Page 7 of Hawk

I take in her elegant business outfit. “I think I got that, Ginger. I’m hiring you to be my office manager. If I find you under a car, I’m gonna be pissed. We keep this place immaculate, and we have the best equipment money can buy, but I need you to be careful,” I say very seriously.

“Gotcha. No wrenches or hammers,” she replies, giving me a wonky grin from the corner of her mouth that’s too cute for words.

I walk with her through the shop to the front and accompany her all the way to her car. I hold her door open, and she climbs in behind the wheel, exposing the skin of her creamy white thighs. I instantly go hard.

“I’ll swing by the store and pick up some of the office supplies I need. In the meantime, I’ll download the accounting software I’ll be using, and be here bright and early tomorrow,” Etain says happily.

“Bring the receipt, and I’ll reimburse you.”

“Aye-aye, Captain,” she jokes. I shut her door and watch her drive off. When I turn back to the garage, Flex, Shooter, and Decker are standing at the edge of the bay, looking on with expressions of humor and curiosity.

FOUR

Phones Are the Devil

ETAIN

I’ve got seven phone messages and thirteen missed calls, and that’s only because there is no room left to leave any more voicemails, all from Robert. I deleted all of them without listening to them. I’m not interested in what he has left to say.

After my interview with Hawk, I sat in the parking lot at Best Buy, thinking about how easy it was to talk with Hawk. It was the easiest interview I’ve ever had. Part of me thinks he’s taking pity on me after seeing the pathetic display in the diner, but I’ll take it. I’m used to hard work and taking care of myself. My parents gave me and my sister all they could, but we were by no means wealthy. I learned to budget from the time I was ten years old.

Dad was a farmer, and Mom worked part-time at a day care in town. It was Dad’s dream to keep his father’s farm, and he worked himself to the bone to keep it. The place was hugely mortgaged when Dad took it over. Mom worked just as much as Dad to build the dream, but that meant there wasn’t a lot of cash to spare.

My sister, Kiera, and I made our own clothes, shopped at thrift shops, earned our own money, and learned how to stretch a dollar. We each paid for our own college courses. Kiera graduated and currently works at a big corporation in Dallas, Texas, in the marketing department and is kicking ass. I was on course to finish school until I met Robert, and then I fell into his dream, putting mine on the back burner. I wanted to become an accountant. I managed to get my bookkeeping degree from night school and have promised myself to go back to college once I’ve put enough money away.

Working for Hawk will help me finish what I started. It means I can keep the money I built up in the bank and move forward. I thought he was cool not to mention what happened at the diner. It would be impossible not to see that he’s gorgeous. So much so that a tingle ran down my spine when his eyes met mine.

But I’m not looking for a relationship. I’m swearing off men for a while. Robert’s left a sour taste in my mouth, and I’m not sure I trust my own judgment at the moment. How could I have been so wrong about him?

When we first met, Robert was attentive and sweet. Over time, he began to grow distant. I thought it was because he was busy at work, and he was determined to create the future we talked about and was doing his best to get us there. I should have noticed how we were changing when he would ignore me at the office when his new clients were around, as if I were working for him and not with him.

Shame on me for letting him take advantage! This was a rude awakening, but, as always, I’ll rally and move on. I grab my purse beside me and am about to get out of my car when my phone rings again. The screen flashes with Sasha’s name. I let out the breath I was holding and answer.

“Hi, Sasha.”

“Hey, sweetie, how did it go?” Sasha asks impatiently.

“Hawk hired me,” I announce.

“Well, of course he did. He’d be a fool not to,” she responds. “He’s a great guy, you know.”

“I don’t really know him, but if he’s willing to take a chance on me, then I’ll show him I’m worth it.”

“It doesn’t bother you that he’s the president of the Redemption Riders MC, does it?”

“He’s what?” I shriek. Shit! The last thing I need is to jump from the frying pan into the fire. I left a crappy situation, and my plan is to get back on track and finally get my CPA degree. I’ve even thought of starting my own accounting firm.

“Hawk is solid, Etain.” Sasha breaks into my reeling thoughts. “He’s won this town over. Hawk’s bringing business to Wellington, and we need that. We were all wary at first too, and I’m a harsh critic when it comes to my safety.”

“Don’t they have enemies? I hear about rival gangs and turf wars. I thought MCs are all about drugs and stuff. I can’t get involved in that. I have plans for my future, and they don’t include prison. I look terrible in orange,” I blurt out. I know I’m panicking, but two minutes ago, I had a plan and a job, and now I could be making another mistake that I can’t afford.

“Calm down,” Sasha says soothingly, “I’ve known Hawk for a while, and he’s never once brought ugliness to the town. He has, however, chased away monsters who tried to intimidate the local business owners. Hawk’s always said that he won’t ever create a problem, but he won’t be pushed around either.” She says, “I trust him, Etain, and that says a lot. I don’t trust easy.”

She’s been hurt, and I wish I knew by who because I’d hunt them down myself. Sasha’s so sweet and bighearted that I can’t imagine anyone doing her wrong, but I found out the hard way that sometimes we don’t see others for what they are, but for what they pretend to be.

“If it bothers you, talk to Hawk,” Sasha urges.

“Maybe I will,” I mumble.

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