Down & Dirty_Hawk

by Jeanne St. James

  “What?”

  His gaze hit hers, his eyes sparkling like black diamonds. “Six feet under. That’s where those bastards need to be.”

  “Uh... By the way, I’m the new club attorney. Although there’s something called client-attorney privilege, I’d rather not hear things like that.” She leaned towards him, and lowered her voice. “Just in case.”

  He raised his glass to his lips and instead of sipping, he took a gulp of the amber liquid. “Know who you are.”

  “Well then... I’d appreciate it if you’d not tell me stuff like that. Again... just in case.”

  “Hawk’s woman.”

  “What?

  “He gonna take it to the table an’ claim you?”

  “Claim me? As what?”

  “His ol’ lady.”

  His ol’ lady? Unfortunately, she now knew what an ol’ lady was. No question about it. You couldn’t hang around the DAMC women for even a minute and not figure that out real fast. And it wasn’t hard to miss quite a few of the “Property of” cuts that women wore from the Dark Knights, Dirty Angels and other various clubs that had shown up at the Dogs & Hogs event.

  She had no plans to ever wear anything like that, nor would she willingly become the property of a man. What year was it, anyway? Women had worked hard to become independent and still to this date must fight for equality. She didn’t understand this biker way of thinking at all.

  Besides, relationships should be an equal partnership, not one partner lording over the other.

  Kiki realized she never answered. “No. I have no reason to become someone’s ol’ lady, Hawk’s or otherwise.”

  Crow just smiled in response.

  He smiled. And it was cream-your-jeans worthy.

  Damn, whispered through her head. She shook it to clear it.

  “Women,” he finally grumbled in the way that sounded like the word “silly” should be in front of it.

  Then his eyes dropped to her jeans and he made a guttural noise. She had worn the designer pair that had fashionable frayed rips cut into them. From the factory, of course. She didn’t wear jeans enough to wear a pair out and have them look that cool. She had bought them to try to fit in a little more today. Of course, the boots she also wore were nothing like a biker boot, but were stylish at least.

  She jerked in surprise when he ran a finger over the skin above her knee that peeked out of the rip. “You buy ‘em like that?”

  Her heart leapt into her throat and suddenly began pounding, like it was trying to escape her neck. “Y-yes.” She tried to swallow it back down into her chest.

  He trailed his finger up her leg and poked it into the small frayed hole at the top of her thigh. “How much they set you back?”

  She realized she was holding her breath and released it in a whoosh. “Why?”

  “Coulda done that for nothin’ with my blade.” He patted the very large knife that hung off his belt in a sheath, but was kept mostly hidden by his cut.

  “A hundred and twenty.”

  He shook his head. “A buck twenty. For fuck’s sake,” he muttered.

  Suddenly, he jerked his wandering finger away from her like he had touched fire. A second later, his black eyes tipped up just as two large hands landed on her shoulders.

  “Said she ain’t gonna be your ol’ lady, brother, so she’s available,” Crow said to whoever stood behind her. And she knew exactly who stood behind her without looking.

  Even though she couldn’t see his face, Hawk’s fingers tightened, pressing into her bare flesh.

  His words were low, grumbly and held a clear warning. “She’s full of my cum right now, brother. Got me?”

  Kiki’s mouth dropped open and heat rushed up her throat into her cheeks. She was just going to die right then and there. Yes, it had been no secret that they had come from upstairs together. Most of the crowd had already arrived and all eyes had been on them. But still...

  What he said was just plain rude. He might as well have lifted his leg and peed on her.

  Crow dropped his gaze to her face. A smile slowly crept across his as he stared at her but talked to Hawk. “Just fuckin’ with you, brother. You know I’m not lookin’ to deal with any mess.” Then he turned to the bar, downed the rest of his whiskey and pushed to his feet. He wacked Hawk on the shoulder as he passed, laughing sharply and saying, “Also not lookin’ for you to kick my ass.”

  Kiki twisted on her stool to watch him walk away... or more like it, watch the swing of his narrow hips. When she looked up at Hawk, his eyes were boring into her.

