Page 33 of Frank's Felon
“You’re asking me?” Blade said, his voice pitching high as if he couldn’t believe Frank would come to him for advice. Who else would he go to? Callen and Hayden weren’t around, not that Frank would go to Hayden as a first choice. The shifter had a few kinks that didn’t exactly align with Frank’s idea of a relationship.
Frank really wanted to talk to Tess, to gain her insight, but she wasn’t talking to him. Apparently, she had already sided with Delilah. At least the two of them were getting along. Delilah needed family about her. She wasn’t meant to be a lone wolf, despite her earlier proclamation that she wouldn’t be staying.
“Of course, I’m asking you. You’re married. With a baby on the way,” Frank answered as he nodded his head toward the right, the direction he wanted to move the heavy limb.
“That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing.” Blade suddenly stopped walking, which brought Frank to a halt, and set his end of the branch down.
That’s when Delilah passed by, her expression pained. His heart clenched. He had hurt her—again. He was never going to get this right. Not with her or anyone.
“Whatever you’re thinking, Frank. Stop it,” Blade said in a serious tone he rarely used.
“I’m not thinking anything, and how the fuck would you know anyway?”
“You have that look.”
“I don’t have a look.”
“You do. Ever since you returned from prison, you’ve had a look that surfaces every so often. And then you go all quiet and isolate yourself from everyone. It’s like you don’t want to be here.”
Frank hoisted his end of the branch. “Let’s get this over with. I have guard duty soon, and I’m sure Anna would prefer your scraggly body in one piece, not two.”
Blade lifted his end without another word, but Frank had the distinct feeling they weren’t done with this topic. They walked a few yards before the back end of the branch suddenly fell. Frank dropped his end and turned around cursing, ready to beat the crap out of Blade. Blade was gone, and Delilah was standing there, her mouth open, as if she wanted to say something.
She looked stunning, and sad, his female. Seeing that sadness on her face, the heaviness in her eyes that were red from crying, made Frank want to pummel someone—except he was the someone who had hurt her. There was so much Frank wanted to say, except words escaped him in that moment.
“Hi,” Delilah started, looking scared, like she wanted to run. She turned her head ever-so-slightly to the right that Frank scented in that direction. Tess. It appears she’d been working on Delilah.
“I don’t want to lose you,” Frank said, before this meeting could get turned sideways. “Whatever I did wrong, I didn’t mean it.”
Delilah straightened her spine. He had her attention.
“I care about you, Del. I wanted it to be good for you, and I wanted to prove myself to you.”
She tilted her head, clearly confused. “What do you need to prove to me of all people?”
Delilah wasn’t hiding from him any longer, but her words gutted him just the same. He hated how she spoke of herself as if she didn’t matter.
“I want to prove that I’m worthy of you.”
“It was only some fun in the woods, Frank. It’s not like we’re blood-bonding.”
Blood-bonding. He had been too afraid to think of the possibility, let alone mention it. He never thought he’d find a female who could both excite and challenge him, who would like him for him, who would accept him despite his gruff exterior and awkwardness. He wanted it all with her, including a blood-bond, except she didn’t trust him, not fully at least.
“I want to get to know you better. More than what it feel likes to sink my cock in you, or to feel you beneath me. Sex is important, but it’s not everything. Call me greedy, but I want everything, Delilah. The whole fucking package that comes with being with someone. Of being with you.”
She bit her lip and he was sure he heard a slight whimper. His Delilah was beating herself up over something, he could see that now. It wasn’t simply what he’d done.
“I’m leaving soon, Frank.”
“Stay, Del. Give me a chance. Giveusa chance.”
“There is no us. I barely know you. You’re just a guard who likes books.”
Is that all she thought of him, or was she doing what she always did to protect herself. . . pushing him awaybecausehe cared about her?
“And you know too much about me,” she added.
“Including that you don’t like to be vulnerable. Is that how I make you feel?”
