Chapter Five

Delphi Mae

“M aybe we should reconsider this,” Eli says for the second time. “We don’t know these people, Ma. And they’re all bikers.”

“Does that make them bad people?” I ask, removing Jessica from her car seat. “Not everything you read is true, Elijah. Don’t be a hateful person.”

“I’m not being hateful,” he says, holding open my jacket and waiting for me to slide it on. “I’m being cautious. I’ve heard rumors that these guys don’t take shit from anyone.”

“You’re being judgmental,” I say as I accept his help. “You’re right about one thing. We don’t know these people. And, if we stick to the way you want things to go, we never will.”

Elijah sighs heavily, his eyes darting to the rows of motorcycles lined up in front of a large house. “I just don’t want to see you get hurt again,” he says, his voice quiet but firm. “We’ve been through enough.”

My heart clenches at his words. I reach out, cupping his cheek with my free hand and forcing him to look at me. “I know you’re trying to protect me, but you can’t shield me from everything. I’m not asking you to trust them; I’m just asking you to trust me.”

He nods reluctantly, his gaze dropping to the ground. “I do trust you, Ma. I just…”

“Don’t want to see me get hurt again,” I finish for him, brushing a stray curl out of his eyes. “But we can’t live our lives looking over our shoulders, Eli. We need to move forward.”

He glances back at the active house, his jaw tight. “Fine. But if they try anything…”

“We’ll leave,” I promise, smiling softly. “Now, come on. Let’s go make some new friends.”

“Why couldn’t Jacob come with us again?” he asks, grabbing the diaper bag from my shoulder.

“He said he was running late and had to make a stop for steak,” I answer. “He thought it would be easier if we just met him here instead.”

“I’m amazed he let you put his baby in that heap of junk you call a car,” he says, ducking when I go to elbow him.

“I’ll have you know that my car is not a heap of junk,” I laugh. “She works perfectly fine.”

“Whatever you say, Ma,” he smiles as he leads the way to the front porch. “Honestly, though, I think Jacob just wanted you to have your car in case you felt like you needed to leave. That’s what I would have done had I been him.”

I don’t respond, knowing that my son is most likely correct. These past few weeks, I’ve noticed how much my son and Jacob are alike.

It’s confusing. But, I’ve also noticed a change in Eli. He’s not as weary of the world as he once was. He’s open and honest to Jacob about his feelings and they’ve worked through some of his anger.

“You know, you’re too smart for your own good,” I say, a hint of pride in my voice as I follow him up the steps. “You’re probably right about Jacob, but that doesn’t mean we need to use the escape plan he’s offering. We should at least give this a chance.”

He hesitates at the door, glancing back at me. “I just don’t want you to feel trapped. You don’t owe these people anything.”

His words hit home, but I force a smile. “I know I don’t. But maybe they’re the ones who can help us feel a little less trapped. Maybe they’re more than just the rumors you’ve heard.”

He doesn’t look convinced, but he nods and knocks on the door. Seconds later, the door swings open, and we’re targeted by the stare of one scary-looking man. That is until his eyes land on Jessica.

“You’re with Reynolds,” the man states. “Come on in.”

Stepping aside, he reveals a room full of curious eyes and unfamiliar faces. I take a deep breath, steadying myself.

The house is buzzing with activity, kids running around, women chatting, and men scattered around the room laughing. It’s not as intimidating as I imagined. There’s a sense of community here that I wasn’t expecting.

As we step inside, a tall man with a gray beard and a leather vest that reads “Founder” approaches, a friendly smile on his face. “You must be Del and Eli,” he says, extending a hand. “Names Pop. We’ve been expecting you.”

Elijah steps a little closer to me, his eyes scanning the room. “Is Jacob here yet?”

Pop shakes his head. “Not yet, but he’s on his way. Why don’t you two grab a seat? I’m sure you’ve got a lot of questions, and I’d be happy to answer any of them while you wait.”

I glance at Elijah, who gives me a barely perceptible nod. We follow Pop to a table near the back, and as we sit down, I can’t help but notice the curious glances being thrown our way. It’s as if they’re trying to size us up just as much as we are them.

