by V. Theia
“Hey.” He grinned brushing a hand through his disordered hair that could be classed as well-fucked hair by the female population, unaware of the man at Gia’s side who was radiating cold thunder glaring at Leo stepping into her office. “I’m glad I caught you before you left.” Height wise he was about the same as Hawk, but whereas Hawk was wide in the shoulders and lean in the hips, Leo was the rangy kind of lanky.
“Hi. I was just heading out. What’s up?” She asked with a smile.
Leo’s eyes flickered toward Hawk and she watched his instant greeting falter. Was it a wonder when Hawk had a glare only a serial killer could appreciate “Hi,” he offered tentatively with his hand outstretched. Oh, boy, she thought. “I’m Leo, a friend and pain in Gia’s ass when I come calling for coffee every other day when I run out.”
“This is Hawk,” she input the introduction since the man himself was glowering like steel covered fury.
God, he was magnificent when he was jealous.
Unwarranted yet still delicious.
After a long thirty seconds of dead silence and Gia’s brain firing out so much lust for Hawk she put her hand on his arm to let him know he could stand down and not paint the walls with Leo’s blood.
The victim … eh, her colleague was looking perplexed probably never having received such cold dismissive treatment before and though it was against every bad manners lesson she received from her now deceased Yaya, there wasn’t a part of Gia that wanted to correct Hawk or to encourage him to behave a certain way.
“So…” Leo cleared his throat, rocking back on his heels, two hands slipped into his pants pockets. He was your typical hot geek. Or so Caroline liked to inform Gia most every day. Even Grace Kelly had chimed her opinion of why Gia wasn’t banging his brains out when he was young, free, rich and single. “How do you know our Gia?” Asked Leo placing his hand on her shoulder platonically. He was tactile, and she’d always been comfortable with him.
Hawk however, was not.
Was it possible to feel someone vibrate when you weren’t touching them? It was either the earth shaking underneath her Valentino pumps or Hawk truly was pulsating an angry sociopath soundwave from his gorgeous body.
“Oh, we go way back. He’s my brother’s best friend.” Chewing on the inside of her cheek, Gia found herself on the verge of laughing gleefully.
To get any reaction from Hawk was amazing.
To observe him posturing possessive tendencies with his great big chest inflating hard inhales because another guy happened to walk through her door, she was practically vibrating herself, but for a whole other reason.
That reason being she wanted to dry-hump all over him.
Hawk swerved his blond head towards her and she was branded by his eyes in an instant, washed all over by the possession he refused to put into words, but it was there, shining like the first snowfall. “Do you have your keys? I’ll drop your bags off in the car.”
She fished them out and their fingers brushed together. He clasped them for a second before sending Leo a stare worthy of death and he strode out carrying her things.
Oh my. Was she swooning? She felt like her legs were less steady.
“What the hell was that?” Leo chuckled and blew out a breath. “Did I kill that guy’s pet dog or something? I was sure he was about to punch me.”
Gia didn’t feel the urge to make excuses for Hawk. She loved every goddamn inch of his surly self and wouldn’t want to change him nor try to explain his behavior to anyone.
She grinned and rolled a shoulder. “He doesn’t have a dog. Now what can I do for you? I’m just out the door and I’m ready to eat my leg I’m that hungry.”
She spent a moment talking about one of her case notes she’d transferred to him then went to meet Hawk outside.
His bike was parked at the side of her car and his eyes came at her instantly when she stepped outside.
It would be nice to relax with a glass of wine and Hawk’s company tonight. She was brain tired and a tad emotional. “Are you following me home?”
******
Seven minutes. That’s how long he’d left her alone for with that charming dickhead in there with his glasses, movie star looks and his well-spoken voice. Hawk was ready to tear the building down brick by brick and piss his ownership around Gia so no more idiots with smiles a mile wide would dare come around her. Of course, the little bit of thing wouldn’t thank him for hulking out, so he’d parked himself by his bike and brooded through a series of misfortunate accidents that guy could get into. It made him feel better.
