SWNOVELS Chapter 19 ~ A Smile On Her Face
Third Person POV ~
Geek and Gizmo were working diligently.. sometimes through the night.. for the last several days. Their main objective has been to trace Unger’s steps since Venom had last had contact with him at Colonel Slate’s.. seven years ago.. Now.. finding Marcus Walters is of equal importance.. He took one of their own. That doesn’t sit well with the club. They all want blood!
Drake Slate was in the wind… apparently having gotten word that Venom ordered him to return to home base.. revoking his nomad status.. Every motorcycle club that was allied with Warrior Wolves were told to be on the lookout. If Drake is found wearing Warriors colors now.. it’s a death sentence.
Drake had been their best lead.. but he had quit his job at the bank and dropped his college courses.. His apartment had been virtually abandoned.. they weren’t even sure if he had packed anything to take with him.
Delaney had ordered Tammy locked in the cells.. She had planned on betraying the Warriors.. they just weren’t sure of the plan.. as yet.. Eric Garrison was also locked in the cells.. out of sight of his wife and daughter.. The plan was to wait.. until Henri was well enough to face them.. all of them.
A total of five prisoners lined the cells.. the one that was with the group who attacked Brock and his team is scheduled for interrogation tomorrow. Maddox was eagerly anticipating getting his hands on the man.
Right now, Brock is awake.. although weak.. with Delilah and Maddox visiting.. Brock asked “Have you really forgiven me? I have never regretted anything in my life.. more than I regretted what I did to you. How I treated you.”
Delilah smiled at him “We were friends, Brock.. For over two years.. you and Derek looked out for me.. protected me.. Friends forgive each other.. I’m still not sure why you did what you did.. and it really hurt me.. hurt my heart.. But that’s in the past. I want to move forward without this hanging over our heads.. Can we start fresh?”
Brock grinned widely “I would really like that.. A lot!” Maddox said “After she saved your life.. it’s the least you could do, bro!” Brock looked shocked and asked what he meant.. so Maddox told him everything that had happened three days ago.. and who ordered it.
Brock asked “We hunting?” Maddox laughed “We’re hunting! No stone unturned.. We lost Smokey.. an eye for an eye.”
Brock gasped “How is Lacey and the baby? I need to see her.. He was my responsibility and I didn’t bring him home.. It was supposed to be an easy run. I promised.”
Delilah said “Stop it! This is not on you. This bullshit falls on Walters’ head.. and he will pay for it! It was an easy run.. No one could have predicted an ambush from someone who wasn’t being watched yet.. You get well.. That’s what matters!”
Delilah left to visit her father.. who was still in a medically induced coma. Delaney said at least another two days. Amadeus has gotten stronger and is able to reach out to Blue for brief periods.. but they don’t let him do it for long.. it’s still too taxing.
Delaney ran into Delilah as she left Henri’s room.. tucking her arm into Delilah’s she said “Your birthday is a few weeks away.. Do you have any idea how you want to celebrate?”
Delilah shrugged “I haven’t given it a lot of thought.. And now.. with everything that’s going on.. is it really a good time to celebrate anything? I will need to find my father and I a place to live.. I need to hire two more servers.. I let Megan go after the Brock fiasco.. no telling how many times she’s done something like that. Every time I think about it.. I get skeeved out all over again.. Who knows what kind of contaminant I served our customers.”
Delaney laughed “Oh girl! Stop dwelling on the negative. You and your father have a home with us forever! The diner is still standing.. and you and Kathy are handling things for now.. another server will apply soon.. that position doesn’t stay vacant long. So.. would you mind if we have a small cookout with just family and ranks?”
Delilah smiled “I guess that would be okay. I just don’t like a fuss. I’d rather not be the center of attention.” Maddox had walked up at the end of the conversation and smiled “As pretty as you are, Lilah.. you will always be the center of attention!”
She rolled her eyes.. “Are you seriously flirting with me, Alpha Quinn?” His eyes darkened and Steele pushed to the forefront.. with a low rumbling growl. Delaney whispered “Maybe don’t call him Alpha.. they get all ego-ey… act like they’re all that.” Then she giggled “Steele! Let Maddox back out. Yes.. she flirted back.. but stand down now.”
Maddox blushed from his ears down his chest.. making Delaney laugh.. she walked away singing “I know something you don’t know..” with Maddox chasing after her. Delilah watched them go.. with a tender smile on her face.
She went in to check on Brock.. to find Derek and Manic both keeping him company. She smiled at the family “Hey guys!” All three of them smiled… but Manic lifted her and spun her around in a circle. “Thank you. For being where you needed to be. For saving my son. For defending him.. even when he was a horrible ass to you.. for being you. You are the bright light we didn’t know we needed.”
She flung her arms around his neck, with tears in her eyes “Thank You! That’s the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me! Take a lesson guys! One day, you might be as smooth as your dad!” They all shared a laugh.. before she left to tell Henri good night, so she could head to bed.
Tomorrow would be a long day and she really wanted to be well rested.. She remembered the exchange between Maddox and her in the hospital corridor.. and fell asleep with a smile on her face.