Elijah leans in, his voice low. “I’m still not sure about this, Ma.”

I place a hand on his arm, squeezing gently. “Neither am I, but let’s keep an open mind, okay? We’re here now, and running away at the first sign of uncertainty isn’t going to get us anywhere.”

He nods reluctantly, and I can see the struggle in his eyes. He’s caught between the desire to protect me and the need to trust me. I just hope I can give him a reason to do the latter.

Pop sits across from us, leaning back with a relaxed smile. “So, what do you want to know?”

I glance at Elijah, who looks at me expectantly. I clear my throat, feeling oddly out of place. “I guess I’d like to know what kind of club this is. I’ve heard stories, but I’d like to hear it from you.”

Pop’s smile widens. “I appreciate that. We’re not what most people think when they hear the word ‘biker.’ We’re a family. Sure, we’ve got our rough edges, but we take care of our own. And that includes our friends.”

He looks pointedly at Elijah, who frowns but doesn’t say anything.

I take a deep breath, feeling a little of the tension ease from my shoulders. “So, what exactly does that mean for us?”

Pop’s eyes soften, and for the first time since we walked in, I feel like I might be able to relax. “It means that as long as Jacob considers you part of his family, so do we. We don’t turn our backs on family, Del. No matter what.”

“Oh, we’re not his family,” I’m quick to correct. “I’m his nanny, and this is my son.”

“Whatever you say, darlin’,” he smiles. “No matter what.”

I nod slowly, processing his words. “I guess that’s all I needed to hear.”

Elijah shifts beside me, his jaw still tight, but I can see the wheels turning in his head. He’s trying, and that’s all I can ask for right now.

Pop stands, clapping his hands together. “Good. Now, how about a drink?”

I smile gratefully. “I’d love that. Thank you.”

As he walks away, I lean back in my chair with a sleeping Jessica against my chest, glancing at Elijah. “See? Not so bad, right?”

He doesn’t answer, just looks around the room with that same wary expression. But when he turns back to me, there’s a hint of something else in his eyes. Something like hope.

“Maybe not,” he admits quietly. “But I’m still keeping an eye on them.”

I laugh softly, reaching over to ruffle his hair. “I wouldn’t expect anything less.”

“And he thought he was going to be able to keep Freckles to himself,” a new voice says.

I turn toward the newcomer and do a double take.

No way.

“Names Taylor,” he smiles. “This is my husband, Knox. It’s nice to meet you.”

“You live next door to Jacob,” Eli says.

“We do,” the younger of two, Knox, says. “Sorry we missed your visit yesterday morning. We left early to get coffee before Taylor’s meeting with a new client.”

“Are you okay, Freckles?” Taylor asks. “You look as if you’ve seen a ghost.”

I try to clear the giant knot in the back of my throat before answering.

“Can I ask you something?” I ask.

“Of course. Ask away.”

“Are you a cop?”

“Not anymore,” he frowns. “Quit a while back. Why?”

I glance at Eli before returning my gaze back to the familiar face.

“Do you know a man named Ryan Honiker?” I ask, my heart pounding like a drum inside my chest.

Knox gasps, but neither of us pays him any attention as pieces begin to click into place.

“Yeah, about eight years ago, he was up for parole,” Taylor says, his expression darkening. “I was the detective who fought tooth and nail to keep him locked up.”

“If it hadn’t been for the witness the lead detective found,” I murmur, my voice barely steady, “Mr. Honiker would’ve walked years ago on his own recognizance.”

“How do you know about that case?” he asks curiously. “He was sent to prison when I was a rookie cop of twenty-four. You couldn’t have been any older than little Jessica here.”

“Let me have her, Ma, before you pass out.”

I’m numb as Eli pulls the baby from my arms.

“What’s going on here?”

“A lot,” Knox sniffles.

“Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”

I feel Jacob beside me as concern pours from his body, but I only have one thing on my mind. With as much speed as I’m able, I rush forward and slam against Taylor, wrapping my arms as far around his body as I can.

“Thank you,” I cry. “If it hadn’t been for you, he would have gotten out sooner, and he would have killed us. I believe that with everything I am.”

