Page 43 of Hawk
Fucking asshole, I thought to myself as I left the second floor and made my way to Stella’s room. He’d moved her to the third floor last month, saying it gave them more privacy. In reality, it kept her more isolated and away from the other women he was fucking. She wouldn’t have cared, but he felt like a big man taking advantage of all the women and then lying about it to Stella.
As I climbed the stairs, I heard him yelling at someone on the floor below me, and I refused to turn back and see what had him so pissed. When I got to the door, I did something he would’ve frowned upon. I knocked and waited for her to answer.
When the door opened, I’d almost stumbled backward at the beauty staring up at me. She gave me a smile and stepped aside, leaving the door open as I entered the room.
“I’ve been instructed to take you on a walk,” I explained, and she nodded silently before turning and slipping her feet into a pair of shoes.
She grabbed her book and returned to me like he trained her to do. Without another word, I turned sideways and extended my arm out, silently instructing her to walk ahead. I followed behind her as she descended the stairs. The closer we got to the first floor, the louder his shouting became, and I could see the tension in her shoulders as we got to the ground level.
Her worried eyes glanced at me as she walked across the foyer, and as she moved into the study, I saw her trembling. The door to the patio was open, allowing fresh air into the depressing area, and as we walked through the room and out the door, I saw her glance to where the young girl was murdered a few months ago.
That was the night I knew I had to let her in on my plan, and so far, she’d managed to maintain her calm demeanor. Maybe it was knowing someone was there to help, or maybe she had finally given up, but whatever it was that ran through her mind when she’d looked at the spot where the girl died, she kept it locked away.
The afternoon was cool as we walked from the main house to the garden. As we got farther away, I began to speak to her in my usual covert way. I didn’t move my mouth, and I spoke low as I explained.
“Someone is ratting on the families. He’s on the warpath today, and I’m afraid he’s going to take it out on you.”
“I’m used to it,” she replied without looking back at me, and I wanted to grab her and make a break for it. We’d both be dead before we ever got away from the house, so I continued to follow her.
When we got to the greenhouse, she took her usual seat and opened her book. From her hidden spot behind the words, she spoke again.
“When do you think we’ll be able to leave?”
“Soon, I hope,” I reasoned and saw her nod one time.
“Hawkins,” someone yelled, and I saw her lower the book slightly to see who was approaching.
I stood and walked away from Stella to meet one of the other guards as he got closer. He clasped my hand in the familiar handshake everyone in the family used and clapped my back before stepping back. His eyes moved around me to gaze at Stella, and I fought the urge to dig them out with my thumbs as he brought his attention back to me.
“What’s up?” I asked, hoping he’d go away and leave Stella to the small amount of peace she got every day.
“I wanted to give you a heads up. They think it may be your boss who’s running his mouth to the feds. Adrik is on the phone with someone from the west coast families and he’s madder than I’ve ever seen him.”
“What’s that got to do with me?” I asked, feeling like the floor had dropped out from under me.
“Look, I like you, man, and I don’t want to see anything happen to you. If it is Lenkov, Adrik may think you’re a mole and decide you’ve outlived your usefulness.”
I clasped his hand and replied, “I appreciate the heads up. I’ll take her back to her room and see if I can smooth his feathers.”
He licked his lips and muttered, “I’ll take her back to her room.”
“Not on my watch. She belongs to Adrik.”
“You’re no fun,” he replied as he shook his head and walked away.
When I got back to the greenhouse, I saw Stella was still reading, unaware her father may have damned her with his selfish actions. Walking up to her, I put my finger on the open part of her book and lowered it, causing her eyes to jump up to me.
“I’m taking you back and I want you to keep an eye out.”
“Why?” she asked as she stood and closed her book.
“I can’t explain right now, but I promise I will as soon as I know something.”
As we walked back through the garden and were approaching the back patio, she asked, “Should I be worried?”
I didn’t want to scare her, but she needed to know how dangerous this may become. “Maybe. Do you still have what I gave you?”
“It’s in the room,” she answered without her lips moving as she stepped onto the patio.
