Page 9 of Hawk

He smiled. “She told me where to find you today.”

“That little sneak. Though, I guess it’s good she did or else I might be locked up in a dungeon somewhere.” A shudder ripped through me as the words left my mouth and I realized the gravity of what actually happened today. Hawk didn’t just help me out, he almost certainly saved my life. “Shit.” I sat back and tried to shake off those thoughts, but I couldn’t. They were there, front and center, and in vibrant color.

“Hey, Laura. It’s okay, you’re safe now.” Hawk took my hands and gave them a supportive squeeze. “Don’t think about what could have happened. It didn’t, and that’s what matters.”

“Yeah, but it could have. If not for you and Kristy, I might be dead right now.”

He flashed a sad smile. “But you’re not dead. You’re here with me eating an ungodly amount of cheese ball.”

His efforts to make me smile worked. “It’s rude to talk about how much food your girlfriend eats. Or doesn’t eat.” I arched one brow at him, and he laughed.

“I’m rusty at this boyfriend thing. You’ll have to teach me, and I’ll teach you how to stop worrying about shit that didn’t happen. Won’t happen.”

“Thank you, Hawk.” I tried for a smile, and the longer I held it, the more real it became. Hawk, so far, wasn’t anything like the man I pegged him to be. In fact, I had a feeling he was more than an arrogant playboy.

Chapter Five

Hawk

“I need to talk to you guys.” I stood near the bar of the Steel Demons clubhouse with a cold beer in my hand and waited for my club brothers to turn to face me.

Diesel’s blue gaze met mine, silently asking if everything was okay. “We’re listening.”

I nodded and looked around at each of my brothers because I knew what some of them would say when I finished. “Los Ochos are extorting local businesses and they killed Mark Winchester last week, because he refused to pay.”

“Shit! How didn’t we hear about that? Los Ochos? Aren’t they a small-time gang still finding their footing?” Rocky scowled. “How the fuck are they extorting anyone?”

I shrugged. “I don’t know, but if I hadn’t been at the community center when it all went down, I’m not sure anyone would know about it. None of the business owners have said anything to anyone as far as I know.” Which was the part that really didn’t make sense since we made every effort to keep them safe.

“What the hell were you doing at the community center?” Maverick, our sergeant-at-arms, asked.

“I was hoping to accidentally run into the pretty nurse who stitched me up.” There was no point pretending when it would all come out eventually.

“Makes sense,” Rebel laughed. “But that’s not all?”

“No. They tried to kidnap her, because she was helping Winchester when they came back to finish him off. They must have tracked her down. I stopped them from abducting her and doing who knows what they had planned. But I had to tell them she was my woman to stop them.”

The clubhouse fell silent for a long damn time, but I wasn’t foolish enough to think it would last.

“Holy shit,” Rebel began with a laugh as he shook his head. “Holy shit, man. Are you serious?”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m serious.”

Rocky laughed. “Aren’t you the same one giving us shit about damsels in distress?”

“That was Rebel.” I pointed at my brother, who was still laughing.

“You agreed,” he shot back with a satisfied smile.

“Yeah, I did. And now I’m the one saving a damsel in distress. Mock me all the fuck you want, but I’m not letting those assholes get their hands on her.”

“And she’s agreed to be your girlfriend?” Leave it to Diesel to ask the important questions.

“She has agreed for the sake of appearances, yeah.”

Rebel and Slate howled with laughter.

“Hawk went and got himself a fake girlfriend,” Slate shouted between pants of laughter. “Fucking priceless, brother.”

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