Page 10 of Bound in the Dark

“Nothing you need to worry about, Prez.” His problems weren't something for the club to worry about. Luna was just a regular hookup.

“The way you’re glaring at that phone I’m guessing either a Brother isn’t falling in line or you got pussy problems.” Highdive glared at his President. Hawk burst out laughing. “No, shit? Hannibal said you had a regular woman but I didn’t believe him.”

“I swear the Brothers gossip worse than the Old Ladies.”

Hawk took a sip of his beer and shrugged. “If she’s serious enough for that glare, why haven’t you brought her to the Clubhouse?”

“Not saying it is serious. Honestly never thought about it, but with the lockdown… I guess I don’t want to see an innocent get hurt because of me.”

“How long have you been seeing her?”

“We hooked up two months ago. But like I said, not serious.”

Hawk raised an eyebrow. “How often do you hook up?”

“A few times.” Highdive was uncomfortable with the direction the conversation was going. He was barely ready in his own mind to admit that things were anything but casual.

“Two months? Since you met? How often are we talking?”

“A few times a week. We meet up whenever I go to Dark Secrets.”

“Shit, Highdive. You need to pull her in. I only see my woman a few times a year, and if I thought she wouldn’t chop my dick off for trying, I’d have her safe under lockdown. Have the balls to admit she’s more than just another one of your playthings.”

“So you and Akula really are a thing?” Highdive had wondered. Until recently no one had had the stones to ask why their President never hooked up with any of the many willing women who panted after him. Most of them just thought he didn’t want the distraction.

“My wife’s name is Alena.”

“You’re married?” At that moment, if someone had walked in dressed in a clown suit Highdive didn’t think he could have been more shocked. Never, not once, had anyone ever whispered that Hawk might be married.

“Yup.” Hawk took a sip of his beer. The small smile that tipped up his lips showed he was enjoying shocking the shit out of his Enforcer.

“To a Russian assassin?”

“Yup.”

“I don’t even know what to say to that. How could no one know? When did you meet? How long have you been married?” Highdive knew he was almost babbling, but damn, that was a big piece of information without context. He should have been told.

“No one knows because you are the first person I’ve told.” Hawk ran a hand through his hair. “Honestly don’t know why I’m telling you now except that I guess you deserve to know why we’re really at war. Why all the Brothers and their families, even your not so serious woman are at risk.”

The guilt in Hawk’s voice was more than he could take. “I was there when the nut job Andrey spouted his shit. Nineteen years is a long time to nurse a grudge. You didn’t know she was engaged. You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“Oh, sleeping with her nineteen years ago was wrong, but not because she was engaged to another man.” He swirled his bottle of beer. “It was my second mission as a SEAL. We were over in Afghanistan guarding some asshole who was selling information to the US from other assholes who wanted him dead. I was young and dumb, so when a hot Russian chick picked me up at the bar one night, I didn’t think further than the end of my dick.”

“I take it that your meeting wasn’t just chance.”

“Nope. She was using me to get information. The guy was scum, but it was my job to protect him. Fuck. I don’t think either of us expected to fall in love but after a few days I was hooked. After the two weeks we spent together she probably could have convinced me to kill the guy myself, but she didn’t even try.”

“How did you find out she was using you?”

“We were getting ready to move him out of the country. I’d asked her to come back to the States with me. She couldn’t travel with us, but I wanted her to meet me. Offered to pay all her expenses. Alena said she’d think about it, just about wrecked me that she didn’t agree right off. That afternoon a sniper took out the guy. My squad was sent after the shooter. We’re about to rush the building the shot came from and I see a woman in a hijab walking out calm as can be. No one but me notices her. But then no one but me would recognize those eyes.”

“Did you confront her?”

Hawk chuckled. “No. And the only explanation I got at the time was a single word note.”

“What did it say?”

“Sorry.”

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