by S. K. Hardy
“You shouldn’t make threats you have no way of following through on,” Hawk said, deliberately provoking him. “There’s not a thing you can do to hurt me and mine. Trust me on that.”
“Oh yeah? We gon’ see about that, Pattel. You gettin’ ready to get everything you got comin’ to you.”
“So are you, but it won’t be money. Did you actually think you could threaten and scare my woman and I’d let you continue to live? You cannot be that stupid.”
Benny let out a hoarse laugh that ended up more a painful cough. “Fuck money. There’s not enough money in the world to keep me from fuckin’ up your world. I’mma get you where it hurts. Living with the fact that you’re the reason Raven is doing life for double murder is better than any payoff you could give me.”
“Listen to me, asshole, if you even think about–” But before Hawk could finish Benny hung up. Fuck! Bringing his phone back to his ear he barked at Tony. “Move in now. Once you get inside his apartment, check every inch of the place for anything that could incriminate Raven, possibly a recording, pictures...I’m not sure. After you find it, take him out then call someone in to clean up the mess. I don’t want any evidence left that he ever even existed.”
“Consider it done. He’ll be begging to tell me what he has by the time I’m finished with him.”
CHAPTER 32
Hawk disconnected the call and went over to stand by the sliding glass door leading out to the balcony. His plan had been to handle Thompson personally, but the muthafucka was becoming unhinged which made him unpredictable–and dangerous. He needed to be taken out now. Once he was eliminated, he and Raven could concentrate on moving forward with no distractions.
Or maybe not moving forward, a taunting voice whispered inside his head.
Hawk reluctantly admitted that he didn’t know what the hell was going to happen between them. In spite of his doubts, before all of this mess happened tonight he would’ve said that they would eventually make things permanent. But now...
Turning around, Hawk crossed the room to the mini bar and poured himself a glass of scotch. He meant what he told her. If she didn’t want to be with him he’d let her go. He’d have to. He’d been as patient as he knew how to be, which was saying a lot because Hawk wasn’t a patient man. Never had been, but to get Raven he’d forced himself to go slow. Go at her pace.
At that moment, his phone rang, cutting into his thoughts. He looked at his screen and saw that it was Tony. “Do you have it?” He asked after connecting the call.
“I’m sorry, Hawk. He’s gone,” Tony admitted grimly.
The hand that rested on the wood bar top curled up into a fist. “What the fuck do you mean ‘he’s gone’! How? I thought you said there was only one way for him to get out!”
“There is only one entryway but...I underestimated him. He must have spotted me following him and knew I’d be coming. It looks like he climbed out the bathroom window and jumped down on top of a dumpster.”
“Got dammit!” Hawk’s arm dropped to his side. He walked away a few steps before turning back and swiping the glass off the bar. Bringing the phone back up to his ear, his next words were low and threatening. “Incompetence and sloppiness is not something I tolerate. You know this.”
“I’m sorry, I thought–”
“Save it! I don’t want to hear apologies or excuses! I want this muthafucka found or else you’ll be the one I hunt down and dispose of, you understand me?” Hawk growled out the threat through lips that barely moved. “Find him. Tonight.”
He hung up the phone without another word and stood motionless for countless minutes. He tried to calm the fury racing unrestrained through his body, struggled to keep it from engulfing him. As much as he wanted to give in to it, he needed to keep a clear head.
Seeing a movement out the corner of his eye, Hawk turned and saw Raven standing a few feet away staring at him with a wariness that made his eyes sharpen. How long had she been there?
“What are you doing up?” He asked in a tone harsher than he intended.
Ignoring the question Raven asked one of her own. “He got away, didn’t he?”
Hawk was silent for a second before answering. “I’ll find him. It’s only a matter of time.”
Raven continued to watch him for a few moments then slowly advanced into the room. “What if you don’t?”