“Killed you? Who would have killed you?”

“You remember the time I spent months building a case against one of the assholes in prison?”

I feel the rumble of Taylor talking, but I’m not ready to release my hug just yet.

“I remember you doing that exact thing many times,” Jacob answers.

“The one that took me to New York for a few weeks,” Taylor says, holding me tightly.

“Oh, yeah. You were pissed that some Pedo was put up for parole before his sentence was even half over.”

I pull back from Taylor’s arms and move back to Eli’s side.

“I received a letter years back that the person who raped me might get out ofprison much earlier than was planned,” I say, knowing that everyone was listening but not really caring. “He went to several parole hearings over the course of a few months but was ultimately denied because someone else had stepped up with a rape claim against him.”

“Unfortunately, the statute of limitations on rape andsexual battery is twenty-five years,” Taylor continues. “Her statement was enough for the parole board to deny the bastard’s release but not enough to add more time onto his sentence.”

“About six months after he was denied, I found myself searching his case online, and that’s when I saw this man’s face.” I smile at my unsung hero. “Since my case wasn’t sealed or restricted, the details were open to the public. I was able to read everything this man did in order to keep Mr. Honiker behind bars.”

“It wasn’t enough to keep him there for life, though,” Taylor frowns. “Come to think of it, he’ll probably be released soon.”

I smile sadly at my son as he squares his shoulders and raises his chin.

“He’s already been released,” Knox says quietly.

Taylor’s eyes widened, and he looked at me worriedly.

“We’ll have to get a restraining order for you,” Taylor says quickly. “I know people. We can get it rushed.”

“There’s no need,” I whisper.

Taylor looks back at his husband, who simply shrugs.

“I did her background check for Reynolds, but her story isn’t mine to share.”

I feel the pressure of every person as they wait to hear what I say next, but I have no intention of saying anything else about it.

“Three months ago, he broke into our home while I was in the shower and Ma was cooking,” I hear Eli say. “He attacked her. Almost killed her. But I killed him first.”

The room is quiet for several moments before someone speaks.

“Respect that, son,” someone says. This man bleeds authority. “Names Ghost. How old are you?”

“Fifteen,” he answers.

“Ever thought about being part of a motorcycle club?” he asks.

“Maybe,” Eli answers, moving a sleeping baby to his other shoulder. “But my first job is to protect my Ma. So, I’ll think about it more when I’ve made enough money to buy her a house with tight security.”

The man, Ghost, just nods but his eyes are filled with respect.

I can do nothing but shake my own head.

“It’s my job to protect you,” I remind my hard-headed son.

“You always have protected me, Ma,” he smiles. “But I’m bigger than you, now. Protecting you makes my heart happy. It gives me a purpose. Get over it, woman. I’m not going to stop no matter how many times you threaten to ground me.”

“Brat,” I laugh. “I’m so sorry everyone. I didn’t mean to ruin your party. I was just so surprised when I realized who this man was.”

“Nothing’s ruined,” a beautiful, clearly pregnant woman smiles. “I’m Maddy. This is my man, King. I promise he’s not nearly as scary as he looks.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” I say, looking at the scary man who answered the door when we arrived.”

“Wait, the police sent you a letter to let you know that your attacker was up for parole?” Maddy asks.

“And they just called me when he was released,” I shake my head. “The police department really suck at basic human decency. No offense.”

“None taken, sweetheart,” Taylor shrugs. “I quit for a reason.”

“Elijah, a word.”

Eli looks around the room and then back at me before sighing and walking towards Ghost. I wonder what that’s about?

“Your dad is a fucking genius, brother,” Taylor says over my head.

I feel Jacob’s hand as it rests on my hip.

“That he is,” Jacob says.

“Boom?” Taylor asks.

“Boom.”

Well, alrighty then.

“Come on,” Knox says, pulling me forward. “We’ll let these guys talk in their code while I introduce you to everyone.”

Over the next several hours, I try not to let my happiness blind everyone as they make me and Eli feel as if we’ve always been part of their family. I feel the hope in my heart every time Jacob looks at me, but I need to be careful. I can’t get sucked in any deeper than I already am.

Leaving is going to hurt.