Chapter Nineteen
Delany
I'd been cooped up in this penthouse for three weeks now and though Harlow was getting better by the day, what she needed was fresh air.
We both did.
The only thing stopping me and Harlow from leaving and enjoying the warm sun was the large man blocking the elevator.
"Come on, Malice. Just for an hour. The sun will do Harlow some good."
"No," the big guy huffed, crossing his arms.
"She can't stay cooped up in here. It's not healthy and you know it. A child needs fresh air, sun, and the great outdoors. Look, I don't care where we take her, but she needs to feel the sun on her face."
"No."
Groaning, I glared at the stubborn man.
He wasn't budging.
I didn't know what else to do. I'd been trying for what felt like hours, when in reality it was only minutes, to get the big moody man to change his mind. When Jason said that Malice was staying with us to protect me and Harlow, I thought nothing of it. Trusting him to know what was best. However, I didn't think that meant Malice would be our jailer.
"Unka Mal." My sweet little girl stood before the big giant, tugging on his jeans. When Malice looked down at my girl and said nothing, Harlow raised her arms, wanting him to pick her up.
I knew no one could resist my little girl. All she had to do was flash her pretty big blue eyes and stick out her bottom lip and the person was a goner. My Harlow learned early on how to get what she wanted, and my baby girl wasn't afraid to use her superpowers. So, it wasn't surprising when Malice reached down and picked up my girl.
But when she laid her head on his shoulder, lightly rubbing his chin and whispered, "Outside."
I knew there was no way in hell Malice could tell her no.
Growling, the big man rolled his eyes and pushed the down arrow button, waiting until the elevator doors opened.
Following as he walked in, I hid my grin as the doors slowly closed.
When I suggested outside, I never imagined that Malice would bring me and Harlow to the clubhouse. While I was still coming to grips with the fact that Jason was a member of the Soulless Sinners, it never crossed my mind that I would be allowed in the clubhouse. Not that I knew anything about motorcycle clubs. Everything I knew about them was from television and even that didn't paint them in a good light.
Still, I was intrigued to see the other side of Jason's life.
Entering the clubhouse, I stuck close to Malice when he walked over to the bar along the far wall and was greeted by a pretty woman with black hair and silver tips, who smiled as she leaned against the bar. "New recruit?"
"Where's Montana?"
The pretty woman frowned at Malice. "Office."
Malice turned to me and pointed. "Sit."
"She's not a fucking dog, Malice."
The big man growled at the young woman, who simply glared back at him, before walking off with my daughter in his arms.
Doing as Malice said, I sat and looked about the room. The clubhouse was bigger than I'd thought when Malice pulled up to the building near the harbor. From the outside, it looked like any other warehouse, but upon entering, I realized looks could be deceiving.
"What would you like to drink?" the woman behind the bar asked.
Facing the woman, I shook my head. "I'm fine, thank you."
"I'm Silver."
"Delany."
The woman smirked. "So, you are the reason the clubhouse is in an uproar, and that little cutie"—she nodded toward Malice's retreating form—"must be Storm's daughter?"
"Yes. Her name's Harlow."
Silver nodded, sliding a glass of Sprite my way.
Thanking her, I took a sip and looked around the room. It was large, bigger than I thought. Several tables and chairs were scattered around the vast space. Four pool tables sat off to the left, along with a few couches and comfortable-looking chairs. On the other side of the room, I saw an L-shaped couch and several recliners in front of a large flat-screen TV that was attached to the wall. Pictures, flags, and other items decorated the walls, and above the glass mirror over the bar, was a metal sculpture of a skeleton, its head bowed in prayer and a cross hung from its boney hands, with ‘Soulless Sinner' inscribed beneath it.
"Delany?"
Turning, I stared at a large man who I had seen many times in the papers. Yet, nothing about him, right in that moment, screamed CEO. Instead, he looked like someone dangerous. Someone I never wanted to cross.
To make matters worse, Malice hadn't returned with Harlow.
"Mr. Stone," I whispered, slipping from the stool.
"Call me Montana."
"Yes, sir."
"And none of that shit." He frowned before adding, "Malice took Harlow to the playground to play with my son. Don't worry, there is a nanny with them. We need to talk."
"Talk?"
The man nodded, stepping to the side, waving his hand towards one of the tables. "Please sit."
Immediately, doing as he requested, I sat, saying nothing as he took a seat across from me. Moments later, Silver walked over with my Sprite and a longneck beer for Montana.
"Anything else, boss?"
"Keep the big guy busy."
Grumbling, Silver walked away, muttering, "Fucking great. And how the hell am I supposed to do that?"
The second Silver left the room, leaving me alone with Montana Stone, the CEO and owner of Stone Incorporated, I watched as his demeanor completely changed. Gone was the cordial man who greeted me mere moments ago. Now I sat with a man radiating with venom. I didn't know what he needed to talk to me about, but when the man leaned forward and started speaking, I had no words.
"Let's get something straight right now, Delany. You may have my club's brand on your shoulder and Storm's ring on your finger, but that doesn't mean I fucking trust you. You've brought a world of hurt down on my club, and because of you, my fucking brother's life is hanging by a thread. Now, I see this going two ways. Either you fucking spread those legs and let my brother get you pregnant again, or I swear to God, I will hold you fucking down as I order one of my brothers to do the damn deed. Because if it comes down to you or Storm, I'm choosing my fucking brother. Pieces like you are a dime a dozen. Easily replaced."