He shook his head before she even finished the question. “You know me better than that–or you should.” Pausing, an alertness crept into his dark eyes that made them narrow to thin, cool slits. “Are you doubting me now? Is that what this is about?”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“Then what are you saying?”
“I’m just asking a question, or am I not allowed to do that!”
“Not now you’re not. When I have something to tell you, I will.”
“Don’t treat me like I’m some clueless woman without thoughts of her own! I have a right to know what’s going on!”
“Raven–”
“Hawk, let me help!”
“Unless you can tell me where he is this second, you can’t.”
“I might not know where he is but I can tell you where he’ll eventually end up.”
Hawk’s frown turned curious. Folding his arms, he gave her his full attention. “Go on.”
“He’s not going to stay in Miami. Especially since he knows you’re looking for him.”
“Why do you think that?”
“Chief was sentenced to a twenty year bid in the Nevada Department of Corrections. I kept tabs on him periodically for my own piece of mind. Then I found out he was released early due to good behavior, of all things. He was put on probation for the remaining time left on his sentence, but after a couple of months he skipped town.”
“Wait. He skipped town? How did he get hired to work on my....” Hawk paused. “They were payin’ him under the table.”
“Right. I have no idea how he ended up here in Miami. That’s one of the reasons I was so shocked to see him. There’s still a warrant out for his arrest in Nevada. When you saw me on the cameras, I was confronting him. I thought that if I were able to threaten to have him arrested he’d leave me the hell alone. A part of me knew that wouldn’t happen, though.”
“So where do you think he’s headed?”
“More than likely back home. Vegas is all he really knows. Chief was born and raised there so he knows it like the back of his hand. He’ll feel safe. Even with the authorities looking for him he’ll be able to hide out and regroup until he plans his next move.”
Eyes narrowed, Hawk looked off into the distance and nodded slowly. “That makes sense. A helluva lot of sense,” he muttered before looking at her with a crooked smile. “Now I see why you were a kick ass ADA. You’re good.”
“I’m better than good,” Raven grinned. However, seconds later the amusement shining from her eyes faded. “Or at least I was.”
Hawk’s gut bottomed out. “I’m sorry I took that away from you, Rae.”
She blinked rapidly and bravely tossed her head. “You didn’t. I mean, I blamed you for a while, but honestly, finding out that Jeff tried to set up Giuliani to take the murder rap for Judge Warner’s husband left me disillusioned and disgusted. The main reason I decided to work for the DA’s office was to go after people like the ones who murdered my brother, not send innocent parties to jail. If that makes me a hypocrite because of what I did, then so be it.”
“Do you think you can be happy not having that? Your job at the DA’s office, I mean.”
“I’m happy as long as I still have you. Do I?” Their eyes locked in an unblinking stare until Raven broke it off.
“Hey.” Hawk tucked a finger under her chin and lifted her gaze back to his. “That’s supposed to be my line.”
But Raven didn’t crack a smile. “I’m serious, Hawk.”
He angled his head to the side when he noticed her somber expression “Of course you have me. You’ll always have me.”
Some of the tension seemed to leave her body when she heard his answer. “You asked me to decide whether or not I wanted to be with you. I don’t need time to think about that.” Her tongue came out to wet her lips. “I love you, Hawk. There’s nowhere else I’d rather be. It’s just that...”
“It’s just that what?” He asked when she hesitated a beat.
“I guess what I’m trying to ask you is can you forgive me for what I did tonight and for not telling you about Benny.”
“I know how hard this is for you, how hard it is to let go and put your trust in someone. It’s not easy for me either, but I’m willing to try if you are.”
“I am. I’ve always been better at my job than personal relationships but I want to make this work. Despite what’s happened, I don’t take this relationship lightly. It means...it means everything to me. You mean everything to me,” she whispered, gazing up at him with an intensity that hit him straight in the heart. “I promise I’ll never give you any reason to doubt me again. You have my absolute loyalty and unbreakable trust.”
