Hawk: Jagged Edge Series #3

by A. L Long

  It wasn’t long before my own self-control took off and I spilled inside her tight channel. Feeling the pressure finally subside, I pulled from her. I watched as the remnants of our juices began spilling from her pussy. It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen. Spinning her around so that she was facing me, I placed my hand on her cheek and kissed her softly. Breaking away, I said, “Shower.”

  “Yeah, you get it ready, I’ll be right there,” she said.

  Kissing her again, I headed to the bathroom to get the shower water nice and hot. Waiting for a few minutes, I stuck my hand under the stream to make sure it was the right temperature. Satisfied, I yelled, “Baby, are you coming?” Waiting to hear her response, there was no reply. I didn’t know what could be keeping her, so I headed out of the bathroom to check up on her. When I got to the living area, my confusion took over. The door was wide open and Paige was nowhere to be found. Finding my jeans, which were lying on the kitchen floor, I pulled them on, thinking that she must have left. When I got to the open door, she wasn’t there. “What the hell?” I said, scanning the alley for any sign of her.

  Jogging down the steps, I ran around the corner of the building, hoping I would see her. Damn, the hard surface was killer on my feet. Looking up, I saw the back end of a black SUV turning right and heading down the street. Trying to gauge what was going on, I ran back to where my car was parked. Reaching inside my pocket, I didn’t feel my keys. “Fucking hell,” I cursed. Heading back up the steps back to her apartment, all I could think about was where the hell she would be going and what the hell was going on.

  I had no idea where the black SUV was going. My only option was to take a right and hope that I hadn’t wasted too much time and I would be able to see the SUV down the street. Stillwater wasn’t very big, so I was pretty confident that I would find it.

  Getting in my car, I started the engine and began backing up. Something was wrong. Putting the car in neutral and pulling up the hand break, I got out. “Fuck, fuck, fuck,” I cursed, seeing that both of my back tires had been slashed. With no other option, I pulled my cell from my pocket.

  “Bro, I need your help.”

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

  Paige

  After the explosive sex I just had with Hawk, I was ready for a hot shower to tame down the tingling he left my body in. Just as I finished getting a glass of water, there was a knock at the door. Putting on Hawk’s t-shirt and my shorts, I quickly went over to answer it. I knew I should have looked to see to see who it was before opening the door. I didn’t even have time to scream before one of the men had his hand over my mouth while the other one helped get me out of the apartment. I wasn’t sure that Hawk would have been able to hear me anyway once he turned on the shower. I had a pretty good idea who these men were and what they wanted. What I didn’t expect when they opened the door to the SUV was to see a man who wasn’t who he said he was.

  “Victor, what is going on?” I asked confused.

  “Don’t you know, Isabelle? I’m here to claim what is rightfully mine,” he answered.

  “I am not yours, Victor, nor will I ever be,” I advised.

  “That, Isabelle, is where you are wrong.”

  As one of the two men pushed me inside the SUV, I looked at Victor with disgust. I knew that arguing with him wasn’t going to earn me any brownie points. The only thing that I could hope for was that Hawk would realize I was gone before it was too late. Sitting back in the seat, I turned my body to look out the back window. There was no sign of Hawk, which basically told me that I was screwed.

  “He isn’t coming for you. Clyde took care of that. Didn’t you, Clyde?” he asked.

  “Yes, sir.” the man I assumed was Clyde answered.

  “Yep, I’m definitely screwed,” I thought to myself. Facing forward, I asked the one question I was afraid to know the answer to. “Where are we going, Victor?”

  “Back to Kierabali, where you belong.”

  “You know this is kidnapping?” I cursed.

  “Not in the eyes of the Kierabalian people. As far as they know, I am rescuing you from a dangerous man,” he replied with a grin.

  “What are you talking about, Victor?” I asked, afraid of what he was going to say.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, Isabelle, didn't you know? Your little boyfriend is a wanted man in Kierabali. I am going to be a hero saving you, the Princess of Kierabali, from such a dangerous man,” he bragged.

  “You’re crazy. They are never going to believe you. When I tell them the truth, it will be you that they will find is dangerous,” I vowed.

  “That is where you are wrong, Isabelle. You will be too distraught. The people will understand your confusion.”

  There was no way that Victor was going to get away with this. I just needed to figure how I was going to be able to get away from him. The last thing I wanted was to go back to Kierabali and be under the control of him, or any other man, for that matter. I was pretty sure that my uncle also had something to do with bringing me back. He, of all people, had the most to gain.

  As we continued driving, I kept thinking about what was going on in Stillwater. I knew that by now Hawk would have noticed that I was gone. With all the resources he had, certainly he would be able to find me. It was then that I remembered that he really had nothing. All of his information pointed to Nikki. The way she played him at the lake, why wouldn’t he believe she was in trouble? If I knew Nikki, she would never tell Hawk the truth about me. She would rather be tortured than to say anything that was sworn in the holiest of holy ways according to her.

