Page 82 of Secret Obsession

33

Hawk

Iswiftlyloweredmygun and held it behind my back because the person holding the swinging bat wasn’t a thief. It wasn’t a Devil’s Eye member. It wasn’t anyone related to my gang war.

Holding the bat like a pro, yet a bit shaky, was a tiny old lady wearing a bonnet and a nightgown patterned with humongous yellow flowers.

I considered ducking to avoid the bat, but the momentum of the swing would send her flying through the door, and she’d probably break a hip. So, I thought about taking the hit. But the impact would be so jarring she might break her wrist.

And yeah, the swing was so slow I had time to consider all these options.

Finally, I decided to take the hit but move with the swing, slowing down the bat instead of stopping it short. I figured that option had the least potential of hurting…waitaminute! Who was she? Lila’s grandmother? Or a neighbor suffering from dementia who’d let herself in the wrong apartment?

Whack!

I moved with the bat as planned. The old lady had more power behind her swing than I expected. A sharp pain shot through my arm.

“Get out of here, you thug,” she said menacingly. “I’ve already called the police.”

Fuck, the cops were the last thing I needed. “Who are you, lady? And what are you doing here?”

“You’ve got balls on you, kid. How dare you speak to an elder like that? It’s none of your business. Now get out of here before I hit you again.”

“Whoever you are, Lila was not expecting you.”

“It’s called a surprise visit, you dumbass.” Her voice was as shaky as her hands, but it had nothing to do with shock. The old lady looked nearly as old as Leo. I’d never seen a woman her age with so much spirit before. She had to be Lila’s grandmother. Maybe this was why Lila was never afraid of me. It was genetic.

Granny raised her bat, ready for another swing. “I’m warning you, kid, better run before I beat your ass.”

“Nana! No!” Lila’s voice rang through the hall as she sprinted toward us.

“Sugarplum?” Her face lit up, and her voice turned sweet, losing that harsh spunky attitude in a heartbeat. “Is that you, pumpkin?”

Sugarplum?

Pumpkin?

How adorable. I would have enjoyed teasing Lila about her nicknames, except that her eyes were fixed on my ass when I gazed up at her. And she was not happy one bit.

Wait, it wasn’t my ass she was staring at.

Fuck. The gun. I was still holding it behind my back.

With wide eyes, she sidestepped me and planted herself between her grandmother and me.

That’s right, Kitten, it’s about time you know the truth.

I was the big bad wolf, and Grandma almost got a bullet in the forehead. It was at this moment that I’d lost her. There was no point in lingering.

With as much menace as I had within me, and that was saying something, I hardened my gaze. “Goodbye, Lila.”

I marched away and tucked my gun into my waistband. There was no point in covering it up with my shirt. They’d both seen it. Nana had stared down the barrel of it for a split second, for Christ’s sake. No coming back from that. Even if I allowed myself to imagine a life where Lila and I could be together, that would make for some fucking awkward family dinners.

“Where the hell do you think you’re going, kid?” Nana’s voice had that hard edge to it again.

Damn, she was brazen for an old woman. A pang of regret squeezed my heart, knowing I wouldn’t get a chance to know her better as well. But that pain was quickly overshadowed by the agony I felt with each step I took away from Lila.

“I’m talking to you, kid. Don’t ignore an old lady.”

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