"Excuse me?"
"Don't play innocent with me, bitch. I fucking know everything about you. You can't hide who you are, and what you are is a fucking problem. You think I'm going to allow you to infiltrate my club? Think again. No golden cunt is going to take what's mine."
Never in my life had anyone ever talked to me that way. Such hatred, so much vitriol spewed from his mouth. His words chilled me to the bone. I had no idea what he was talking about, but I knew one thing. The man was serious.
Deadly serious.
Shaking, I slowly got to my feet and whispered, "I understand, Mr. Stone. If you could take me to my daughter, we will leave and never return."
"Kid ain't going anywhere," the malicious man sneered. "The kid stays."
"I'm not leaving without my daughter," I said firmly, my heart pounding like a jackhammer in my chest as the cruel man stood and loomed over me.
"That's where you are wrong."
Before I could ask what that meant, he grabbed my arm and dragged me from his clubhouse. Fighting him the best I could, he forcefully walked me towards the gates and threw me to the ground before hitting a button.
I watched in horror as the gates closed.
Getting to my feet, I screamed, "Why are you doing this?!"
"Already told you. Can't have a golden cunt in my clubhouse. Tell your family they come for me and mine, it's war."
"What family?" I shouted, tears running down my face as I gripped the metal fence tightly, shaking it. "I have no family. Please, Mr. Stone. Don't do this. I said I would leave and never come back. Harlow is all I have left. She needs me!"
The man walked away, never saying another word.
I stood there, for what seemed like an eternity, screaming for anyone to hear me, and when the sun set, I knew no one was coming to help me. Everything in me screamed at me to call the police. I knew the second I called them, they would come. But the second I thought of doing just that, I remembered the NDA I'd signed.
I tried calling Jason, but every time I did, the call never connected. Even when I called Calloway Investments, the switchboard told me he was not in the building. I didn't know where he was.
In the end, I called the only other person who kind of knew what the hell was going on.
"Finley?" I cried into the phone. "Oh God, help me. He took her."
"Whoa," she blurted. "Delany, gonna need you to calm down and tell me who took who?"
"Mr. Stone. He took Harlow."
"What?!" Finley shouted loudly.
"And I can't get ahold of Jason. She's in there and I can't get to her. Please help me. I can't leave her in there."
"Where are you?"
"At the clubhouse."
"Shit," Finley cursed. "Okay. Delany, I need you to walk to the diner at the end of Pier 81. You passed it before you got to the clubhouse. Go there and wait. Someone will be by to pick you up. Go with them. They will help you."
"I can't leave her, Finley. I can't."
"Nothing is going to happen to Harlow. Montana is a fucking piece of shit on a good day, but he would never hurt a child. Until we can get ahold of Storm, you need to get off the streets. The harbor is not a safe place for a woman. Just head to the diner. I've got some calls to make," Finley said, disconnecting the call.
Taking one last lingering look at the clubhouse, it took everything in me to walk away.
A short time later, I walked into the diner Finley told me about. Taking a seat in one of the booths, I didn't notice the waitress that walked over. "What can I get you, honey?"
Tears streamed down my face as I shook my head. "Nothing. Thank you."
"How about I bring you a cup of coffee?"
I sniffed, wiping away my tears. "That would be lovely. Thank you."
"Be right back."
Sitting there in the diner, my hands trembled as thoughts of my crying and scared daughter filtered into my brain. Since the day she was born, I'd never left her with anyone she wasn't comfortable with. She was so little and still recovering from the bone marrow transplant she'd received. She was still under medical care. Her meds were at the penthouse. We were only supposed to be gone for an hour. I didn't think to bring them.
Grabbing my head, I tried to hold in the scream that threatened to erupt from me. I just wanted my daughter back. I didn't care what devil I had to make a deal with. I just wanted her in my arms, safe.
The longer I sat there, the more worried I became.
I couldn't do this without her. I refused to. She was my world. The very air in my lungs.
I tried repeatedly to reach Jason, to no avail. I had no idea where he was or what he was doing. Since we'd married, he rarely told me anything concerning him. In fact, the only thing we talked about was Harlow and that was only when he showed his face. Typically, he would show about an hour before her bedtime and be gone before either of us woke up.
Part of me knew what we had was a marriage of convenience.
That he only married me to be closer to Harlow.
All that other crap he spewed about protecting me was nice to hear, but when I truly needed him, he was nowhere to be found. The longer I sat here in the diner, I realized the lies he told were just that—lies.
Our marriage had nothing to do with my father or his supposed crimes. I knew my father. He was a fucking hero. He wouldn't hurt anyone, not when every bone in his body was meant to save people. Jason used my father against me to force me to agree to his demands.
He was no better than Mr. Stone.
Jason wanted custody of my daughter and I fell for his lies.
Hook, line and sinker.
The longer I sat there, the angrier I got, until a man dressed in a finely-tailored suit slid into the booth across from me and smiled.
"Did Finley send you?"
The man slowly nodded his head.
"Someone wants to talk to you."
"Who?"
The big man got up, threw a couple of hundreds on the table, then held out his hand for me to take. Knowing the man wasn't asking, I quietly got up from the table and allowed him to escort me out of the diner and into a waiting blacked-out SUV.
Opening the door for me, I slid into the back seat and came face-to-face with Giovanni Valentinetti.
The former crime boss of Chicago.
What the hell was going on?