  “That was rude.”

  He cocked an eyebrow at her. “What?”

  “What you said.”

  “Truth.”

  She closed her eyes and sighed. “Rude, Hawk. Embarrassing.”

  “Were you embarrassed when we came downstairs together after I just got done fuckin’ you?”

  She didn’t answer.

  “’Cause if you don’t think everyone knew, you’re fuckin’ dead wrong.”

  “You don’t have to announce that I’m full of your...” She lowered her voice. “DNA.”

  His lips twitched. “Yeah you are.”

  She rolled her eyes. “That’s the last time I go upstairs with you.”

  “Got that right.”

  She gave him a surprised look.

  He continued, “Not here, not again. My house. Your place. My bike. Not your car, though. Too tight.”

  Her eyes sliced through the crowd. Crow was no longer in sight.

  “Done fuckin’ ‘im with your eyes?”

  She ignored that. “What’s his story?”

  “Not mine to tell. Will tell you that if you want ink he’s the man. One of the best ink slingers in the state.”

  “I’ll keep that in mind when I’m ready to tattoo ‘Mom’ on my right breast.”

  “I’d prefer you get ‘Hawk’ on the back of your neck. But lemme make somethin’ clear, the only thing you’ll get from him is ink, got me?”

  Lemme make somethin’ clear.

  “Do women really like this old school misogynistic crap? Because lemme make somethin’ clear, I’m not really feeling it, just so you know.”

  “Whataya mean?”

  She waved a hand in his direction. “This bossiness crap. Like you’re the man and I’m just a lil lady who is helpless. And lemme make somethin’ else clear... Just because you have a dick hanging between your legs, doesn’t mean you get to act like one.”

  He opened his mouth and she gave him the palm. “I’m not done. And just because I have a vagina doesn’t mean I need a man. Because I certainly don’t.”

  She heard a loud snicker behind her and she spun in her seat to look at the older man with a long scruffy gray beard, a protruding beer gut, and lots of wrinkles, wearing a cut that had seen better days.

  He slammed his beer mug on the bar and looked over at Hawk, pointing a gnarled finger at him. “Got your hands full with that one.” He shook his head and muttered something that Kiki couldn’t understand, then grumbled, “Hope the pussy’s worth it.”

  Just great! They had an audience.

  Hawk moved between them to where Crow previously sat. “Yeah, old man, the pussy’s worth it.”

  Oh good lord.

  She was grateful when the back door to the clubhouse opened with a bang, and that conversation was diverted.

  A group of bikers funneled through the door. All of them wearing DAMC cuts. Kiki sighed in relief when she noticed they carried the four missing barrels of money. She recognized Hawk’s brother Diesel, the club president, Pierce, and the brother named Crash. The rest she had no idea who they were.

  Pierce wore a big smile as he lifted one of the barrels over his head and shouted, “Got the fuckin’ money. Ditched it not far from the fairgrounds. With us an’ the pigs hot on their tail, didn’t have time to get it outta the barrels.”

  Shouts rose up, along with whistling and hooting.

  Hawk’s arm snaked across her coll
arbone and he pressed his front to her back. He spoke close to her ear. “Shit’s good. We can get outta here now. Gotta check on the bar before we leave, though.”

  He thought she was going back to his place. Before she could respond, Diesel was there, towering over her, but had eyes on his brother.

  “She good?”

  “Yeah. Fucker grabbed her arm.” Without releasing her, Hawk lifted her arm to show Diesel the bruise. His eyes narrowed on it and his lips flattened into an angry slash.

  “Shoulda kept after them then. Need to crack some fuckin’ heads.”

  “Uh,” Kiki started but Hawk cut her off.

  “You go to station?”

  “Hadta follow the pigs back to station to wait for ‘em to make a fuckin’ report an’ release the scratch.”

  “Axel there?”

  Diesel’s eyes tipped up to Hawk, who was still pressed against her back. “No. Why?”

  “Think he got Bella.”

