Page 25 of Thorned Vengeance

“Your mother didn’t tell me you were coming,” he says after stepping back.

I shrug. “I wasn’t sure I’d be able to make it.”

“Well, we’re very glad you did.”

And that’s how it goes for the rest of the visit. They shower me with love and affection, and I eat it up. When I’m home, I might not be able to let the real me show, but it’s the only time I can pretend I’m a normal part of society.

CHAPTER 14

DELANEY

“Who’s this?”

I don’t know what the hell I was thinking following a strange man, who’s in a motorcycle gang, back to his hotel room. My only consolation is knowing I can defend myself; however, I’m starting to really question my decision. As soon as the door closes behind me, I survey the room and realize the odds are no longer in my favor. Several large men vacate their seats and stand next to each other with their arms crossed and matching scowls on their faces. It’s creepy how in sync they are.

“Club, not a gang.”

I whirl around to see a beautiful redhead carrying a babbling baby in her arms. Annoyance at myself creeps in because I’m normally more in tune with my surroundings, but this whole night has my equilibrium off.

“Um… what?”

“They’re a club, not a gang,” she explains before she smirks. “I’m guessing you didn’t realize you were thinking out loud. So, who are you?”

“Delaney.” I hold out my hand.

She shifts the baby to her other hip and shakes my hand. “I’m Cece. This little mini-me is Harper.”

“Aren’t you just a little cutie,” I coo at Harper. She hides her face under her mom’s hair but peeks out at me with a smile on her cute chubby face. “She’s absolutely adorable.”

I love kids. Always have. But chasing down a serial killer doesn’t exactly give me many opportunities to be around children.

“Thanks.”

Thorn ruffles Harper's hair, and for a single endearing moment, it throws my ovaries into a tailspin. I just met this man… under less-than-optimal circumstances, I might add. He’s causing my emotions to get sidetracked. My sole focus needs to be on finding the Phantom and ending his sorry existence, not jumping the bones of a hot-as-sin biker, no matter how much my libido wants me to.

Doesn’t hurt to look though.

“What’re you doing up, Ce?” Thorn asks as Harper reaches for him.

He takes her willingly and blows raspberries into her neck. Her giggles fill the air, and the tension in the room drops slightly.

“I think Harper is getting another tooth.” Cece sighs. “Grim’s the only one who can calm her down when she’s acting like this.”

Grim? What the hell kind of a name is that?

The door flies open, and more men come stomping in. The man leading the charge stops when he sees me standing close to Cece, and it’s like a domino effect. The first one halts, and the others slam into each other’s back.

“What the fuck, Soul?” one of them hollers.

The leader, who I assume is Soul since he caused the traffic jam, raises his finger in my direction. “Who the fuck are you?” he demands. “And why are you standing close to my ‘ol lady and baby girl?”

So, Thorn isn’t Harper’s daddy. Good to know.

I stare at Soul for a moment, taking him in. The patch on his vest says President, so he’s definitely the club’s leader. He’s also good-looking and obviously devoted to his ol’ lady, as he put it. He might have been talking to me, but his eyes haven’t left Cece and Harper.

Cece rushes forward and smacks Soul’s chest. “Don’t be a caveman,” she admonishes. “This is Delaney, and before you rudely interrupted, we were getting to know each other.”

Soul lifts Cece into his arms effortlessly, and her legs wrap around his waist. He pulls her head down until their lips connect in a toe-curling kiss. Once they come up for air, Cece rests her forehead on Soul’s.

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