The Pattels

by S. K. Hardy

  “Oh shit, sorry man!”

  Raven’s hands were now attacking his belt and fumbling to unbuckle it. She was oblivious to the fact that they were no longer alone. Everything ceased around her but the task of ripping Hawk’s pants open and getting to what she wanted.

  Chuckling under his breath, Hawk grabbed her hands to still their busy efforts before turning to his employees. “Fellas, gimme a second, a’ight?”

  Only when Raven heard their mumbles of acknowledgement did she finally look up. When she spotted Mateo and Ryan her mouth parted in a perfectly rounded O. She blinked as if coming out of a daze. After the door closed behind the two men, she disengaged her hands from Hawk’s and went back to unzipping his pants.

  “Hold on, baby.” He laughed and grabbed her wrists again. “As much as I hate to say it we need to pump the breaks on this until we get some privacy.”

  “We have privacy now,” Raven whined, trying to free her hands from his hold again so that she could get back to freeing his dick from his pants. “They’re gone.”

  “Yeah, they’re gone but I’m gonna need more than a few minutes before I’m finished with you, woman.” He leaned down and gave her several lingering kisses as he zipped his pants and buckled his belt.

  Raven tried to make her case in between his kisses. “But...but we...we have time...now...”

  Ignoring the pleading in her eyes that was fast persuading him to change his mind, Hawk put his arms around her and lifted her off his desk. “We’ve waited this long. A few more hours won’t hurt.”

  “Hours?! But I need you now!” She clamped her arms around his slim waist and peered up at him with a pouting expression that almost took him out.

  Damn. Hawk returned her gaze wondering how the hell he was going to find the strength to delay their gratification until they got to his suite. He wanted her so fucking bad, but like he told her, he didn’t want to rush. He would need at least several hours with her before his body was sated enough to even begin to ease his desire.

  However, his dick took Raven’s side and turned into a traitor like it always did when it came to her. It throbbed in his pants, demanding it be allowed to finish what he started...what it was so close to conquering after so many months.

  As if drawn to her like a magnet, Hawk covered her lips with his and sipped from her mouth like it was a glass of expensive champagne. She was his addiction, one he was enthralled with and could barely control. A willing codependent, Raven stood on tiptoe and pressed her body to him as he ravished her mouth. Neither wanted or needed a cure. In this moment, they just needed to fuck.

  With an effort, Hawk pulled back and reluctantly detached their lips despite Raven’s torturous whimper. He gave her one last full on smack before popping her on the rear and shaking his head. “Bae, come on. I’mma need you to help me out here.”

  “No.” That one word was Raven’s only petulant reply.

  Hawk’s laugh came out sounding more like a moan. He forced himself to step back and adjust his clothes. Needing to put some space between them if he had even the slightest chance of remaining strong and not giving into the temptation simmering from her eyes, he reached in his pocket to get his wallet.

  “Tell ya’ what.” He pulled out his Amex black card and handed it to her. “I’ll call Tony and have him pick you up. He shouldn’t be far. While I’m meeting with Ryan and Mateo, you can do a little shopping and pick up whatever you think you’ll need for the next couple of days. We’re going out to dinner later on tonight, so make sure you buy something sexy to wear.”

  Raven glanced down at the exclusive credit card reserved for the ultra-wealthy but made no move to take it from his hand. She brought her eyes back up to look at Hawk. “Sooo–you’re bribing me to go shopping with a credit card I’ll never be able to afford in my lifetime as a way to get me out of your hair for a while?”

  CHAPTER 23

  “Babe, come on. You know better than that.” Hawk leaned back against the desk and pulled a reluctant Raven inside the circle of his parted thighs. “It’s probably going to be a couple of hours before I finish up here. I just thought you’d rather do some retail therapy than sit around here listening to us talk about shit that would probably bore you to death.”

  “That’s all you had to say instead of flexing your credit card in front of me. I appreciate the offer but anything I need I can buy myself.”

