Page 100 of Secret Obsession

It hadn’t even been that difficult. Not once I saw Hawk’s limp body with blood spurting out of his wounds, his breath ragged. Fiona had stood over him with her knife, ready to slice through him again.

I’d grabbed the gun lying on the ground near one of the gang members. I knew what to do. Nana had not only given me self-defense lessons when I was a kid but also made sure I knew how to fire a gun the minute I turned eighteen. I didn’t like it at the time, but I was thankful for it at that moment.

Fiona had grabbed Hawk’s hair, pulling his head up, and placed her blade at his throat.

I aimed for her heart. “Don’t do it. Or I’ll shoot.”

She sneered at me. “You don’t have the balls.” She began to slice his throat, and blood squirted from Hawk’s neck.

I shot.

She staggered. She was still holding the knife, but at least it was away from Hawk’s throat. “Fat bitch.”

I shot again.

She fell to the floor.

Lifeless.

Did I feel guilty for taking a life? For breaking my oath?

No. It was Hawk or her. And if I’d let her live, she’d have killed Nana and me too. It had been self-defense in my own home. I had saved three lives by killing one sadistic murdering bitch.

The first sign of guilt eased its way in when Butch woke up ten minutes later and wailed through his gag at the sight of his daughter’s limp body. But I had no regrets.

I explained everything in detail to Leo. My hands shook. The adrenaline rush from the last few hours was crashing. I needed sugar.

“He’s waking up,” one of Leo’s guys said from the bedroom.

I rushed in, pushing past Leo and his men on my way in. Hawk’s eyes fluttered open and close. He moved his head as if he was trying to shake the sleep out. He tried to peel his eyes open, but they drooped close right away.

With my fingers on his wrist, I took his pulse. Steady. Strong. I slid my hand into his. “Hawk, take your time. Don’t force it.”

“Li…” His voice was hoarse.

“You’re going to be okay.”

“Lila,” he mumbled.

Leo put his hand on Hawk’s shoulder. “She’s safe. The crew’s here. We’ll take care of everything.”

Leo turned to me. “Thanks for fixing him up and not calling the cops.”

“You have my Nana to thank for that. I’d have taken him to a hospital.”

“She’s a rare one, that grandmother of yours.” He leaned in close and whispered, “Is she single? What’s her name?”

Seriously? There were dead bodies at my place, and he was thinking about flirting with… I shuddered. This was too weird. “Norma.”

He shuffled out. “Get to work, boys. Make sure not a drop of blood is left behind. And don’t break anything.”

By the time I brought my attention back to Hawk, his eyes were open. I still had my hand in his. He brought it to his mouth and pressed his lips to the inside of my wrist. “I love you… I’m sorry.”

“Sorry for loving me?”

He nodded. “For all of it. I don’t know how they found out about you, but it’s my fault you got hurt.”

“Well, I love you. And I’m not sorry.”

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