Page 60 of Golden Atonement

“Jason married you without permission.”

“See, that’s what I don’t understand. Why would he need permission to marry me?”

Sighing, I knew it was now or never.

Going with my gut, I made my decision.

Looking up at Sypher, I nodded as we both stepped out of the darkness and I said, “Because you are Golden.”

I stood there while Illyria and Layla gasped and Giovanni and Maxim slowly rose to their feet.

“Remi?” Layla whispered before rushing over to me, hugging me tightly. Everyone greeted me, even Maxim Fedorov, and when the head of the Russian Bratva smiled lovingly down at me, cupped my face, and placed a kiss on my forehead, I knew I had made the right decision.

Turning to Delany, I smiled. “I wish we could have met under better circumstances, and I am so sorry you are being thrown into the deep end of this, but what you need to know is whatever you decide, I will support you. I know you didn’t ask for any of this. Neither did I. Nor Layla. We are just trying to survive it, like you. All I can tell you is to trust your husband. From what I hear, he is smart and cunning. He won’t let anything happen to you.”

“Did he know who I was before he married me?”

Sypher stepped forward and nodded. “Yes, he did. I warned him what would happen, and he still married you. Which is why his life is now in danger too.”

“He promised to protect me.”

“And he will,” Maxim confirmed. “I’ve known Storm for many years. Giovanni can back me up on this. The man you married doesn’t quit. He’s single-minded when it comes to something he wants and, Delany, he wants you and Harlow.”

“Then where is he? I’ve tried calling and texting him, but he doesn’t answer.”

“Delany,” I said, getting her attention. “Storm can protect himself. You, however, can’t. That’s why I’m here. I need to make sure that you are protected, no matter what happens.”

“And how do we do that, Remi?” Layla asked. “Because right now, she’s got her foot in one club and the other knows nothing about her.”

“That’s why Sypher is here,” I stated, looking at the man next to me, who smiled. “Sypher is a patched brother in the Golden Skulls and last I knew, I am still the president’s wife. Together, we can claim Delany.”

“What does that mean?” Delany asked, looking around the room as Layla clearly said, “It means she is here to brand you.”

Shaking my head, Delany got to her feet. “No one is branding me with a hot iron again. I refuse.”

Layla and I smirked while Sypher grinned. “Yeah, we don’t do that shit in our club. We prefer a more colorful way.”

“What does that mean?”

I smiled. “Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?”

It was done.

Delany was Golden.

Protected.

As Delany looked at her new ink, I looked over at Maxim and tilted my head toward another room.

The man nodded, getting up and whispering something to his wife before she walked over to Delany and escorted her out of the room.

No one moved until Maxim asked, “What is wrong, Remi?”

This was the part I knew I would never get used to, but to ensure my family’s survival, I would do anything and everything to protect them.

I now understood why Max did what he did.

He didn’t do it to save the club. The clubhouse was just a building that could be replaced.

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