  “You don’t think I know that, Ms. Independent? I’m not tryin’ to ‘flex’ my black card status. I offered because I like doing things for you. Will you let me do that?” He tilted his head and gave her a slight pout. “Please?”

  Raven’s eyes softened. She brought her arms up and clasped her hands behind his neck. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to sound ungrateful or anything. It’s just that I’m not used to taking anything from a man.”

  “But I’m not ‘just a man’. I’m your man. Right?” His jaw tightened a bit when she hesitated before nodding, but Hawk forced himself to relax. He couldn’t get upset at her over that. This was progress. From the way things were just a short time ago to now? He could afford to be patient. She was almost there. “We got a lot to talk about, Rae. A lot of things we need to tackle and get out in the open.”

  Her wrinkled brow showed her curiosity. “Like what?”

  “Like anything we might still have questions about.” That job offer in D.C., for one, Hawk thought to himself. However, now was not the time to get into that. “We’ll sit down and talk tonight. Okay?”

  “Along with other things that we’ll do tonight?” Raven added using a suggestive tone.

  “Oh hell yeah,” Hawk answered with emphasis.

  Raven smiled at his vehement response. “Okay. Well, I guess I’ll call my sister when I get in the car. I haven’t spoken to her in a couple days.” Obviously not relishing the thought of the lecture she’d get from Nikki, Raven grimaced. “She was upset when I told her I’d be staying a week with you in order to get what I thought would be closure. She’s really gonna freak out once she hears we’re thinking about working things out.” Her eyes flew up to his when she realized what she’d said. “Maybe, I mean.”

  “There’s no ‘thinking or maybe’ about it. I don’t intend for us to let another damn day pass by without eliminating this distance between us.”

  “Do you think we can, Hawk? Seriously. I mean sex was never our problem. That doesn’t need any work. As far as us entering into a relationship–a real relationship¬–do you think we can get past everything? How do we even know that this is right for us?”

  “Don’t make this a ‘we’ thing. I know what I want. I’ve always known. And as far as sex, you’re right. This isn’t what that’s about. If it was, I would’ve gotten it the first night in Connecticut.” Hawk ignored the look she gave him and stared her directly in the eye. She knew he was telling the truth, that’s why she didn’t open her mouth to protest. He was tired of glossing over the issue and not saying the words. It was time to put everything on the table. “I plan on spending the rest of my life with you, Raven. I’ve never even thought about doing that with any other woman. Never even wanted to. That’s how I know it’s right.”

  Raven looked as if she wanted to bolt from the room and run straight to the airport to catch the first thing smoking back to New York, but Hawk refused to back off. Refused to make things comfortable for her. Not anymore. She’d cracked the door open for him to wedge a foot in; he wasn’t about to let her slam it shut. Give a muthafucka like him an inch, forget takin’ a mile. He’d take the whole damn football field if he could get away with it.

  He offered her the credit card again. This time she took it without hesitation but gazed at him with a hint of caution that told him she was scared–but she wasn’t running away. Good. That’s all he asked. Hawk leaned to give her one last kiss–which threatened to turn into ten if they didn’t stop.

  Standing reluctantly, he took her hand and walked with her to the door. Once he opened it he gestured to his managers
letting them know they could come in. The two men gave Hawk and Raven sheepish glances as they passed by them to go into the office. Raven looked embarrassed as she remembered the scene they walked in on.

  Hawk smiled and led her to the elevator. “After you finish shopping, just tell Tony to bring you back here. We’ll go straight to the hotel when you finish.”

  “Okay.” Raven automatically lifted her mouth for his kiss.

  Hawk’s heart swelled in his chest when he saw how naturally she did that. He had to admit that he was beginning to doubt she’d ever be like that with him again. Damn. He loved tha’ hell outta this woman.

  Hawk’s head jerked back as soon as the thought materialized. His body tensed. It was the first time he put the feelings he had for Raven into words. Bracing himself, he waited for panic to set in. When the moment passed without that happening, his body gradually relaxed.

