Page 66 of Taming Hawke

Hawke

I’m woken by the sun cascading in through the windows. I try to open my eyes but struggle against the light. It’s so goddamn bright in my room. Then I hear someone moving around and realize there’s an actual person in my private space, sliding the curtains open. It makes the room even fucking brighter.

Anger consumes me and I sit up to see who the fucker is that has the balls to step in my room and wake me. “What the fuck do you think you’re….” I stop when I see Quill in my room, now standing at the end of my bed with his arms crossed. He looks pissed. I notice he’s no longer in his suit, but jeans, a white T-shirt, and his cut.

“Get the fuck up, we need to talk,” he demands. I look over to the clock on my side table, and sigh when I see it’s 12:14 p.m.

“Fuck, brother, how’d you get here so quick?” I ask as I swing my legs over the side of the bed.

“Got the first flight I could. You need to explain why you left last night without a word.”

I rub my forehead, trying to get rid of the pounding that’s begun. Running my hands through my hair, I look up at Quill, now standing in front of me. “Coffee first, then we talk.”

Quill kicks my leg with his boot. “Get dressed, I’ll meet you out front in a few.” He walks over to my bedroom door.

Before he can leave, I say, “Brother, I think we should have a private conversation before we take this to the club.”

Quill turns and narrows his eyes at me. “You want me to keep shit from my club?”

“It’s not like that, Prez,” I say getting up from the bed. “We need to keep shit under wraps till we work out what to do.”

“We’re taking this to the club. Now get dressed and I’ll meet you out there in ten.” Quill leaves and I get up from the bed and walk over to the bathroom. Turning the hot water on, I waste no time showering and dressing, not wanting to upset Quill even more by being late. I tie my wet hair up in a loose bun, put my cut on, and make my way out to where he’s waiting.

Quill’s sitting at the bar, a mug of coffee in his hand. Daisy, our barmaid, pours a cup for me as I sit down. “Thanks, Daisy.” She winks at me and continues to dry glasses lined up on the bar.

I glance around the room and notice all my brothers are back, but there’s no sign of Jasmine. “Jasmine asleep?” I ask, staring at Quill over the rim of my mug.

“She ain’t here, she’s still at her folks with Luisa.”

My eyebrows lift. “She already sick of you, man?” I ask with a smirk.

Quill laughs. “She ain’t ever getting sick of me. I asked her to stay back. Didn’t want to get her here in a rush, you know? Being pregnant and all.”

“I bet she didn’t like that.”

Quill runs his hand through his hair. “Nope, but I told her she hasn’t got a choice.”

I laugh. “I would have loved to be around when you said that to her.”

“Let’s just say,” he says, uncrossing his ankles, “I have a way of persuading her.” Quill smirks. I can just imagine how he goes about persuading his new wife.

I take another sip of coffee and ask the question that’s been eating at me. “How’s Luisa?”

Quill rotates his mug on the bar, looking down at it. He looks up at me after a few seconds. “She’s upset, what do you expect?”

I nod, I do get it.

“You’re gonna lose her if you don’t start getting your shit together. She told me Josie needed you last night. Is that true? Or did you just use that as an excuse to leave?”

I frown at Quill. “I wouldn’t do that, man. I love Lu, but Josie did call me. Let’s have church so we can get this over with.”

Quill nods, and shouts, “Get your asses into church! We have something important to discuss.”

I head to the back room where church is held, and feel a tap on my shoulder. “Hey, hermano, you good?” I look to my right and find Blaze beside me with his eyebrows pinched together.

“I will be, need to get some shit off my chest.”

“Let’s do it,” he replies, and takes his seat as sergeant at arms.

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