Page 16 of Taming Hawke

Hawke

Riding to the clubhouse, I can’t help but have the feeling something’s up with Luisa. It killed me lying to her in there. I wanted to tell her, I did, but I need more time. I have shit to do at the clubhouse today. Quill called this morning to let me know that Ink Me, where Tess works as a tattooist, was broken into last night, and the place has been trashed to hell. Blaze is going out of his fucking mind knowing that Tess could have been hurt. Luckily, she’d shut the shop and left for the day. Quill’s pissed because they found a brick used to smash the window in, Be Warned written on it in red paint.

Walking into the clubhouse, I see Jasmine at the bar eating breakfast. I sneak my hand around her and grab a piece of her toast, shoving it in my mouth.

“Hey,” she whines. “I was eating that.”

I can’t help but chuckle as I continue to munch on her toast.

She turns around on her stool and fists me in the gut. “I’m pregnant, Hawke, don’t mess with my food,” she demands as she pulls the rest out of my hand and takes a huge bite, a grin on her face.

“What the fuck’s going on here?” Quill questions. He walks up to Jasmine and places a kiss on the side of her head.

“Your boy here just ate my toast. Please explain to Hawke how I get when I don’t eat.”

Quill mouths, “Don’t do it, man,” and shakes his head. Then he rotates his finger at the side of his head, trying to let me know she’s nuts. I laugh out loud and Jasmine turns to face Quill, then fists him in the stomach this time.

Quill bends over, pretending it was a hard blow. “What was that for?” he bellows.

“That’s for making fun of the mother of your child, who by the way, needs all the food she can get, since she’s eating for two.”

My smile widens, and I can’t help but see how pregnancy is changing Jasmine. She’s glowing and looks gorgeous. Not that she didn’t before, but now she has this angelic look about her.

Quill pushes her hair behind her shoulder, and leans in and whispers something into her ear. Jasmine turns a bright red and pecks Quill on his lips, whispering, “I love you, baby.” I walk away toward Blaze, in conversations with Gunner, and pour myself some coffee and join them.

“Boys,” I announce, and they turn toward me, giving me their attention.

“Hawke,” Blaze says.

“Tess all right?” I ask as I take a sip of my coffee.

“She’s a little shaken up, but she’s fine,” Blaze replies. I see something flash in his eyes as I stand to my full height.

“What is it?”

“Gunner and I have been talking. We think it’s a warning on our club.”

I place my coffee on the bar. “From who?”

“That’s what I wanna know,” Blaze replies.

“Can’t be the Gypsy Brothers. They’d have to be fucking stupid if they were the ones responsible for this.”

“I know what you’re sayin’, brother, shit just don’t make sense.”

“Church, now,” Quill announces and we stop our conversation, following Quill into the room we call church.

I take my usual seat to the left of Quill, and Blaze to his right. I’m VP of the Blood Brothers MC, and Blaze the sergeant at arms. He’s the protector of the club, and when shit goes down, he’s first in line.

I watch as each member takes their seat, except for the prospects. Torch and Rhyder know they’re not welcome at church yet. Only when you’re a full club member are you privilege to what goes on behind these doors.

Quill slams the gavel down on the table and all eyes focus on him.

“Boys, Ink Me was broken into last night.” Voices raise as Quill makes the announcement, and he bangs the gavel down once again to quiet them.

“We don’t know if this is a warning to our club, or that they’re stupid fuckers breaking into an MC tattoo parlor. But the fact there was a message on a brick saying be warned, makes me think the message was for us.”

I look over at Blaze and find his jaw clenched, fists are squeezed shut, as though he’s gonna punch something.

---