  Diesel’s face turned dark and scary as he pulled a cell phone from the back pocket of his jeans. His big fingers jabbed at his phone and he’d apparently put it on speaker phone since the ringing sounds filled the air.

  After three rings, her voicemail picked up and his jaw got tight. After the beep, he yelled into the phone, “Bella! You call me ASAP. Got me?”

  He jabbed at the screen again, staring at it for a moment. He glanced up to survey the crowd until he found who he was looking for. “Jag!”

  “Yo!” came the answering shout.

  “Your ol’ lady hear from Bella?”

  Two seconds later he answered, “Nope.”

  Jag’s so-called ol’ lady, Ivy, was standing right next to him. The fact that the massive man didn’t ask Ivy that question directly once again hit home for Kiki that things were somewhat backwards in this male-dominated world.

  “Anyone hear from Bella?” Diesel barked loudly and the busy room became quiet.

  Diamond pushed past a few people as she approached Diesel, Slade close on her heels. Besides a fat lip and a bruise across his jaw, Slade didn’t look any worse for wear.

  “Last we saw she was with Axel. She’s fine.”

  “Gonna go find her,” Diesel growled.

  Diamond sighed as Zak joined them. “D! Really. If she’s with Axel, she’s fine.”

  “Fuck that pig. Gonna go find her.”

  Diamond turned pleading eyes to Zak. “Z...”

  Zak shrugged. “D wants to flatten my asshole brother, then more power to ‘im.”

  Kiki felt like she should be shoving her fingers in her ears and singing, “La la la la!” She did not need to hear about anyone being flattened, put six feet under, or being threatened with a head cracking.

  With a grunt, Diesel shoved his way out of the group and headed out of the clubhouse.

  She glanced over her shoulder at Hawk. “He’s going to end up back in jail. Especially if he assaults a cop.”

  Hawk’s eyes dropped from his brother’s retreating back to Kiki as he contemplated her words. “Right.” He sighed. “Stay here.”

  Then he followed his brother out of the door.

  “I’m going to go,” Kiki said to no one in particular.

  Zak turned to her. “Hawk said to stay here.”

  Kiki raised her eyebrows at him. “I heard him.”

  She pushed herself from the stool, checked to make sure she had her key fob then hurried past them all before someone stopped her.

  She had enough drama for today.

  Chapter Twelve

  She knew Hawk wouldn’t be happy that she left the clubhouse last night after his command to stay there. In fact, without a doubt, she knew he’d be pissed. But she needed to leave. She needed to think.

  The problem was, as much as she tried to convince herself that they were no more than a hook-up, she was afraid it had become so much more.

  She couldn’t deny the attraction between them, even though it still surprised her. She also couldn’t deny the desire to spend more time with him.

  The scary part was that she caught herself thinking about a future with the man. To do that, she’d have to tie up any loose ends.

  The biggest one being her ex-husband who really wasn’t her ex. At least, not yet. And not for a lack of trying. She’d been pleading with him to sign the divorce papers for the last two years. In fact, ever since she filed them with the court.

  They had no children, each of them had well-paying jobs which meant neither needed spousal support, they had equally divided the furniture when she left, so he had no reason to not sign and close out that chapter in their lives.

  He simply didn’t want to let her go.

  He’d said that too many times to count in the past couple years. Still, she had no idea why he wanted to hang on to something that had been irrevocably broken the day she came home to find him fucking their neighbors’ nineteen-year-old daughter in their bed. In their house.

  Had he apologized? Sure.

  She might be able to forgive, but even if she dug deep she couldn’t ever forget what she saw. Especially in the position she caught them in.

  Which, she had to admit, wasn’t very flattering for Landon, her hopefully soon-to-be-ex.

  Tonight would be her last push at getting him to sign the papers. She had bitten the bullet and invited him for dinner. She figured it was better to meet him in a public place than at her condo, his place, or the office. This way she could walk away if she needed to.

  She cleared her throat and straightened her skirt as she saw Landon approach the table.

  Dressed to impress, his suit was top of the line, his blond hair trimmed and gelled perfectly, his gait confident.

