Page 59 of Witness Protection

Chapter Twelve

Six days in the same hotel room.

It was her birthday. His little Sophia was turning twenty-five.

The past week had started out turbulent, but he’d managed to push down the pain of Vasily’s betrayal. He never wanted to deal with it. It was Vasily who’d taught him to bury his emotions and stifle empathy in order to be the best hitman possible. Killers couldn’t have second thoughts.

The nightmares were subsiding, but there had been a couple nights when Sophia had to wake him up. The betrayal burrowed deep, gutting him, making him question his own character.

At least he’d had the pleasure of killing Vlad, but Vasily had gotten off easy with that single bullet. Cayden had his revenge on the bastard, and now Hawk would never have the pleasure. He’d never get the answers he wanted.

Hawk had gone through the gamut—rage, betrayal, sadness, grief. He not only lost the family he’d never really known, blood relatives, a mother and father, but had Vasily ever loved or cared about him? Had he been just a tool to be used and shaped? Even after everything he knew, the little boy inside him craved Vasily’s unconditional love. A fantasy created from a broken mind.

He’d never know the truth.

“Ten minutes, Sophia!” he called out from the living room.

He planned to take her to dinner, to give her the night of her life. With a price still on Sophia’s head, it was dangerous going out in public, but he wouldn’t keep her locked up like a damn prisoner on her birthday. Her father had done that to her all her life, and he’d been an accomplice.

If trouble came along, Hawk would be ready. He was always on alert, always prepared.

Sophia had been reluctant to celebrate, but he wouldn’t hear it. They both needed a chance to unwind, to enjoy life rather than hiding from it.

All week he’d been trying to contact Antonio Baretti to get him to call off the hit on Cayden, but he couldn’t get through. It didn’t sit well with him.

He looked out the windows, into a world he had no connection to. Life had been the family, and now only Sophia was left.

“What do you think?”

Hawk turned around. Sophia wore a long black dress with a side slit that traveled all the way to her hip. The low neck revealed too much cleavage. She took some steps toward him, her heels clicking on the tiles.

Her long, blonde hair had been brushed smooth, flowing loose behind her.

“Well? Do you like it?”

“It’s a little risqué,” he said. “But you’re all grown up, aren’t you?”

She was stunning, the most beautiful woman in the world. He’d let her do some online ordering to get some essentials, including her birthday dress.

“You clean up nice yourself.” She walked a circle around him. He’d put on one of his best suits, going all out for her birthday. Concealing weapons was always easier with a jacket. “Where you taking me, Hawk?”

“It’s a secret. You okay with that?”

“I trust you.” She adjusted his tie, her hands lingering on his chest. Every muscle in his body tensed. “One rule for tonight.”

“What’s that?” he asked.

“No sadness. No memories. This is our night. Just you and me.”

He smoothed his hand over her hair. “Sounds good.” Hawk took her hand and led her to the door. Today was a new beginning, the first day of the rest of their lives.

As they drove to the restaurant, one of the finest in the city, Sophia kept quiet.

“You okay?” he asked.

“This is a new car.”

“Cayden tracked my last one, so I decided it was time for a change,” he said.

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