. A cold chill ran down my spine as I noticed him looking in my direction. Cursing under my breath, I quickly stepped out of his line of sight and froze. I’d been driving myself crazy thinking about Danny and what might be happening to him, and knowing Hawk was lurking right outside my apartment was making me even crazier. Partly because I knew if he caught me doing something I shouldn’t, he’d kill me, and partly because every time I saw him, I’d start thinking about that kiss—the one that set my entire body on fire, making me feel more alive than I ever had before. The whole thing was insane. I knew that. I just didn’t know what the hell I was going to do about it.
The next morning, I decided it was time to get back to work. I’d been gone for four days, and I hoped it would help keep my mind off things. Besides, I missed seeing and talking to the residents there, along with the other nurses I worked with—especially Krissy. She and I had gone to nursing school together and quickly became best friends. We didn’t have secrets. We told each other everything ... but not this time. I’d have to use all my restraint to keep what was going on with Danny under wraps—for both our sakes. As soon as I walked through the front doors of the nursing home, Janet stopped me at the front desk with a concerned expression. “What are you doing back? I was expecting you to be out until next week.”
“Well… I started feeling better, so I thought I’d come on in and see if you needed me.”
“Are you sure?” She cautiously kept her distance as she asked, “Have you been fever free for at least twenty-four hours?”
“I wouldn’t be here if I wasn’t.” Janet was a stickler for the rules, so I wasn’t at all surprised by her question. She would never want to put any of our patients in danger, and I hoped she knew I felt the same way. I smiled as I reassured her, “I’m fine, Janet. I don’t even think it was really the stomach bug. I think it was just bad sushi or something else I ate.”
“Well, that’s good to hear because we could really use the help today. Carol and Nikki both called in with the flu, and Mr. McClanahan and Ms. Rice have been all out of sorts. I can’t seem to get either of them settled.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” I put my purse and keys in the desk drawer, then asked, “Is Ms. Rice in her room?”
“Yes, but be forewarned, she’s not herself today.”
“Thanks for the heads up.”
I started down the hall, and when I walked into Ms. Rice’s room, I could see what Janet was talking about. Ms. Rice was normally very social, spending most of her days visiting with her friends or watching her favorite game shows, but today, she was sitting in the corner of her room alone. She was still in her robe, and instead of watching TV, she was staring out the window with the saddest expression I’d ever seen. My heart ached for her as I walked over and knelt down beside her. I placed my hand on her arm as I smiled and said, “Hey there, Ms. Rice. How you making it today?”
She didn’t even acknowledge my presence—not so much as a blink. I didn’t know what to think. Ms. Rice was younger than most of the residents, so her mind was still pretty sharp. Her health was a different matter. She had moved into our facility after she fell and fractured her hip, and because of one complication after the next, she’d been with us for over two years. Thankfully, that hadn’t broken her spirit. She’d always smile and look tickled to see me whenever I came to her room to do my rounds. We’d talk about her day and whether or not she’d spoken to her daughter, but today she seemed like she was a million miles away. Hoping I might be able to get to her, I just started talking like we normally did. “I’m sorry I haven’t been to see you in a couple of days. I was sick with this stomach bug thing, but I’m feeling a lot better now. How have you been feeling? Aren’t you going to watch your shows this morning?”
I waited for a moment, hoping she might say something. She didn’t. I wasn’t ready to give up, so I said, “Well, if not, I’m sure you can get caught up with them later. Has Leslie called or come by?”
At the sound of her daughter’s name, Ms. Rice turned and looked at me, letting me know I’d struck a chord. After several moments, she finally muttered, “Leslie’s sick. She has the flu and won’t be able to come see me.”
“Is that what has you so upset?”
“I’m just so worried about her and the children. Things have been so hard for her since Tim left her. I just wish I could do more for them.”
“I understand why you might be worried, but Leslie will bounce back from this. The kids have gotten older, too, so they can help look after their mom.�
� I gave her leg a little pat as I assured her, “You’ll see. Leslie will be back on her feet in no time.”
“I’m sure you’re right, but I still worry.”
“Of course, you do. You’re her mother. It’s your job to worry about her, but everything’s going to be okay.” I could tell she wasn’t completely convinced, so I asked, “What if I gave Leslie a call this morning? I could check on her and see how she’s feeling for you. Would that make you feel better?”
“Oh, yes. That would be wonderful.”
“Then consider it done.” As I stood up, I asked, “Can I do anything for you before I go? Walk you down to the cafeteria for some breakfast or turn on one of your shows?”
“I’m fine for now.” She smiled. “I’ll turn it on in a minute.”
“Okay. I’ll let you know when I get in touch with Leslie.”
“Thank you, dear.”
“No problem.” As I started towards the door, I told her, “Just give me a shout if you need me.”
I left her room with every intention of going to find Mr. McClanahan, but as I walked down the hall, I was sidetracked by Krissy. She came running up to me with a big smile on her face. “Thank god, you’re back! I don’t know if I could take another day in this place without you.”
“Been that bad, huh?”
“It’s been insane, but no more than usual. I just didn’t realize how much better things are when you’re around.” She leaned towards me and whispered, “Janet has been a mega-twat the last few days. Word is, she’s been all pissy because she got a bad eval from—”
Before she could finish her sentence, Lacey, another one of the nurses, called out to her and said, “Hey, Krissy! Can you give me a hand with Mr. Larkin? I need to change his bedding.”
“Sure thing,” she answered before turning her attention back to me. “I’ll catch you up at lunch break.”
“Sounds good.”
As soon as Krissy left to go help Lacey, I tried once again to make my way down to Mr. McClanahan’s room. Unlike Ms. Rice, he was older, and while his health was better than Ms. Rice’s, his mind was not. He preferred to be alone, often isolating himself in his room for days, and the rare times he was around others, he was often antagonistic, starting arguments over petty things. Mr. McClanahan was easily set off, so Janet ordered all the nurses to limit their interactions with him and only do mandatory routine checks. Considering his normal temperament, hearing that he was in rare form today was more than a little concerning. As I quietly slipped into his room, I was expecting to find him angry, hostile, and ready to start an argument, but that’s not what I found at all.