Page 27 of Wicked Oath

“You are my husband. I am choosing this. I am choosing you over everything else. I made an oath to you when I signed that paper and didn’t fight it. Do not ever suggest that bullshit again,” I say firmly.

“Everyone is downstairs, so we can make it look like we are all just hanging out,” Viper says. “Come on.”

“Is Fang here?” I ask.

“No. We didn’t call him. Knox called from the clubhouse and told me, so I came straight here. Knox should be here soon after the cops,” Viper says.

“Let’s go downstairs,” Talon orders.

We follow Viper down to the living room and I sit with Talon on the couch while Viper, Torch, and Rogue sit with us. We all take a second to breathe as we see the car approaching. I get up and go to the door, knowing they will just bust it in. I open the door before they get a chance to.

“Can I help you?” I ask.

“Delaney Mercer?” the man says.

“Delaney Maddox now, but yes,” I say. “Can I help you?”

“We have a warrant to search the property,” he says as he shoves a piece of paper in my hand and pushes past me. I go to Talon and show him the paper. He frowns deeply at it before glaring at the man and woman who are now standing here.

“What is this?” Talon asks.

“You were caught on camera kidnapping Miss. Mercer, Talon,” the man says. “You are under…”

“Aht. Nope,” I say. “Not how this works. Do I look kidnapped to you?”

“We have…”

“What are your names?” I ask.

“Detective Andrew Heed,” he says with a frown. “She is Detective Katy Phillips.”

“Great,” I say. “I wasn’t kidnapped, and he didn’t break in, or whatever it is that warrant said. I set that up.”

“You expect us to believe that?” Andrew asks, raising an eyebrow. Detective Katy, though, is scowling at Talon behind me with both of her hands on her waist, one not releasing the gun for a second.

I meet Detective Andrew’s gaze. “I don’t care what you believe. He wanted to help me get away from his abusive stepbrother. Wemade a plan, and that was it. We got married, and we fuck every chance we get. Have any questions before you get the fuck out of my home?”

“Can I speak with you separately?” Katy asks.

“Why, so you can play twenty questions?” Talon says with a frown.

“It’s okay,” I say before turning around and kissing him on the cheek, only to see the scowl deepen on the female detective’s face.Oh? Okay. I think I know what’s happening here.A chuckle bursts out of me.

I walk to the kitchen with Katy, and sigh heavily when she looks at me like I am some kind of victim. “What really happened, Delaney?” she asks. “You are safe. I can get you help, but I need—“

“I am fine,” I interrupt. “Well, I was until you people barged in.”

“Delaney, I know Talon. He is a cruel man with a lot of power,” she says. “Just yesterday, he assaulted me.”

“Then why isn’t he in jail?” I ask.

“That’s what we are trying to do here, but I need your help, Delaney. We know he kidnapped you. I don’t know how he convinced you to stay here and pretend to be happy but—“

“Stop right there,” I say. “You cannot just accuse someone of assault and suddenly they’re guilty. That is not how that works.Clearly, you don’t have evidence, and I also know that Talon would never do anything he wasn’t given permission to do. If you put yourself into a position, and then you later regretted it, that is on you. It is not his fault that you have regrets.”

“That’s not what—“

“Also, let’s talk about how you are standing here trying to get me to lie and say he kidnapped me just so you can arrest him for something you have no evidence on. Are you really that desperate to put an innocent man away?”

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