  Raven frowned when she noticed the way he stared at her. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing. Everything’s perfect.” Hawk’s lips curved up into a small smile. He moved back when she stepped into the elevator. “See you when you get back.”

  They held each other’s eyes until the elevator doors glided closed. Then and only then did Hawk release the breath he didn’t even realize he’d been holding. Turning around, he went back to his office, still smiling.

  “Alright, gentlemen. Let’s get down to business.”

  “Sorry about walking in on you like that, Hawk,” Mateo said. However, the devilish twinkle in his eyes said the opposite.

  “It’s all good,” Hawk replied, taking a seat at his desk. “But you can get that stupid grin off your face any time now, a’ight?”

  Mateo’s “stupid grin” grew even wider. “You first.”

  “You’re a very lucky man,” Ryan chimed in. “Raven’s a lovely woman. You two make a good team.”

  “He’s right. Don’t screw it up,” Mateo added.

  “Thanks, Ry. I agree. Raven is a very lovely woman. I usually don’t fuck with luck; I don’t believe in it. But in this case I’ll take everything I can get,” Hawk said before turning to address Mateo’s comment. “And as for you, you should know about fuckin’ shit up. What are you on now, your third marriage?”

  “Whoaaa!” Mateo burst out laughing but wagged his finger at Hawk on the snappy comeback. “Touché, my friend. Touché.”

  Joining in on the laughter in the room, Hawk turned to his computer and pulled up the feed to the security cameras in the building as the other men continued ragging on each other. He panned in on the outside exit, hoping to get one last look at his baby. Instead, he saw Tony standing by the back door of the luxury car still waiting for Raven. Hawk frowned. She should’ve made it downstairs by now.

  Rapidly clicking the mouse, he pulled up the second floor feed, moving to different camera angles. Finally, he spotted her towards the back of the restaurant and off to the side...almost as if she didn’t want to be seen by anyone. And it seemed she had good reason. His eyes gradually narrowed when he realized Raven wasn’t alone. She was talking to Benny Thompson.

  Hawk slowly sat back in his chair and watched them. He corrected his assessment that they were ‘talking’. Arguing was more like it...or at least Raven was. Thompson stood nonchalantly in front of her with his arms folded patiently listening, almost as if he were intentionally patronizing Raven. Hawk zoomed in closer. His eyes squinted even more when he saw her face contorted in fury. What was she so upset about?

  He didn’t believe for a moment that she told him everything when he asked about it earlier– especially the part about her not knowing Thompson very well. She was too emotional, too out of sorts for that to be the case. So what was she hiding? And why?

  Hawk’s attention sharpened when Raven pointed her finger at Thompson and released what appeared to be a scathing tirade of biting words. Knowing Raven, whatever she just told Thompson cut down to the quick, something she was very skilled at in and out of the courtroom. After she said her piece, she pushed him out of her way and marched out the restaurant with long, angry strides.

  Hawk vaguely heard Ryan direct a comment to him, but didn’t look up from the screen. He followed Raven’s progress until she got to the elevator and pushed the button to call it to the second floor. As she waited, Raven paced back and forth, walking a few steps then pivoting around. She threw furious glances over her shoulder to where Thompson still stood watching her. When the elevator doors opened, she stepped inside, but not before flipping him the bird with her middle finger held high. The fact that Thompson laughed at her only incensed her more.

  Once the doors glided shut, Raven closed her eyes and threw her head back. She took a huge breath, holding the air in her lungs before slowly releasing it. When she opened her eyes, she looked straight into the camera discreetly installed in the upper corner. Squinting, she peered closer, her gaze narrowing suspiciously. She took a cautious step towards it just as the elevator doors slid open. Hawk watched as she hesitated. Then, giving the camera one more wary glance, she walked out of his sight. Switching angles, a few seconds later he saw her exiting the building and getting into the car before it pulled off.

  “Hey, Hawk? Something wrong, buddy?” Mateo asked.

