Page 2 of Hawk
“This is my daughter, Stella.”
He took my hand and lifted it, placing a soft kiss on the back that I felt all the way to my toes as he purred, “Stella. Such a beautiful name.” He still held my hand, sliding it into his bent arm and tugging me away from my father and into his side. “May I escort you to dinner?”
I cut my eyes to my father, looking for guidance, and he nodded subtly. Realizing there was no way out of whatever this was, I turned to the nameless man and replied, “Yes, thank you.”
His woodsy scent filled my lungs and next to him, I felt small and insignificant. Trying to hide my feelings of inadequacy, I swallowed the nerves and watched as the man who should be protecting me turned away from us without a care. I should run now, but there was no place for me to go and no one to take me in. I was stuck unless I wanted to sleep on the streets.
But I was starting to think that wasn’t such a bad idea.
As hard as I tried, I couldn’t stop the worry from filling me. The closer we got to the banquet room, the more scared I became. My smile fell, and the handsome man stopped halfway down the large hallway, turning me to face him.
“What took the smile from your face, little bird?” he asked, his hand gently caressing my cheek.
I returned the forced smile to my face. I whispered, my voice soft, “Everything’s wonderful. Shall we?”
Slipping my hand back into his arm, he glanced once more at me before escorting me the rest of the way down the hallway. The walls of the room were covered in dark stained wood, giving the room a cozy feel. The long wooden table took up the center of the room and tall back wooden chairs wrapped around it.
I noticed everyone had already taken their seats at the table, and I tried to catch Papa’s eye, but he was engaged in a conversation with the person at his side. I was escorted to the head of the table, and the mystery man pulled out a chair to his right, helping me sit before taking his place at the top of the table.
Servers in white and black uniforms walked out, placing our dinners on silver plates in front of us. The smell of steak filled the room as individual conversations filtered into the air and everyone began to eat. I tried to keep my eyes forward, but I could feel the man’s gaze run across me every few seconds. I was out of my element, and the warnings in my head grew louder.
Sitting at the table, surrounded by men of power and wealth, I realized what Devlin meant with his cryptic warning. Whatever tonight was about, I was to keep my mouth shut and my eyes and ears open.
A glass of champagne was placed in front of me, and I looked to him, whispering softly, “I’m underage.”
“How old are you, little bird?” he asked, and I felt a blush creep up my cheeks.
Softly, I replied, “Fourteen.”
He smiled and his eyes flashed darker as he slid the glass closer. “No one here’s going to say anything. Your father’s right there, and it’s only one glass.”
His brilliant smile beamed down at me, and I gingerly lifted the glass, allowing my eyes to find my father’s down the table from me. He gave the same subtle nod as earlier, and I took a tentative sip. The bubbles burst on my tongue, and I savored the taste. I tried to keep up with the conversations happening around me, but every time I started to speak, I felt the man’s foot caress my calf and I sucked the words back.
Something wrong was happening and I couldn’t stop it, even if I had known what it was. The minutes ticked by, and I looked down to find my glass empty. I pursed my lips as a fresh glass was placed in front of me. Looking down the table at the distinguished people, I questioned why I was even here.
Feeling warm and a little buzzed from the fizzy bubbly drinks, I gingerly slid my chair away from the table and muttered, “Excuse me, please.”
He stood as I shuffled past him in search of a bathroom. Finding one in the hallway, I locked the door behind me and caught my reflection in the mirror. My large breasts were pushed up in the tight black dress. The material hugged my curves and fell halfway down my thigh. My head swam a little, so I wet a towel, blotting my face.
I didn’t want to make Papa mad by getting drunk, so I swallowed a few handfuls of water, hoping to dilute the alcohol. After double checking my appearance, I opened the door and slowly walked back to the banquet room, hoping the strange feeling of impending doom would go away. When I entered the room, I was shocked to find it mostly empty with only a group of six men sitting at one end of the room.
Where was everyone else? Was I supposed to go where they were? Not wanting to interrupt whatever the men were discussing, I slowly turned to leave when a clear voice sounded across the space.
“Come here, little bird,” the man instructed and without argument, I began to move closer to them.
The sound of my heels echoed, and all their gazes locked on me as I fought to keep my footsteps steady and my nerves under control. The closer I got, the more I sensed I was in over my head without anyone to save me. The man pointed to a spot next to him, and I stood where he pointed and quietly asked, “Where’s Papa?”
“He had some business to take care of, but he’ll be back to get you. Why don’t you have another drink?”
“I . . . I really shouldn’t,” I replied and looked up to see him smirking at me.
“I insist.” He snapped his fingers and a glass appeared at my side. I took it from the server and awkwardly looked at the group of men.
The man locked his eyes with mine as he lifted a tumbler to his lips and took a swallow. I mirrored his actions until the glass was empty, my gaze never wavering from him. He smiled and the glass was gone from my hands before I realized what happened.
“Have a seat, Stella,” he instructed as he pulled out my chair at the empty table.
I gingerly sat down, trying to keep my dress from riding up my thighs. Looking up at him, I asked the question that had been repeating through my head from the moment Papa and I walked through the door.