Hawk knew she deliberately spoke the same words he’d told her earlier. “And you have mine. Always.”
Her body relaxed against him as the remaining strings of tension left her. “You can tell me you love me now.”
Hawk’s quiet laugh was full of amusement but his eyes roamed over her face in adoration. “I love you Raven Randolph. I don’t want you to worry about this. When I promised you that I’d fight for you harder than I would my own life I meant that. Nothing will ever touch you. You have my word on that.”
“I’m not worried. Just be careful, Hawk.”
“I will.”
Kissing her softly to seal the deal, Hawk pulled her into his arms. The feeling of protectiveness that came over him when she rested her head on his chest almost overwhelmed him. His arms tightened for a moment before his hand moved over her back in a gentle caress. The feeling of peacefulness that came over him was only marred by the fact that Thompson was somewhere out there bent on getting revenge.
His facial muscles gradually shifted to resemble a frozen mask. Thompson could fuck with him as much as he wanted but the fact that he was determined to hurt Raven? This woman was his heart. His soul. His future. Anyone who screwed around with that would get exactly what they deserved. Hawk would see to that. Personally.
CHAPTER 33
Two days after the incident with Benny, Hawk and Raven were on the helicopter flying out of Miami. Hawk’s original plan had been to immediately send Raven back to New York and keep a security detail on her while he stayed behind to search for Benny.
However, the more he thought about what Raven said, the more he agreed with her. Thompson wouldn’t stick around Miami now that he knew Hawk was after him. Until they knew for sure where he was, Hawk didn’t want Raven by herself, even with security surrounding her. So while the search continued, they stayed in Miami.
He did his best to keep her mind off what was going on. During the day, they slept in, made love, and talked. About everything. It was fascinating finding out little things about each that they still didn’t know.
The two nights they were there, he took her to a couple of the clubs he considered his main competition and showed her what he planned to do differently. In between all of that, they made visits to the restaurant and Euphoria to discuss a couple of details Hawk wanted Raven’s input on. One of which was the agency he chose to replace Valencia’s.
The morning after the incident with Benny, Hawk left an exhausted Raven asleep in the bed while he called a meeting at his office with Valencia. Before she even got there, Hawk had made the phone calls needed that would destroy Valencia’s life. Loans that her business owed were called in, her mortgage was sold to a financial institution that raised her payments to an astronomical amount that she’d never be able to afford, and the word was put out that she was poison. No one would ever hire her to work for them again.
When she got to Hawk’s office and realized exactly what her jealousy and pettiness had cost her, she collapsed where she stood. Unfazed, Hawk called for her to be removed from his property. Afterwards, he went back to the hotel, climbed back into bed with Raven, and fell asleep without a second thought.
He glanced over at her now and smiled when he saw how adorable she looked curled up in the leather chair. The last few days seemed to have brought them closer together; things would only get better for them. Hawk knew that without a doubt. But that couldn’t happen until Thompson was permanently out of the picture.
Turning his head to stare out the window of the helicopter, Hawk mentally reviewed what they knew so far. Not wanting to ruin his and Raven’s time together, he kept the updates he received from his men to himself.
After Thompson escaped from his apartment, Hawk got a tip that he took a bus out of Miami early that morning. Hawk’s men waited at the next scheduled stop, but somehow the bastard slipped off the bus before he got there. He’d managed to stay two steps ahead of them ever since and it was pissing Hawk off. His natural instinct was to go after Thompson himself, but Raven needed him more right now. She’d done her best to put on a brave face but he knew she was uneasy. Even in slumber, she kept a tight hold on him, tangling her limbs around him every time he moved.
Hawk knew without Raven even saying the words that she did not want her sister to know what was going on. Because of that, he was hesitant to involve Angel, but if Thompson was in Vegas as Raven suspected, Hawk knew Angel could help. Time was of the essence. If anyone could find Thompson, Angel was the one to do it.