  Heading out of the small town, I knew that we were heading in the wrong direction in order to go back to New York. Turning on a dirt road, a small airport came into view. On the side of the road was a small sign displaying the words “Stillwater Regional Airport.” I had no idea that the small town even had an airport. Feeling my heart drop inside my stomach, I knew that my time in this little town was over. I would be going back to the life that I didn’t want. Circling around the small building, the tarmac came into view. The SUV pulled to a stop in front of a private jet with the Kierabalian seal on the side of the plane. I recognized the seal right away. As I was assisted out of the SUV, I looked up the steps leading inside the plane to find my uncle standing at the doorway to the jet. He was dressed in a black suit and a crisp white shirt.

  The closer I got to the small plane, the better I could see the smirk on his face exhibiting his arrogant demeanor that I hated so much. As I walked towards him with his security on each side of me, I began feeling nauseated at what was in store for me. Looking up to him, he said with a sarcastic tone, “So glad you could join us, Isabelle.”

  “Why are you doing this, Maxwell?” I questioned.

  “Because it is your birthright and you need to take responsibility for what was handed down to you,” he answered.

  “This isn’t about my birthright, uncle. I’m pretty sure this is more about what you have to gain by bringing me back,” I hissed, my hands fisted at my sides.

  “Now, now, Isabelle, no need to be nasty. Whether you like it or not, you are going to be Princess of Kierabali and Victor will be standing at your side as Prince. It has been all arranged and not even your boyfriend can stop it,” he remarked.

  I knew he was right. As much as I hated having to go back, the odds of escaping were stacked against me. With his two guards, Victor, and himself, there was no way I would be able to get away from them. Just walking past him, I entered the plane and took a seat on the leather chair next to the window. At that moment, I could feel the tears beginning to form. I had to be strong. I couldn’t let him know that he finally tore me down. I didn’t care what it took, I was going to find a way out of this. When I did, he would never be able to find me again.

  ~****~

  Four hours into our flight, we landed in a remote area to refuel. I had no idea where we were, only that I was even more angry than I was before. Even though the flight attendant tried to make me as comfortable
as possible, it still didn’t tame down the resentment I had for my Uncle Maxwell. As I looked over to him, I couldn’t believe how very different he and my father actually were. Even though they shared pretty much the same features, which included the gentle blue eyes and the strong jaw line, my uncle was nothing like my father. If he was alive today, my father never would allow this to happen. He would want me to do what made me happy. He would never allow me to be transported back to a country that I didn’t want to be in, no matter what my birthright was.

  The plane took off again once it was fully fueled. I heard chatter that the plane would need to refuel at least one more time before making a permanent landing in Kierabali. I knew that there was another four hours until the next stop. I thought this was as good time as any to get some sleep. Pulling the handle on the side of the leather chair, I put it in a reclining position. Adjusting my body, I closed my eyes and tried to get some rest. The noise around me faded and I was soon asleep.

  “Princess Isabelle Moraco, do you accept this man, in the eyes of the Kierabalian people, to rule this land beside you as your Prince and husband?” the chancellor asked of me.

  “Yes, with all my heart,” I replied.

  Was that me saying those words? I would never marry a man like Victor. He can’t be trusted. As I looked over to the man I was to spend the rest of my life with, I realized that it wasn’t Victor at all. Instead, it was a man that I wanted to share the rest of my life with. Hawk. It was Hawk standing before me. As I looked into his piercing eyes, I knew then that he was the man I wanted forever.

  Wait, what was happening? Why were those men coming down the aisle? Why would they ruin this very special day for me? Taking Hawk by the arms, they began pulling him away from me.

  “Wait! Stop!” I yelled, trying to pull him back to me.

  It didn’t matter how hard I tried, the harder I pulled on him the further from my grasp he got. “No, you can’t take him away from me. Please don’t take him from me.”

  There was a sudden drop in altitude, which instantly woke me from my nightmare. I knew that the way Victor and Maxwell were looking at me, they heard my plea. Even though it was only a dream, it was one that I didn’t want to share with them. The plane dropped again, causing me to grip the armrest of the leather chair. Looking out the window, I could see that the clouds had turned from blue to gray. We were heading straight into a storm. I knew exactly what that meant. The smaller the plane, the less likely it would survive a storm of this magnitude. I was beginning to feel sick as the small jet began rocking back and forth. I usually wasn’t the type of person that got motion sickness, but the way the plane was swaying, it was more than I could handle. Reaching over my lap, I caught the seat beat and fastened it over me. Just as the belt clicked. I heard the pilot’s voice come over the speaker.

  “The is some unsettling weather up ahead. I would ask that you remain in your seats and fasten your seat belts,” he commanded.

