Page 89 of Tank’s Weakness

I make my way over to Delaney, smiling as she tells a story about one of her kids from school. I take the seat next to her, wrapping my arm around her. I love that she doesn’t question it.

We all continue to chat until Smoke makes his way over. He gives me a look, telling me to get on with it.

I shake my head, ignoring him.

“What’s going on?” Delaney asks me, looking between us.

“Nothing,” I tell her.

Smoke snorts. “He’s supposed to be asking you a very important question.”

Smoke gives me a knowing look.

“What does he want you to ask me?”

I wince. “To be my old lady.”

Delaney’s eyes widen before she starts laughing. I can tell she gets why I won’t ask. I don’t want to ask. I want her to take it.

She turns to Smoke. “Oh, he’s not going to ask me. He doesn’t need to. I’ve been his old lady for weeks now. I didn’t realize there was something formal we needed to do, but yeah, he’s mine. I claimed him, and I would love to see him try to get away.”

She looks back at me, eyes twinkling. The looks she gives me promise me punishment if I try to leave her.

She doesn’t realize what she did, though. My smile is wide on my face, unable to hold in how I feel. I fucking love this woman.

“Tank?” Smoke asks, eyebrow raised.

“You heard the woman. She claimed me, which is why I didn’t need to claim her. Is there an issue?”

Smoke thinks it over before laughing, “Nope.” Then louder, he says, “Attention, everyone. Tank has claimed his old lady. Everyone congratulate Tank and Delaney.”

A round of cheers sound out as people come over to talk to us. I hear them, but I’m not paying attention to them.

All I can think about is the woman next to me. The same one who seems to know exactly what I need and is happy to give it to me. As happy as I am to give her what she needs.

We are perfect for one another.

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Delaney

The longer lockdown goes, the more stir-crazy everyone becomes. To make matters worse, it’s only been a few days with no end in sight. I’m not sure we will all survive another week of this.

While everyone complains about missing out on things they had planned, I keep my mouth shut. I still feel like this is all my fault. It makes me feel worse that this lockdown didn’t exactly interrupt my life. I’ve already been fired from my job. All I would have been doing is hanging around my house looking for more things to repair or clean.

I didn’t get to finish everything I wanted, but I will have time after this.

At least my baseboards are clean.

“What are you thinking?” Jane asks as she comes over to sit down next to me.

“That at least I managed to clean my baseboards before lockdown.”

Sloane groans as she flops onto the couch. “You’re one of those people?”

“What do you mean?” I turn to her.

Sloane turns her head and sighs. “It means you’re one of those crazy clean people who clean things no one actually pays attention to. They are baseboards. Aren’t they supposed to be scuffed and shit?”