Love Roulette

36

Thirty-Six
GUNNER

"Keep an eye on her." I nod my head in Delilah's direction and whisper to Mason.

She's sitting cross-legged in front of a long mirror, applying her eyelashes.

He frowns. "Why?"

"She's planning something very stupid in that little head of hers." My gaze hasn't wavered from her for quite some time. I'm trying to read her. Get some kind of indication as to what is flying through her head.

Delilah is a tough cookie. I have no worries that she can fend for herself, but I'm worried. She's been surviving on her own. On the run from Damien. She has the mindset of someone who will risk her life for those she loves.

"You think she'll do something stupid?" Mason tilts his head, both of us now observing her.

"Yep." I roll my lips and fold my arms over my chest. "At least one of us needs to be with her at all times until this shit is sorted."

"Yeah, she's not going to like that one, Gunner." Mason shakes his head. "I choose life." He pats me on my chest and I grab his wrist.

"I'm not fucking about." I grit, my face hard because all I can do is feel frustration and worry that things could potentially not go our way. "She's our number one priority."

"I know that. But I don't think she's going to like us being with her twenty-four-seven." Mason looks sceptical and I couldn't care less. "But from the look on your grumpy face, you don't care." He huffs and I nod my head.

"Exactly that."

Finally, Delilah turns her head to look at us over her shoulder. Her brows furrow. Here we go.

"What are you two talking about? Me I assume." She stands up and quickly checks her makeup again in the mirror before slowly approaching the two of us.

"What?" Mason scoffs. "Why on earth would we be talking about you?" I mentally facepalm myself because Mason couldn't be any more obvious.

Delilah then looks at me and I stare down at her pretty brown eyes with a straight face. She observes me just as much as I observe her and I know she's far from stupid.

"You think I'm going to do something stupid, don't you?" She whispers and I keep my face straight and tilt my head, rolling my lips. "Yes, I'm worried, but I would never do something without informing you both first."

"So you'll just give us a heads up when you decide to sacrifice yourself to that crazy fuck?" Mason questions casually, but Delilah ignores him, deciding to keep her eyes on me. She wants an answer from me.

Her stare is just as challenging as mine and I release a sigh because I know she's not one to give up easily.

"Yes, baby. I think you're going to do something stupid." I admit and she swallows hard, finally looking away. My finger lifts her chin so she can look at me again and I continue. "I think I've known you long enough now to know how selfless you can be for the people you love. You've sacrificed so much to keep your parents safe from Damien, and I know you'd do the same for us." Her eyes start to glaze over and her breathing becomes uneven.

Yes, I've seen Delilah cry but I think now everything is getting to her and it's becoming a bit too much. There's only so long you can hang on before everything starts to hurt and you want to give up.

She lets the first tear fall, then the second, until multiple are streaming down the soft skin on her face, and she lets out the biggest sob I've ever heard from her. It kills me. Without any hesitation, I wrap her up in my arms and press a soft kiss to the side of her head while I give her time to let it all out.