  He looked better than ever and it reminded her why she had been attracted to him in the first place. He had swept her off her feet and it wasn’t long after they had started dating that he proposed. At the time, they were both up and coming attorneys who planned to conquer the world. Or at least the city of Pittsburgh. And they planned to do it together.

  “Hello, sweetheart,” he greeted, a large smile on his face.

  She pinned her lips together and frowned when he slid his hand under her hair and curled his fingers around her neck, leaning down and brushing a kiss along the top of her head.

  “Landon.”

  “Yes?” he murmured near her ear.

  “Sit, please.”

  He gave her a look, his green eyes narrowed with his impatience. She bit back a sigh of relief when he finally complied.

  “Can I order you a drink?” he asked, his gaze crawling over her face, hair and then her breasts, where he lingered.

  He’d always been a breast man. Karin, the neighbor, had some young, perky ones. Or at least she did two years ago.

  “Yes, please.” She was going to need one.

  He waved at a nearby waiter, who rushed over. “Glenlivet Eighteen on the rocks for me. Vodka martini for the lady.”

  “No.” Both sets of male eyes landed on her. “Whiskey, neat. Thank you.”

  As the waiter rushed off, Kiki met Landon’s surprised eyes. “Really?”

  “Yes, I’ve acquired a taste for it.”

  “Since when?”

  “Since...” She took a breath. “Landon, things are different now. I...” Oh good lord, how did she explain any of this to him? He certainly wouldn’t understand and might recommend her doing a stint in the loony bin. “Although, I invited you to have dinner at one of our favorite spots, I... I’m here asking for the last time for you to sign the papers. Please don’t drag this out any longer.”

  He frowned and leaned forward over the table, grabbing her hand. “Kiki. Jesus. I’ve asked for your forgiveness. I’ve asked for you to take me back. I made a mistake. A grave one. I realize that. I... Well, I had a weak moment.”

  A weak moment.

  “Right,” she murmured.

  “But what we had was something good.”

  “Not good enough apparently.”

  Landon closed his
eyes for a moment then blew out a breath. “I was hoping with time, you’d see the error of your ways.”

  “The error of my ways?” The last two words came out a little higher pitched than she expected.

  The waiter returned in a rush, placing a glass filled with dark amber liquid in front of her and sliding another one with ice in front of Landon. She gave the waiter a half-smile of thanks. After Landon’s words, that was all she could muster.

  “What’s bringing this about now?”

  Now. Like she hadn’t been bugging him forever.

  “Well, how about this... It’s been two years. I’m tired of asking. And...” She drifted off as she took a deep inhale to bolster herself.

  “And?”

  “I’m seeing someone.”

  He sat back in his chair, reaching for his expensive scotch and downing almost half of it. She couldn’t miss the gold Cartier watch on his wrist as he did so. When he placed his glass back down on the table, she noticed his nails were still neatly manicured. She bet there wasn’t a speck of dirt under even one of them. “Who? Do I know him? Is he part of the bar?”

  At his question, she paused her glass halfway to her lips. “Not the bar you’re thinking of...” She took a sip and the warmth she was quickly getting familiar with slid down her throat. She waited for the burn to subside before continuing, “He’s not a lawyer.”

  “Oh.”

  “You definitely don’t know him.”

  Landon pursed his lips as he studied her, mindlessly fiddling with one of his cufflinks as he did so. “Do I get to meet him?”

  Kiki’s head jerked and she blinked at him across the table. “What? Why the hell would I have you meet someone I’m seeing?”

  “Because I worry about you.”

  “You weren’t worried about me when you were,” she leaned closer and lowered her voice, “on your knees behind Karin giving it to her good. Not to mention you were telling her how she was the best you ever had. I also can’t forget how you were telling her how tight her—” Kiki stopped abruptly. Not only because her blood pressure was starting to rise, but she looked around to remind herself where they were.

  He frowned and cleared his throat. “Sweetheart, I’ve apologized a million times.”

  Kiki ignored his term of endearment. “I know.”