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“Right,” he mumbles, turning in his seat, he sits straight up and steeples his fingers.
“Why do you think you feel so strongly about them?” He rubs his chin with this forefinger.
Swallowing the dryness in my throat, I dig deeper, trying to find the root of what it is about Delilah and Penelope and the first thing that comes to mind is my mother.
“My mom was a shit parent and was never there. I grew up alone and scared and didn’t believe I amounted to anything and let’s just say living the life of a bull rider wasn’t a place for snowflakes, other riders talk mad shit and play dirty. I was fucking lonely and always in pain.”
“Are you trying to say Delilah has nobody?” He’s starting to get angry, insinuating that I’m calling him a bad parent.
“No, I just see the broken kid living inside of Delilah and I can communicate with her is all.” I shrug and his eyes squint into mere slits as he takes in the information.
“I’ve been hard on D, but only because I want her to be strong. She’s a female of a biker club and that makes her a target,” he explains.
I nod conveying I understand why he’s done what he’s done but now I’m here and I can help Delilah be a better version of herself because she makes me a better version of myself. We just get each other.
“Look, Delilah’s strong-willed and full of pride just like her mother, Big Chief, if she thinks you’re taking pity on her or giving her a handout she won’t take it so you gotta make her think staying at your place is her idea.”
I’m taken aback by his response. I figured he’d tell me it’s too soon and they will stay with him and Dani, but he actually approves and wants me to persuade Delilah to come stay with me. It’s the perfect idea. I’ll have them both close by, Penelope will have her own room, and Delilah still gets to have her dream garage.
“You got it.” I smirk, accepting the challenge and a small grin turns the corner of his mouth. These two girls are going to have me wrapped around their fucking fingers, God help me.
27
Delilah
Something touches the stitches on my face and I groan, slapping away whatever it is only to come in contact with a small hand. My eyes open and I find Penelope staring, her head tilted just a tad as she inspects the injury on my face.
“Hey baby!” My voice gentle as I teeter on the line of exhaustion and excitement.
“What happened?” She points to my cheek, touching the stitches again.
“I got a big scratch.”
Her eyes widen.
“By a kitty?”
I laugh, her mind instantly going to a cat intriguing.
“Yes!” I say with just as much excitement. “A big one too!”
“From the jungle?”
I nod, loving how wild her imagination is. It reminds me of how dull mine is nowadays.
“Are you hungry?” I ask.
Picking her stuffed frog up, she picks at his big blue eyes and nods.
“Let’s go see what we can find in the kitchen.”
Climbing off the bed, she stands on the mattress and I pick her up, propping her on my hip. I freeze, realizing how natural the action of lifting her up was. I kiss her cheek, needing to show my affection somehow, and she giggles, grabbing the spot on her face. Opening the door, we head down the hall and find everyone sitting in the common area.
Panic makes my heart beat wildly and my feet screech to a halt.
Bobby, Lip, Cherry, Doc, Piper, Addie. Everyone is here and staring at me and my daughter. The kid nobody knew about. Inhaling a shaky breath, I lift my chin.
“Everyone, this is Penelope. My daughter,” I introduce, tucking a stray hair behind her ear.
Piper rushes up to me first, placing a light hand on Penelope’s back and staring at her. I didn’t even know she was here, I’m sure Saint told her everything though
“Oh my god, she’s beautiful, D. She looks just like you!” she coos, and then her attention is on me. “Your mom filled me in on everything, and I want to kick your ass for never telling me, but, Auntie Piper is here.” She smiles and looks back to my daughter. “Penelope and my little girl will be best friends growing up, just like us.”
She starts to get all weepy and blubbering like a mess and just when I go to make fun of her I notice my eyes stinging with the urge to cry. Damn it!
Clenching them shut, I take a breath. Get your shit together, you never cry this much.
“Scoot over, I’m the uncle!” Zane shoves Piper out of the way, and reaches for Penelope, picking her up from under the arms and holding her.
She looks up at him but doesn’t say anything. They just stare at one another and my heart feels full. Everyone surrounds them, introducing themselves, and showing her so much love and care. I hear her giggle, and Bobby laugh. More than likely he did something silly, he’s always the one that made us laugh as kids.