  He certainly didn’t have to ask me twice. Looking over to my uncle and Victor, I could see that they were as concerned as I was, if not more. The weather must have gotten worse, because the swaying and bobbing of the little plane began to increase. There wasn’t anything I could see out the window to let me know exactly how bad it actually was. Everything was either gray or white. Once in a while I could see a burst of light, which could only be lightning. I had never been so afraid in my life. The plane dipped again, only this time it continued downward. I could feel the pressure on my body as it was being pushed back into the seat. I did everything I could to adjust my position, but the force prevented me from doing so. I knew something was wrong. The pilot should have been able to even out by now. Just then I heard a snap and knew this was the end. “Oh God, please help me.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  Hawk

  I had never been so pissed in my life. Not only did they slash two of my tires, but I forgot to replace the spare tire I had in my trunk. The last thing I wanted was to call a tow truck to haul my Mustang to the shop to get not only two tires replaced, but the one in the trunk as well. I could feel the tension in my face, knowing how much this was going to cost me. As I waited for the shop mechanics to replace my tires, I needed to think about something else to occupy my mind. I knew it was going to take Peter and Sly some time to get here. Thinking about Paige, I pulled my phone from my pocket to call Nikki, but remembered that I didn't have her number. Walking back in the garage, I went to the office to see how long it would be until they had my car ready.

  After talking with the mechanic, I was told forty-five minutes to an hour, tops. This was not what I wanted to hear. The more time that passed, the more my chances of finding Paige lessened. At least the garage was within walking distance to Paige’s apartment. If I hurried I could be there in five minutes.

  When I got to Paige’s apartment, the door had been shut with the curtain pulled open, which let me know that Nikki was back and inside. Pounding on the door with my fist, I waited for her to answer. When she opened the door, I pushed past her. “I need some answers and I need them now, Nikki,” I cursed, not giving her the chance to close the door on me.

  “What the hell, Hawk? Paige isn’t here,” she said.

  “I know that, I think she was taken. The same SUV that showed up at the lake showed up here less than an hour ago.” I began swiping my hand through my already tousled hair. “If you know anything, you need to spill.”

  “Oh God,” she said with concern.

  “Nikki, tell me what you know,” I demanded.

  “I can’t, Paige made me promise not to say anything.”

  “Nikki, so help me… I don’t have time for this shit. She could be in a lot of trouble,” I reminded her.

  “Okay, okay, jeez. Paige thought those men at the lake were after her. She thinks her uncle may have sent them. God, she is going to kill me,” Nikki said, pacing the floor. “She’s some sort of princess from one of those little islands. She ran away because she was supposed to marry some diplomat's son whom she had never met. I guess it was prearranged when she was still in diapers or something like that.”

  “You’ve got to be shitting me,” I said with disbelief.

  “Nope. My guess is if she is gone, they are the ones who took her.”

  “Do you have any idea where?” I asked, perturbed.

  “Shit, Hawk, I can’t remember. Some island.”

  “That doesn’t help me, Nikki. Do you know how many islands there are?”

  I knew I made Nikki feel bad about not knowing the name of the island that Paige was taken to. I still couldn’t digest what she had told me. Who would have ever thought that Paige would be a princess? It made sense, though. It was like she hadn’t existed before twelve months ago. At least now I had something to go on.

  Heading back to the serviced station, I called Peter to let him know the information I had on Paige. Maybe he could work that magic of his and figure out who she really was. If I had to guess, I bet her real name wasn’t even Paige Harper. As I entered the station, I could see that the mechanics were putting the last tire on my car. Settling back in the corner of the garage, I watched them finish up and then lower the car off the jack. One of the mechanics walked over to me, handing me my keys and a bill for the work they did. Looking at the bill, I just about lost it. I don’t know what they were thinking, but those tires were not made out of gold like the bill reflected. Twelve hundred dollars later, I was out of the garage and out of cash.

  Driving back to the motel, I knew that Peter and Sly would be showing up any minute. I needed some down time to get my head on straight and figure out what to do. Just as I pulled up to the motel, I saw that the door to my room was open. I only prayed that this wasn’t a repeat from the other day. Walking back to my car. I went to the glove box and pulled out my handy friend from the compartment. Taking cautious steps to the open door, I drew my gun, prepared to shoot anything that moved. Squatting low, I peeked around the corner of the door, to see that Peter and Sly
were inside. “Jesus fucking Christ, you guys couldn’t have waited for me outside?” I cursed.

  “Didn’t want to draw any attention. When you called you sounded like a crazy man,” Peter answered.

  “Yeah, well, I was, still am. You guys aren’t going to believe what I’m about to tell you,” I said, taking a seat at the small table while Peter and Sly remained on the bed.

  Going through every detail that Nikki told me and leaving nothing out, I could tell that Peter and Sly were just as shocked as I was when I first heard the news. Who would have thought that my little angel would be a princess? Of all things, a fucking princess. I wasn’t sure where to begin to look for information on her. There wasn’t really very much to go on other than she was the princess of some island in the South Pacific. I wasn’t even sure how many islands there were out there. Looking over to Peter, I saw a serious look on his face, like his mind was working a mile a minute. Before I could ask him what was on his mind, he stood and went to a bag that was on the floor in front of the bed.