  Hawk looked up and found the two men staring at him inquiringly. “Where’s Gino?” He asked abruptly. Hawk remembered seeing the contractor from a distance when he and Raven first arrived a couple of hours ago.

  “Last time I saw him, he was heading to the rooftop deck to check on some things. He has his cell phone with him. You need me to call him?” Ryan asked, pulling out his phone.

  “Yeah. Tell him I want to see him ASAP.” Hawk stood up abruptly and went over to the window to look outside. His first instinct was to find Thompson and demand he tell Hawk what the fuck was up with him and Raven, but he decided to hold off.

  Less than five minutes later, a brief knock sounded at the door. Turning, he called out for Gino to enter. Without wasting time, Hawk went straight to the matter at hand. “What company are you using to remodel the building?”

  Surprised at the question, Gino’s thick eyebrows lifted. “Uh, Hollis, Inc. Did you see a problem with their work that I should know about?”

  “Call them and have them immediately fax over everything they have on one of their employees that’s working here. A Benny Thompson. After you hang up with them, fire his ass and escort him off my property. Let me know when it’s done.”

  CHAPTER 24

  Gino’s eyes flew to Ryan and Mateo, but their expressions were as confused, and curious, as Gino’s. “Uh, sure. Right away, boss.”

  After Gino left, Hawk put the issue to the side. He needed to proceed with caution until he found out what Raven was hiding. Whatever it was had his baby shook. He’d never seen her that way with anybody. Not even the night he found her at Pattel Mansion with his uncle and his father. Hawk’s protective instinct when it came to Raven was unprecedented. If he was willing to fight his own family when they threatened her with harm, it went without saying what he would do to anyone else.

  Hawk forced himself to sit and focus on what he needed to discuss with Mateo and Ryan. His phone buzzed within minutes with a text stating that Thompson was gone; the fax from Hollis came through forty-five minutes into the meeting. Hawk didn’t look at it until he was alone an hour later.

  Sitting back in his chair, he propped his feet up on the desk and skimmed over the fax. The information they sent over wasn’t much, barely more than a page. The employment background was extremely brief. Hawk immediately saw why: Thompson had been incarcerated in Las Vegas for ten years. He just got out six months ago.

  Interesting.

  Hawk threw the pages on his desk and stared across the room. No information was included as to why Thompson had been in prison, but that was something he could easily find out. It didn’t put him any closer to uncovering Raven’s history with him, but it was a start.

  Picking up his cell phone, he made a call to a det
ective his family kept on retainer and gave him the pertinent information needed to delve further into Thompson’s past. After making sure he knew that it was top priority, Hawk hung up and called Raven.

  “Hey, it’s me.”

  “Hey, ‘me’. I was just getting ready to call you.”

  Because Hawk could hear the smile in her voice, it made him smile–until he remembered the scene he witnessed between her and Thompson.

  “Hawk?” Raven called his name when the line went silent. “You there?”

  “Yeah. Yeah, I’m here. You finished shopping?”

  “I am. You have perfect timing, Mr. Pattel. I was actually on my way back.”

  “Good. I’ll be ready.” After a brief pause, he asked, “Everything okay?”

  “Mmhm. I didn’t put too bad of a hurting on your credit card, if that’s what you mean,” Raven laughed. “Just a few outfits, and...Oh, wait! We’re pulling up to the building now. I didn’t realize we were almost here.”

  “Alright. I’ll be down in a second.”

  Disconnecting the call, Hawk stood up to leave. Making sure there was nothing else he needed, he locked the door to his office and rode the elevator down. Once outside, he nodded to Tony, who held the door of the car open, and climbed in the back beside Raven.

  “Hi.” She gave him a huge smile before leaning over to offer him her lips. The kiss lingered for a few moments before they reluctantly drew apart.

  Weaving their fingers together, he sat back and studied Raven with probing eyes. As he deducted a few minutes ago when they spoke, she seemed to be in a good mood despite the heated argument he witnessed between her and Thompson.