Page 72 of Hawk
As we turned onto the long road, I spoke over my shoulder, hoping Stella heard me, “Hang on, darlin’.”
I felt her hold on me tighten and, a second later, I throttled the bike and shot down the road. Jacob and Hailey couldn’t go as fast as us with the side car attached, but I kept them in the mirror. Stella began to relax her hold on me, and I almost slowed down until I saw her hands extend out from her sides and her head tilt up to the sun. Making sure to maintain a safe path, I gave her a few moments of freedom as she flew through the air on my chrome chariot. Reducing our speed, I felt her bring her arms back around me, and I reached down and stroked her hand that rested against my chest.
She propped her chin onto my shoulder and gave me a kiss on the side of my neck as I saw Jacob and Hailey closing the gap between us. When they were almost alongside us, I reached my closed fist out and Jacob bumped his against mine. We were over halfway down the road when I saw an SUV a mile or two behind us.
Fearing it was Lucian on his way back to Portstill, I gave Jacob a nod backward and saw him glance into his rear-view mirror. Not knowing who was coming up on us, I motioned to Jacob that I was taking off, and he acknowledged me just as I throttled the bike again and shot down the road.
I felt bad leaving Hailey and Jacob behind but didn’t want a confrontation with Lucian today. Stella had enough emotional upheaval for one day, and until I spoke with Skid, I was going to keep the two of them separated. As we approached the outskirts of downtown Portstill, I saw Needles and Violet pulling into the alley behind his shop.
On a whim, I slowed down and pulled in behind them. Jacob wasn’t fully aware of everything, but he knew me well enough to know if I disappeared, there was a good reason behind it.
Needles was helping Violet off his bike when we pulled up behind them and I turned off my bike. He smiled and took her hand into his as he walked over to us. Stella appeared unsure, so I brought my hand down to her leg beside me and rubbed her knee as they stopped in front of us. Needles bumped his fist against mine before lifting his sunglasses onto the top of his head.
“Hawk, brother, how’s it been going? And who is this beautiful lady?” Needles asked, and I saw Stella smile in the mirror.
“This is Stella, Hailey’s mom.” I turned to Stella and explained, “This is Needles and his old lady, Violet. He’s the club’s ink slinger.”
“It’s nice to meet you both,” Stella responded with a smile.
Violet approached the bike and gave Stella a hug as Needles gave me a look that was hard to read. He’d always been a private person, and it’s only since he and Violet got together that he’d started coming out of his shell.
“How long are you in town for?” Needles asked Stella as Violet rejoined him.
“I’m relocating here once I find a place to rent,” she answered with some uncertainty in her voice.
“Gunner’s having a welcome cookout tonight at the compound, and I wanted to make sure you were going to be there,” I explained, hoping to change the subject.
The whole club was aware we’d been looking for Stella for months, and I didn’t want her to feel that she needed to hide herself or explain where she’d been to anyone. Her past was her business, and I’d make sure everyone knew not be intrusive with her. If and when she felt comfortable telling people her story, she would. Until then, they needed to give her space.
“Sadie called, and I told her we’d be there,” Violet answered as Needles wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer to him.
“Make sure Jackal and Rose bring Iris. Matthew just got a new kickball game from Doris and I think it may burn off some of their energy,” I joked, and Needles and Violet laughed with me.
Stella sat behind me, taking everything in but not speaking much. Hoping whoever was following behind Jacob and Hailey was past us, I said, “We’re going to get headed to the compound. I asked Gunner to have a prospect pick the kids up and bring them there, so I want to be back when they arrive.”
“We’ll see you there. Stella, it was nice to meet you. Welcome to the family,” Needles said, and Stella gave them a wave as I cranked the bike and they began to walk away.
As I walked the bike back and turned to pull down the alley, she leaned over and asked, “Why do I feel like they blame me for something?”
I turned over my shoulder and explained, “Needles is a private guy, but I think after you meet some of the old ladies, you’ll understand a little more why we’re so . . . protective of our own.”
“Does . . . does that include me?”
“You’re with me and you’re Hailey’s mother, so you are included. And don’t feel that you owe anyone an explanation about anything. If you want to explain, you can, but no one is going to judge or condemn you for things that happened in the past.”
She wrapped her arms around my middle again, and I swear, as I pulled onto the street, she asked, “What if I judge myself?”
It was going to take time for her to feel comfortable, and I hoped that when she sat down with the old ladies, she was able to see that everyone had a past. Some were more painful than others, but everyone had something they didn’t want to discuss. But maybe talking about the bad times, she could take the sting out of the pain and find a way to start again.
The rest of the drive to the compound, I kept my eyes on a swivel, looking for Lucian and praying he wasn’t at the compound when we arrived. Stella was unsure enough as it was, and the last thing I wanted was for her to come face-to-face with the one person I was afraid she would kill on sight.
But if Skid gave me information that showed Lucina was in any way connected to Adrik or any of his associates, I would kill him myself, just to protect Stella and Hailey. There was no way my woman was getting her hands bloody again.
As we approached the front gate to the Death Hounds compound, the prospect manning the gate walked into the small building next to the gate and opened it for us. I shot through the opening and slowed the bike down as I got closer to the clubhouse. Jacob’s bike along with the sidecar were already parked, and as I turned my bike off, I heard barking coming from the open door to the building.
A moment later, Zeus and Jasmine came running out to greet us, followed by Hailey and Jacob. I could see Sadie standing inside and, with a motion of my hand, I invited her to join us. She was the wife of the President, Jacob’s sister, and highly respected within the club. She would be the first one to make Stella feel welcome, and I wanted that more than anything. The happier Stella was here, the better she would feel.
“How was the ride?” Hailey asked Stella as I helped her from the back of my bike.