But then she strode out like a runway model, looking so incredibly beautiful his skin hurt and all he could think about was mounting her in the dirt. “I need to kiss you right now.” He all but growled with his teeth crushed together when she was in touching distance.
The sound was a cobra hiss.
Rather than look fearful, Gia smiled her dreamy smile.
She stopped by the side of her car, hand on the door before she opened it and all but leaned into his hard, unforgiving body.
Funny, how any touch from Gia never resulted in his flinching away and wanting to scrape his skin off. In fact, he was a goddamn addict for her fingers inching up his chest and playing with the shorter hairs of his beard.
It was a nothing touch, really. Fingertips moving down barely brushed the inside of his upper arm and yet Hawk could have sworn it was the same reaction he’d have if Gia were unzipping his jeans.
He shuddered, letting his head hang down, eyes penetrating, hardly able to contain the obsessed growl lurking in his throat.
“I can't watch another man with his hands on you.” The urge to snap that jerk’s fingers off one at a time and shove them down his smiling throat and growl how much of a mistake it was to touch Hawk's woman had been a strong one.
She grinned wider, all but bouncing on the spot. “Ohhh. Look at you, mister possessive.”
She looked thrilled.
Hawk was miserable.
The tick in his jaw was his only answer.
“Fine then, go ahead and kiss me.” And didn't she just lift her sassy little chin in the air and present her lips.
He crashed them under his, tasting her sweetness and swallowing her purr and in the process, he tied himself a little tighter to Gia.
The thread made of steel was becoming so tangled in her he didn’t know where she started, and he ended.
Her lips were wet and pouty when he lifted away.
His voice eroded with the unspent lust he wanted to sate on her neat little body.
He was taking her home tomorrow. Was he strong enough to leave her to her new life that wasn’t stained with a monster?
Or would he go through with what she wanted by having him in her life?
Dating.
He didn’t know how to do that.
But Hawk knew he could satisfy every hunger the little bit had or would ever have.
She didn’t have to know his demons.
“Let’s get you home,” he husked and opened the door for her.
“Ride safe.” She told him, smiling.
His gut hurt to love her.
All he wanted to do was love her with every inch of his sickness.
On the slow ride back to her almost empty house, his phone vibrated at the last count seven times with calls.
Once he was parked behind her, he sent Gia inside and called the unrecognizable number back. “Who the hell is this?” He barked low.
And he shouldn’t have been surprised at the voice equally pissed off on the other end. “What the fuck do you think you’re doing mauling my daughter in fuckin’ public, you bastard!” Yelled Ajax. “Seems you’re deaf as well as fuckin’ sick.”
“You’re having me watched?”
The angry hissing continued. “My son informs me Gia is in danger from the Russians, of fuckin’ course I’m having her guarded and guess what he reported he saw! You were fuckin’ kissing outside her work.”
Irritation
stung Hawk’s chest, halting his steps, he deviated and let his eyes scan the street for any sign Ajax’s man was around.
“I told you to stay away from—”
Hawk did some of his own snarling, his fingers almost breaking the phone.
Panic swelling.
It was only a matter of time before Ajax did some talking to his daughter, wasn’t it?
“Your constant drone is boring me, old man.” He hung up.
Feet slower as he made his way to the front door, left open for him.
Gia welcoming him inside.
It could go so many ways. It would take nothing to retrace his steps and just ride off. Give Ajax what he wanted. Not get caught up in old mess that made acid burn in his gut. Because he’d rather face surgery with a rusty knife and no anaesthetic than have any of his old life put back in his face. Worse; in Gia’s face.
He could call any number of Renegade Souls and have them take Gia home. He pictured Ajax’s neck between his hands. Though Hawk knew he couldn’t kill the man, he so fucking wanted to.
But there was only one outcome as he let the door close with him inside her house.
