“What are you doing here?” Mammon asks as I stare at the woman who doesn’t even look me in the eye.
“You okay?” I ask, ignoring him. I swallow the rage down as I take her in further, watching closely. Whoever hurt her needs to have their ass handed to them for this. She could very well have a broken nose from the looks of it. “The babies?”
“You’re the motherfucker who knocked my sister up?” Mammon demands, getting to his feet.
“I’m okay, Tyler. How did you find out?”
I move to her side, the one opposite Mammon, and plant my ass down in the chair next to her. “I’m sorry for being a total dick toward you earlier. You didn’t deserve that shit. I shouldn’t have sent you away. If I hadn’t, this wouldn’t have happened. It’s my fault.”
“It’s not your fault,” Delaney whispers. “You have every right to react however you need to.”
“Still doesn’t make it right,” I grunt, shaking my head.
“I just told you I was pregnant, Tyler, I wasn’t expecting you to be happy-go-lucky about it.” Delaney sighs, closes her eyes, and leans her head back.
“What the fuck, man? You went and knocked my sister up and threw her way like trash,” Mammon growls.
“Dustin, please.” The whispered words cause the man to sit back down, though he shoots me a glare. “I told you, big brother, that it isn’t your business. Besides, that’s not how it happened.”
“He—”
“Did nothing I didn’t want him to do,” she interrupts him, making her brother cringe in the process.
“We’re not going to talk about what he did or didn’t do,” Mammon grumbles and looks back at me. “You might be the father of her twins, but if you think you’re going to hurt my sister in any way?—”
“Mammon, you and I have known each other a long damn time,” I tell him. “I might seem like a simple country boy to you, but I assure you, I’m not.” I’m not going to take his threats sitting down, and I sure as fuck am not going to be intimidated by him. Not when his sister is carrying part of me inside her.
“I might know that shit, but it doesn’t mean I want you with my sister,” he says, jaw clenched, eyes dark and menacing.
“We’re not together,” Delaney snaps. “It was one time, and the condom broke.”
Mammon winces. “I don’t need to know the damn details.”
“Well, stop it then.” Her voice turns raspy the more she talks.
Mammon points a finger at me and glares. “You hurt her, and I’ll fuck you up. I won’t end you like I should ‘cause you got Dash, and no kid should be without their only parent, but I will make you hurt as much as possible.”
“Seriously, Dustin?” Delaney utters, eyes darting between the two of us. “You both can stop it right now. I’m a big girl and can make my own decisions. I don’t need my big brotherfighting my battles for me when I can speak for myself.” She looks directly at me. “Nor do I need you here just because I’m pregnant.”
“Maybe not, but I’m here regardless.” I hold her gaze intently.“Those are my kids as well.”
“She’s got her family.” Mammon grunts.
“She’s also got me,” I state firmly, not backing down.
Delaney opens her mouth to speak when a knock comes at the door, and a doctor steps inside, wheeling a cart in front of her. “Hey there, Delaney.” She smiles in our direction. “You have quite the company with you today. Two very handsome men.”
“Hey, Doctor McAlister. I didn’t know they were going to call you down here. This is my brother and . . .”
“The father,” I finish for her.
“Well, good to meet you both, though I’d prefer better circumstances for meeting anyone.” She nods to both of us and turns her attention to Delaney. “The ER called up to my office tonotify me of one of my patients being here. I have it noted in your chart as such due to your pregnancy. Now, while we wait for the lab work to come back in, we’re going to do an ultrasound. No reason to sit around waiting for those before doing anythingelse. I want to make sure everything in there is as it should be. You’re not experiencing any cramping or bleeding, are you?”
“No, but I did hit my side on the edge of my couch when I was attacked, but mostly he stuck to my face and throat as you can see.”
“I hope they get the asshole who did this to you.” Dr. McAlister’s words are said with such venom in them.
“Thank you,” Delaney says, giving a small smile to the doctor. I’m guessing from the look of her, she hasn’t really reported it to the police, though they have been notified with her coming in here looking the way she does. The hospital is required to report any attacks and abuse of any kind.
