Page 14 of Hawke

Then I didn’t answer her question about if there was another woman. Dammit, I was cruel.

But it was for her to forget me. And it was working. She’d shut me out so I couldn’t get in. Delilah was being a good girl as she should be. She wasn’t putting up with my shit anymore, and I needed that. I needed her to never forgive me.

I ground my teeth together as my fingers moved up the length of the exposed holster. The room was becoming smaller; the darkness closing in. My wolf was howling, my body restless as I waited for whatever the hell these men were doing, crowded around the helpless human.

I eyed the door. My mind was a fucking mess. I needed to make sure Delilah got home okay. That would settle my wolf; it would settle me. I would just be in the shadows. She would never see me.

A vibration buzzed in my pocket. It was Beretta. She’d sent a group text message alerting everyone at the front of the church. We all pulled out our phones to check.

They are ready to talk.

I tightly pressed my lips together before taking a deep sip of coffee. The black, bitter taste settled me just enough to announce it was time for Grim to take care of our intruder problem from a week ago.

The mayor and his band of goons from the next town over had a death wish, walking into our club. He actually thought he would get away with his idle threats, but he didn’t know what type of animals we were.

Once it was announced, Journey looked up at Grim who relayed the message to her, her brown eyes blinking happily as she hugged his arm. “Go kick their ass, Grim.”

I had to smirk at that. The tiny thing may have tamed the out-of-control enforcer, but after she let him loose, there was going to be blood.

Grim eyed her. His unease was strong enough for the entire room to feel it. I coughed lightly to gain the attention of those around me, signaling my readiness to provide my services to protect his mate so I could keep my mind off what would never be mine.

“I can walk her home.” I stepped up, holding the coffee in my hand. With one final swirl, I guzzled it, savoring the sensation of the burning liquid as it slid down my throat. “I’ll stand outside her door.”

Sure, I’ll be the babysitter so you can go have your fun. Gut the bastards while everyone else watches.

Locke shook his head. He knew what I was thinking. Same as him, most likely, that this supposed mate bond was too good to be true. Grim’s gaze was so intense that it felt like it was being held together by an unseen force.

And it made me fucking jealous, but not jealous enough to hurt my Delilah.

Chapter Five

Hawke

Iquicklydisposedofmy cup in a nearby trash can, and Journey separated herself from the rest of the group. They had their own shit to deal with, and watching Grim dismember a bunch of assholes wasn’t on my agenda. My mind was on Delilah and getting this female home.

Once Journey was inside, I could check the security cameras, see if Delilah made it home and stayed there. Otherwise, I was going to have to climb the fire exit and– No. I can’t do that anymore. I have to stay away from her.

The icy wind brushed over us. Journey was wearing Grim’s jacket; she was so tiny, it swallowed her whole. But hell, all the females were tiny. They were physically weak, but some of the shit they’d gone through before we found them strengthened them in their own ways.

I was genuinely surprised to see how quickly Journey could progress on her own journey to healing. She was raped and put on computer screens forcibly to sell her body. Yet here she was, staring a bunch of ugly bastards in the face, not showing a care in the world.

She damn near glowed when she was near Grim, and an ugly knot of jealousy formed in my gut. I wanted that, but did I want it enough to hurt who I cared about?

“Do you think Delilah is your mate?” Journey blurted out of nowhere.

I stopped in my tracks, backing away like she’d burned me. How fucking dare she ask me such a thing? Mates were sacred, but I guess she wouldn’t understand that.

She was human.

Journey shouldn’t know anything about mates, the bond and shit. But Grim had already ingrained in Journey that she was his mate, just like he told everyone else tonight.

But I didn’t believe it.

“Why would you ask such a thing?” I pushed by her with my shoulder, causing her to stumble.

I knew I was being an ass, but I was already in a shit mood. I wanted Delilah to be my mate, but there was no way. So, I stomped like a petulant child down the sidewalk while I waited for Journey to follow.

“Hawke!” Journey yelled. She slipped at the same time and fell on her ass.

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