Page 9 of Hawk

He hadn’t seen it, I knew that. Fox was also completely obsessed with his old lady and in no way a threat to my claim on Gemma. But logic didn’t do a damn thing to the animal in me that roared at another man even mentioning her like that.

“Don’t,” I bit out, low and sharp.

Fox raised a brow, cool as ever. “Relax, brother. It was just an observation.”

I stepped in close enough to make the warning hit. “Observe someone else.”

A beat passed. A flicker of amusement crossed his face—just enough to needle me—but he didn’t push. Probably because he sensed that I was a second away from snapping necks and torching the world.

“She walked in, and your jaw damn near hit the floor,” Deviant muttered with a crooked grin. “Pretty sure your dick saluted before your brain caught up.”

My jaw flexed. His would be the first neck I snapped. He was already on thin ice with me, knowing that he’d gotten even a small glance at Gemma’s photo. “Keep running your mouth and see what happens, asshole.”

They all laughed, but there wasn’t a hint of mockery in it. Just the kind of shit only brothers who’d already been hit with their own freight trains of obsession could give.

Fox’s smirk was cold. “Relax, brother. We get it. But you’ve got eyes like a loaded weapon. Just don’t forget where the safety is.”

I finally looked away from her and met his stare head-on. “There is no safety.”

Then I turned my focus back to my woman.

Lainie stepped in behind Gemma, guiding her toward the booths lining the far wall. Her voice was low and reassuring, but Gemma remained alert. Cautious. Her eyes scanned the room while her hands twisted around the strap of her bag.

She stopped when her gaze found me. Her lips parted, and her eyes widened just slightly—like her brain and body had registered me before she could talk herself out of whatever shefelt.Good.Because she was going to belong to me. She just didn’t know it yet.

Maverick moved to stand, but I lifted a hand, signaling them to hold back.

“Let her breathe,” I murmured.

Deviant gave a knowing smirk, already in on what I hadn’t said out loud. Fox raised an eyebrow but stayed put.

I rounded the bar slowly, keeping my movements loose and casual. I wasn’t about to scare her. She already looked like her heart was in her throat. But it wasn’t just from nerves. There was heat in those eyes, too. She was trying to mask her reaction and bury it under all that tension in her shoulders, but I saw it. Her breath hitched, and I caught the flash of burning desire in her gaze before she blinked it away.

She felt the pull just as much as I did.

I stopped in front of her and let my eyes roam down her body one more time—slow, deliberate, possessive—before meeting her gaze again.

“Gemma.” My voice was low and steady, letting her hear the calm even while my blood pounded in my ears.

She swallowed hard, then nodded. “You must be Hawk.”

Her voice was soft and sweet. But there was steel underneath it. Even my name sounded different coming from her mouth. Softer. Curious.

“Let’s grab a booth,” I said, jerking my chin toward the far corner.

Gemma’s eyes widened, and Lainie glanced over my shoulder, smirking just as I felt the presence of my brothers as they walked up beside me.

“We’ll meet you over there,” Lainie murmured, leading Gemma away.

My girl followed her friend, her movements smooth but a little stiff. She didn’t seem to be used to the attention. Or maybeshe was just trying to figure out how to carry herself in front of a bunch of dangerous bastards like us.

“I got this,” I grunted.

Fox raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Deviant, of course, didn’t let the opportunity pass.

“Sure you don’t want backup?” he said with a teasing drawl. “Looks dangerous. All five-foot-two of her.”

“She doesn’t need the lot of us hovering,” I muttered. “Just hang back.”

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