Maybe he didn’t deserve her. Hell, he was the one person on this goddamn earth who knew for a fact he didn’t deserve the sweet woman inside.
If he were any sort of a moral man he’d leave her well alone and far away from the filth swirling through his mind on a constant loop.
“Hawk?” He heard her call from upstairs.
His heart started to pound.
That. He thought.
That unimaginable sensation right there in the middle of his breastbone was the reason he wasn’t turning around and making tracks.
She made him feel.
His drug called to him and he licked his bottom lip in anticipation of a hit.
No matter what Ajax threatened, nothing would make him leave her now. He’d soon find out just how much of a prick Hawk could turn into if he continued to vomit out his veiled intimidations.
“Yeah, little bit. It’s me.”
Hawk was where he wanted to be.
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“Turned out the monster was welcome all along…” – Hawk
As Gia watched Hawk gripe at Krusher for not using his cane again and hovered over the older man until he limped into the main area of the Renegade Souls clubhouse, her heart turned over. A lovely soft roll of love for Hawk and how he reluctantly showed care for someone else.
Gia smiled gently, with her belly doing all kinds of happy flips of affection for the hardened man who gave the impression he had no fucks to give about anyone and here he was taking care of his elder with patience and understanding. Perched on a bar stool she continued to watch while Hawk made Krusher sit at the table while he brought him coffee and the right number of sweeteners. “You don’t need sugar, old man,” he told him with a scowl etched on that gorgeous face, Gia stifled a giggle. “You wanna die of diabetes before you’re a century old?”
Though Krusher grumbled a complaint Gia could tell he held fondness for Hawk and enjoyed his company by how happy he’d looked when he’d seen Hawk stride through the doors.
It was only meant to be a stop by, for Hawk to square things away with the president Ty and to pick up anything he might have left behind. Instead, Krusher called out to Hawk and with surprise, he’d told Gia he’d be right back and began to attend to the elder club member.
“I ain’t decrepit just yet. I could still run circles around you, just thank yer lucky stars I don’t, sonny.”
Hawk snorted rolling his eyes. “Fine. Let’s go now.” He offered and Krusher smirked, winking over at Gia. “Nah. Don’t wanna embarrass you in front of your girl.”
Your girl. Her insides flamed and for a second when her gaze clashed with Hawks, he too looked as dazed and heated.
The men who appeared to be most monstrous often had the softest hearts they hid behind broken walls.
She was learning so much about him.
He cooked, he took care of her, he guarded her without complaint.
But as good as a babysitter Hawk was he’d been keeping her at arm’s length intimacy wise the last couple of days. Rather than being despondent about it, Gia used it to her advantage by choosing their time together to bombard him with questions, finding out what kind of man he was beneath his surly attitude. And when he retreated into his rock-hard shell she didn’t mind at all.
It was Hawk.
And she was completely in love with the kind of man he was. Because as much of a mean spirited, monstrous personality he tried to convey, she’d seen something different in him.
His silent understanding of someone else’s care was staggering.
She smiled over at him and watched how his lips quirked.
It was as close to a grin as he’d gotten so far.
Delighted, she didn’t look away.
And he didn’t look away.
The air practically sizzled between then. No matter how much emotional distance he’d been putting between them, she wasn’t the only one invested.
******
“Quit making the goo-goo eyes at her and claim the girl already, give her your patch claim, boy.” Krusher whispered nudging Hawk’s elbow. Hawk turned a scowl on him ready to tell the old man he didn’t know what the fuck he was talking about, but the words trapped in his throat. He took another look over to Gia and found her watching him with her little smile.
He was in deep. He’d love to give her a Property of Hawk patch.
Be with her.
Let her calm him.
See to her happiness.
She even amused him and that was hard to do. With her silly little quirks and her innate ability to see the good in everyone and the trickery she went to make him smile.
Of course, it meant he was fixated on her.