Hawk called him yesterday morning. Just as Hawk suspected, Angel was familiar with Thompson, even called him by the name Raven referenced. Chief. He of course wanted to know what was going on, but it wasn’t Hawk’s place to reveal Raven’s secret. If she decided to tell Angel it would be her call.
Suddenly, his cell phone buzzed. Hawk glanced down at his screen. Speak of the devil. “Angel. What’s up?”
“Calling to tell you that you were right. I just got word that Chief is in town.”
Hawk’s pulse sped up. Sitting up in the chair, he glanced over at Raven, who was still asleep. “Great. Keep eyes on him for me. We should be landing in New York in about twenty minutes. As soon as I get Raven settled, I’ll fly out.” He looked down at his watch. “I should be there by this evening.”
There was a long pause on the other end before Angel responded. “Nikki told me that you and Rae were in Miami.” Another meaningful pause replaced words before he continued. “I take it things are going well?”
“Yeah. We had a few hiccups, but things are kosher now.”
“And would Benny Thompson be one of those hiccups?”
Damn, Hawk mouthed silently. He should’ve known Angel wouldn’t let this go. “Something like that,” he finally answered.
“What’s going on, Hawk?” When Hawk hesitated, Angel continued in a curt tone. “Never mind. Let me put this another way. I know that Chief and Raven’s brother used to hang out back in the day. I never trusted him. I tried to tell Jacoby to be careful but he insisted Benny was cool. When Jacoby was killed...” Angel sighed heavily, as if it was still something he hadn’t gotten over. “After he was murdered, Chief and I had words. I always felt like he knew more than he was saying but I could never get anything out of him. Around the same time, my brother was arrested, so that took up the majority of my attention. Fast forward months later, I hear that the men allegedly responsible for his death were gunned down.”
“I wish he’d listened to you.”
“How do you know Chief?”
Hawk looked at Raven to make sure she was still asleep before answering in a hushed tone. “He was working for the company doing construction on my restaurant in Miami. When Raven came face to face with him she almost flipped out. I saw how uncomfortable she was around him so I fired him.”
“And now you’re hunting him down. Again...why?”
Before Hawk could answer, he heard Raven st
irring in the chair. Schooling his features so that they wouldn’t reflect his thoughts, he turned to her with a smile, before directing his next comment to Angel. “Rae just woke up. We’ll speak soon.”
“Hawk–”
He knew he’d have hell to pay but Hawk hung up anyway. Turning his focus to Raven, he smiled when she stretched like a little kitten waking up from a nap. “Hey, you.”
“Hi.” Slightly discombobulated, Raven looked around trying to get her bearings. “How long have I been asleep?”
“About an hour and a half. I was getting ready to wake you up. We should be landing in twenty minutes.”
Raven yawned and covered her mouth. “I guess I was more tired than I thought.” She glanced at the cell phone he still held in his hand. “Who were you talking to?”
Hawk started to deflect, but thought it best not to. “That was Angel.” As he expected, alarm arose in her eyes. “And no, I didn’t tell him anything. I wouldn’t do that. It’s up to you whether you decide to tell him or not.”
Somewhat calmed by his reassurance, Raven shook her head. “No. I don’t want him or anyone else in my family to know. I just...”
“It’s okay, baby. You don’t have to explain. Like I said, it’s your call.”
“What did he want?”
“I asked Angel to lend a hand helping us find Thompson.” Hawk hesitated. “You were right. He’s in Vegas.”
“He is? Now what?”
“Now I put an end to this shit. Once I get you settled, I’m going straight to Vegas.”
Raven clasped her hands tightly in her lap. “Please, please, please be careful. If anything were to happen to you I couldn’t stand it.”
Hawk got up and kneeled by her chair. “I told you, nothing’s going to happen to me.”
“It had better not, Hawk Pattel!” Raven whispered fiercely. “I swear to God.”
Loosening her hands, he brought one of them up to his mouth and let his lips linger over the softness of her skin. “I love you.”