Chapter Two
1751 Words
Chapter Two
Delilah
I roll my eyes as I pull into one of the only free spots out side the bar my brother had decided to throw his wedding reception in and a sarcastic smile lit up my face.
Of course he had chosen here, I’m not sure why I had expected any different. Even after I offered him more money I had known it would still be this dive.
The Three Hens.
The very place we had grown up. Or should I say dragged up. Our parents hadn’t been huge on the actual adulting part of being parents but still .. not all my memories of this place were bad.
We had had some good times as well.
“I’m serious Delilah” My managers voice echoed over the handsfree and I barely managed to hide the loud sigh as I set my suv into park. Leaning back heavily against the warm leather. My eyes fluttered shut.
I was so god damn tired.
Not physically , no. Emotionally
“You still there?”
“I’m here and it’s fine, its my brothers wedding” Hadn’t I been the same to him for the past week at least?
“Yeah about that..”
I groaned “Greg he is my god damn brother. I don’t need a security detail to go to my big brothers wedding”
“I’ve been doing checks on him Delilah , some of his associates are …” He paused . I knew what he was getting at. We had had this conversation before and I was about to tell him again what I had told him back then. Pinching the skin between my eyebrows I schooled my voice. The last thing I needed was to lose my cool now.
“I have told you, my brother and anyone else back home is off limits . Unless they are a direct threat then you aren’t to look into them. This is a hard limit for me and you know it. These are the people I grew up with. They are my friends”
“They aren’t your friends Delilah and you know it. When was the last time you even went home?”
Damn it, he had me there.
I didn’t come home. Not ever.
“They are out of bounds Greg” I hated repeating myself but on this I wouldn’t budge. I knew he was worried about me and I couldn’t blame him. Hell I was worried about my safety as well but this was the one place I was probably safest.
No way my stalker could get to me here, I may have been gone for years. I may have run and never looked back but these people were still my people.
I believed that with every atom of my being.
“Can you at least let me send someone to wait outside, I have some one nearby”
I groaned again. Of course he did. I had been deluding myself in thinking he wouldn’t have security on my tail.
I was a million pound investment. He wasn’t about to let anything happen to me.
“I am outside a biker bar Greg” It was time to actually make myself heard. “If you send someone to hang round outside it will be a blood bath, I am safe here. I promise” Reluctantly I reached for the small clutch bag on the passenger side seat, rummaging through it until I found my favourite lip gloss. I swiped it on my lips without looking in the mirror. “I’ll phone you first thing in the morning ok, give me tonight with my family. Please”
It was the please that did it, like I knew it would. I grinned at my reflection in the dark window.
“First thing Delilah and I mean it”
“You got it boss” I didn’t even bother to wait for his good bye before I cut him off. Swinging my legs out of the car and using my hip to close the door behind me.
It had to be now, before I lost my nerve.
I crossed the almost full parking lot, pausing to look at the array of bikes leaning out the front and smiled . Some I recognised , some were so ingrained into my childhood memories it would be hard to forget them.
I had friends inside.
Men I had known my entire life.
My hand trailed over the sparking chrome of the nearest bike almost like I was caressing it.
“You touching my bike pretty lady?” The voice was gravely and I could feel his eyes on my ass.
Dirty old git.
My face broke into a wide grin as I straightened , still not turning.
“See something you fancy riding on later on?”
“I try not to ride the same bike twice Dodge, you dirty old man you”
His eyes went wide as I turned. “That you little Delilah?”
I smiled up at him, he hadn’t changed. There were a few more lines crinkling around his eyes but that was it. He was still Dodge. My dads best friend. His bike had been the first I had ever been on, back when I was about seven and my dad flatly refused to take me out.
Dodge was my unofficial uncle.
And he looked mortified he had been checking me out.
“s**t girl” I was crushed against his chest and I almost choked on the smell of stale cigarettes and beer that seemed to cling to him. “I nearly didn’t recognise you”
“That’s because you were to busy checking out my ass” I said with a laugh and my arms wrapped around him.
“Don’t blame an old man , you grew up mighty fine” Suddenly his eyes were appraising me in a way I was much more comfortable with. “s**t girl” He repeated. “Your brother mentioned you were trying to get some time off to come but no one had much hope. It’s good to see you”
“It’s good to see you as well Dodge” I let him swing his beefy arm around my waist as he started walking towards the door.
“Everyone is going to go crazy that you are here , we are all so proud of you girl”
I had serious doubts everyone in the bar in front of me was going to be happy to see me.
Most would be of course but there was one.
A blush rose up my neck as I thought about the last time I had seen him.
It had been almost ten years. Surely he wouldn’t still hold it against me? I had been nothing but a stupid kid then.
He might not even be inside. Deep down I knew he would be. He could be dead or in prison. Except Dominic would have mentioned that.
“Everyone is inside already?”
Dodges eyes were far to knowing as he swung open the door. “Everyone” He gave me a wink . “Look who has decided to grace us with her presence” He called to the packed room. “Delilah’s home”
I knew I would be mobbed, it came with the territory but nothing prepared me to the sudden wave of people who rushed towards me.
“Easy, easy let the girl breathe”
I smiled up at the older man gracefully. Glad I had been right , I didn’t need a body guard , not when I had Dodge by my side. He had fallen easily back into the role of uncle.
Would I fall so easily back into the role I had left behind. Scanning the room , I caught sight of my brother sat at the furthest corner of the bar. Looking just like he always did.
Handsome, and just a little to serious. And then my eyes fell on the man opposite him. He had his back to me but I knew the curve of those shoulders. Even if they were wider now.
Shit.
“Delilah”
“Georgia” I hugged my new sister in law back , her puffy white dress seemed to cocoon us and for a second I just let myself be held against her. “God I’ve missed you” I said into her hair and it was the truth. My brothers long term girlfriend and now wife was the one person I had religiously kept in contact with after I had left this place to make something of myself. “And you look amazing! You liked the dress?”
It had been a risk sending her the dress , they were proud people but I knew she couldn’t afford the dress of her dreams. It hadn’t taken long to find the one she had excitedly sent me a picture of back when Dominic first proposed.
“I love the dress , come on your brother is right over there with…” She pauses her arm still linked with mine.
“Are you two still fighting?”
I shrugged “ you need to talk to someone to fight Georgia, he made his feelings pretty clear back then” I hated the hurt in my voice but I couldn’t hide it. Not now I could actually see him.
He was so much easier to ignore when he wasn’t in the same room.
“You were…” Georgia shrugged. “Do the rounds Del, say your hellos. I’ll get Dominic to come to you”
“You are a good friend” I hugged her to my chest. “My brother is lucky to have you”
“Yeah he is” She sauntered off with a laugh and I watched her go with a smile.
It was just one night, one night I had to avoid my brothers best friend and then I could do back to my life.
And not see him again for another ten years.
- Writer