Soaking up her smiles and her tinkling laugh like she was the fountain of youth.
It was how addictions worked.
Forget his patch. He wore an invisible Property of Little Bit brand.
He couldn’t only have a little now he was in deep. It was far too late to retreat.
With his belly aching to stride across the room, in front of all the club boys and stake his claim on his old lady. Make it known whoever dared lay an eyeball on her would be losing a limb soon thereafter.
It was the dream of a madman.
“It’s not like that,” he answered finally, tearing his gaze away from Gia.
“Bullshit,” laughed the old man.
“I do that, and Mad-dog buries me ten minutes later.” He confided suddenly.
He could deal with a disgruntled father. Who in their right mind would choose a man like Hawk for their baby girl? So, he got it.
Ajax thought he knew shit. He didn’t know shit. It stopped Hawk all these years.
Like she felt his weighty depraved gaze on her again, Gia cocked her head and smiled the kind of wattage to burn straight through his soul.
He grunted his pleasure.
“Seems to me it’s already a done deal, sonny. And back in my day, —”
“When was that?” Hawk asked. “The stone ages?”
“—we respected the fathers, but we didn’t let it stop us getting the girl.”
The moment slowed to sludge.
“Seems to me,” Krusher went on like he had a trap door for teeth and couldn’t keep them shut. Hawk’s brows folded down and rather than tell him to shut the fuck up or better still, walk away, he leaned in to listen. “She’s just waitin’ for you to claim her. Sweet thing is Gia. Deserving of a good man at her back who would make sure she’s good, you know?”
Hawk snorted and rose to his full height. Good man? That put him out of the running. “I’ll catch ya later, oldie. Keep out of trouble and stay away from those groupies, you know it’ll excite you too much.”
Krusher belted his old man laugh and rolled a lanky shoulder wearing a black Tee and his cut. He might be retired from club life, but the club ran
in his veins. “It sure’s been a pleasure knowing you, Hawk. Don’t be a stranger, y’hear?”
Something like emotion grabbed hold of Hawk and he paused, turned back around. “You too, Krusher. Colorado isn’t that far. They allow dinosaurs in the state you know?” Krusher grinned toothily. “Just might do that, son.”
Gia hopped down from the stool and met him half way.
Their fingers touched, and Hawk let his pinkie twine around hers.
“C’mon, if you got those million errands to run.” He scowled. She had a list long as his dick. His sour mood didn’t deter her one bit. In fact, her smile was just as bright when she slipped her arm through his. “It’s only five more.”
That’s how their day went.
******
He scowled the entire shopping trip and Gia had never felt so spoiled with attention before.
The fear of losing him no longer superseded. Not when he was looking at her in the ways he was. Burning hot gazes that turned her on and inflated her at the same time.
Nope. Colton Hawk could run this time all he wanted, but he wouldn’t get away from Gia. She’d seen what he wanted. And it was her.
Besides which, who’d carry all her bags from now on?
She’d been ruined a long time ago.
It was Hawk or no one.
******
“I don’t get why we gotta watch this shit again,” Hawk could see Gia had a six-page speech already on deck to tell his dumb motherfucking face just why they were on her couch about to watch episode four of a show she was fanatical about, and he thought was one step up from pig shit coating his boots.
So, he went on quick, bone tired from all the million miles she’d made him walk today in his biker boots while she’d cooed in store after store. No fucker would believe he’d spent all day looking at baby clothes. Him, the fucking MC pain giver. He’d rather Lawless pluck out his eyeballs than go back there again. “But If I gotta, then get your ass over this side and lie on top of me, little bit.”
There were no other words for it other than he watched her eyes light up and her face dissolve into a shy smile. Fuck, he loved that look on her as she kneel-walked her petite self over the cushions and situated across his chest while she pressed un-pause on the DVR and the crap he said he hated started to play. Maybe he was interested to see what was gonna happen. He was four fucking episodes deep now.