Page 65 of Hawk
As long as I could keep her lineage a secret for her own safety.
Chapter 21
Hawk
While Hailey and Stellasat talking, I turned to Jacob. “Feel like joining me on the balcony?”
He turned to Hailey and asked, “Will you be okay?”
She looked at Stella and back to Jacob before replying, “I’ve got my mom, so I’ll be fine.”
Stella smiled at her as Jacob stood from the couch and walked over, giving her a kiss. I looked at Stella and raised my eyebrows, silently asking how she was handling everything. She offered me a wink, and I knew she was going to be okay.
Jacob and I walked outside onto the patio and closed the door behind us to give the ladies some privacy. There was still a lot to unpack between the two of them, but I felt like the most difficult parts were out in the open. Unless Hailey asked about her father, but something told me that was a question she didn’t care to know the answer to.
Jacob took a seat on the couch and picked up the half-smoked joint from the ashtray. I joined him, and we finished it without speaking a word. He, like me, had a lot on his mind, but the biggest thing was making sure our ladies were okay. Yes, I already thought of Stella as mine, but I wasn’t going to push her for more. At least, not yet.
“How do you think Hailey’s holding up?” I asked Jacob, and he shrugged.
“I think it’s a lot for her to take in, but she’s strong and talks to me when she’s overwhelmed. How is Stella doing?”
“I think she’ll be okay. She’s still dealing with a lot, but I now know where Hailey gets her strength from,” I replied.
“Can I ask you something without pissing you off?” he inquired, and it was my turn to shrug.
“You can try,” I joked to lighten the mood.
“How did you not put the pieces together about them? I mean, you knew Stella from back in the day, so how, throughout all the conversations you and Hailey had about her, did you not put the pieces together?”
I understood how it was confusing, and he deserved to know a little bit more. Jacob would keep the secret if I told him to, just on the bond, but I feared his love for Hailey was stronger than the Death Hounds oath of brotherhood.
“What I’m about to tell you isn’t for anyone else to know, especially Hailey. Understood?”
The tone of my voice left no room for discussion. If he broke my trust, there would be hell to pay. Potentially for all of us. He closed his fist and banged it over his heart in a silent agreement.
I turned to him and lowered my voice, not wanting anyone to hear. Especially Devlin, who was upstairs from us and a nosy bastard. “When I knew her, a few years before I prospected with the club, I didn’t know her as Stella.” He appeared confused, so I leaned closer as I continued. “It’s complicated, but the person who was holding her prisoner didn’t call her by that name, so I didn’t connect everything until I saw the picture Devlin dug up.”
