By the time she’d stepped into her shoes, Hawkeye was standing and had already picked up his keys and wallet from the desk.He stood beside the door waiting.She hurried to his side, not wanting to delay them any longer and risk upsetting him.
Chapter Twenty-Five
After locking his bedroomdoor, Hawkeye took her hand and led Delilah through the front room, cringing as he looked around and saw several of his brothers, along with a couple of prospects passed out wherever they’d fallen.He could only be thankful that the mamas had to stay in their room, either that or in the room belonging to whatever brother/prospect she was screwing at the moment.At least when they weren’t fully dressed.It meant he didn’t have to lead Delilah through a room full of people in various states of undress as he took her for breakfast.
He stopped for a moment and reached behind the bar to grab the keys to one of the club pickups.They’d take the truck this morning because he planned to buy more than would fit in his saddlebags.Keys in hand, he took her out the front door.He made a mental note to ask Raven about getting one of the houses they had decided to build on the property.After the shooting that killed Panther, and the issue with Andy being taken by the Crows, the club had decided to turn their property into something more secure.They’d already made a deal to buy the property surrounding the clubhouse, it was over thirty acres and had been for sale for almost two years.Now that they owned the land, they would fence it, and build houses.It wouldn’t be required for everyone to live on site, but it would be encouraged, if only for safety.He decided that even if Delilah didn’t decide to stay with him, he wanted one of the houses.He wanted to have some space of his own.At least more than the single room where he was now.
Hawkeye didn’t miss the confused looks she gave him when he tugged her past the row of bikes to where the two pickups the club owned were parked.He took her to the passenger side, loaded her inside and buckled her in before closing the door and going around to his seat.
“I wish I could give you a choice of where to eat but there are only a couple of places open this time of day and the food sucks so bad at one of them I’m shocked they’re still in business,” he said as he pulled up to the newly installed gate and waited for the prospect on duty to open it.Right now, they had to do it by hand, shoving the gate along the track to slide it out of the way, but that was only temporary as the motor to run it was back ordered and due in a few weeks.
He glanced at Delilah a couple of times on the drive, but since they were going to be in the truck for under ten minutes, he didn’t want to start any deep discussions.Once they were seated and had ordered, he reached across the table and took one of her hands in his.When she looked up and met his gaze, he knew he had her attention.
“How long were you with the Crows?”There were other things he could ask but he didn’t want to start with things that might be traumatizing.Of everything he’d learned about her time with the Crows, it hadn’t been as bad as the time she’d spent with that fuckwad.At least from what he knew of it.
“I’m not sure.What’s the date?I lost track of time.”She turned and looked out the window beside them.Hawkeye wasn’t sure if she couldn’t stand to watch his face or if she didn’t want him to see her reactions.He hated that she’d been treated so poorly, that she’d been beaten down so much, that she’d been punished for such normal behavior.He gave her today’s date.She blinked a couple of times then turned back to look at him.“I was there almost eight months.How did I spend two/thirds of a year there and not know it?”
Hawkeye shook his head.“I don’t know.”He’d never been in a situation like that.Neither had he been a captive to anyone or treated like a slave.The only possibility being while he’d been prospecting, but since he’d done everything willingly, even if not happily, he couldn’t equate the two.“Now that you’re free, both from the Crows and Jericho and that fuckwad, we can work on getting you set up to succeed, whatever that looks like for you.”
She looked away again, focusing out the window.“What if that’s not possible?”
“What do you mean?”He frowned as he watched her, then he remembered what she’d said the night they’d pulled her out, then again yesterday.Children.He squeezed the hand he still held.“There are ways to have kids even if you can’t get pregnant and carry them yourself.There are lots of children out there looking for a home.”
Delilah shook her head.“No man wants to raise children that aren’t his own.”
“That is where you’re wrong, little dove.”
She turned and looked at him again, tilting her head to one side.“Why do you call me that?”
“Little dove?”he asked.
Delilah nodded.
“Because at first I didn’t have anything else to call you, but even after you gave me your name, I like it.It fits you.”
“I know the name part, but how does it fit?Why?”
