River pulled her back an extra step. Her movement broke whatever spell everyone else appeared to be under. Maverick moved in, standing at River’s back protectively, while Uncle Colt stepped into the chaos.
“Well, at least I know what you and Raven have been up to the last few weeks,” he muttered, and she shrugged unashamedly. “I think we should take this discussion outside. I don’t know who Tony is, but he sounds like someone I need to pay a visit to.”
“That’s why I didn’t tell you about it,” Kelli snapped at him. “I knew what would happen if you paid that bastard a visit, and it would have put Delaney in even more danger.”
Colt opened his mouth, but Dad cut him off. “Take it outside. Raven, you got this?”
She nodded, her hand reaching behind her to grab my shirt, already tugging me toward the door as she kept her eyes trained on Kelli.
I glanced over at where I’d last seen Delaney. Ryan was acting as a shield to her and Nova. A few of his guards were tending to the two girls. Delaney had a drink in one hand, and a plate of food was in front of her that she was snacking on. Knowing she would be safe with them, I followed Mom and Kelli out the door.
We made it five steps into the parking lot before Kelli was in my face. “Where did you find her?”
Mom grabbed her sister-in-law around the waist and forced her back a handful of steps. When there was enough distance between us that she was satisfied, she stepped into Kelli’s space. “I understand why you’re so upset, and that is the only reason you’re not on the ground already. I don’t care that you’re that girl’s only blood family. She’s with Max, and that makes her mine now, so don’t think for two seconds I won’t bury your ass if you keep this shit up.”
Kelli blanched and finally realized just who she was dealing with. “Your son is no angel, Raven,” she bit out. “I don’t want the blood on his hands to touch Delaney.”
“There’s blood on all of our hands—yours included,” Mom shot back. “You aren’t going to throw stones at my kid without getting a few slung back at you, Kelli. Now shut your mouth for a minute and let me talk to my boy.”
“She was living in the woods,” I told Mom as soon as she turned her green eyes on me. “I nearly ran over her on my bike one night on my way home. It was foggy, and she didn’t see my light until it was almost too late. I wiped out.” Mom’s face paled, but I kept going before she could rip into me for not telling her about my wreck. “When I got up, I thought I was dreaming. Or dead. Because all I saw was an angel.” I pressed a fist to the center of my chest. “I felt this pressure right here. It doesn’t hurt, but when she’s not close, I can’t breathe.”
Her face softened, but she waved her hand, urging me to continue.
“I took her home with me. She’d been on the streets for months, running from her uncle. Tony,” I snarled his name and glanced at Kelli. “You don’t have to worry about him. I plan on paying the sonofabitch a visit soon.”
“How long has she been staying with you?” Kelli demanded, but her voice wasn’t nearly as frosty as it had been.
“A little over a week.”
“How long have you been fucking her?” she spat the words at my feet, and I had to clench my hands into fists. Hurting a woman went against everything I’d ever been taught, but I wanted to strangle my uncle’s wife for the way she was trying to make my relationship with Delaney seem.
“Let’s get back on topic,” Mom encouraged, trying to defuse my temper. “Tony the pimp was going to put the little deaf angel to work in one of his whorehouses, and baby girl ran away. She is resourceful and old enough to make her own decisions.”
My gut began to clench.
“I think we should ask Delaney who she wants to live with.”
“No,” I growled. “She’s mine, and I’m not letting her go.”
“She’s not a doll, Max.” Kelli threw my earlier words back at me. “She’s a human being. Let her decide who she would rather put her trust in.”
“I agree,” Mom said with a sigh. “Delaney needs to know who Kelli is to her.”
“I don’t care about that. She is more than welcome to explain who she is to Delaney.” I raked my hands through my hair, my stomach already protesting because I could see from the gleam in Kelli’s eyes that she was going to try to steal my treasure away. “But you aren’t taking her from me.”
“Max honey, maybe this girl will want to go with Kelli.” Mom’s voice became consoling. “I mean, she was homeless a week ago. Of course, she wants to be with you right now—”
“No!” I roared. “It’s not like that—she’s not like that. She’s with me because she cares about me. I love her, Mom. And I think she loves me too.”
“You’ve known her for a week,” Kelli scoffed.
“Don’t,” I whispered so I didn’t yell in her face, then I blinked at my mom when she opened her mouth to no doubt agree with the other woman. “Just don’t, Mom. Don’t play what I feel for her off as some meaningless infatuation. I’ve never felt like this before. Lexa fell for Ben fast, too.”
“I know that, but Lexa wasn’t living on the streets. You’ve given this girl a roof over her head, food to eat, clothes and jewelry, from the looks of her. That outfit she’s wearing didn’t come from the Goodwill, Max.” She tossed her hands in the air in frustration. “I bet she’s even why you bought the Tahoe.”
“She is,” I confirmed with a nod.
“She went from having nothing to having everything handed to her. If we tell her who Kelli is to her, maybe she will realize that what she’s feeling for you is just gratitude.”