Final Ride (Lords of Mayhem) (13 page)

“Fuck, I can’t stop coming.” He flooded her, growling as he
continued to rock inside her. Spent and stunned by her display, he collapsed on
the bed as she crawled onto his chest and molded her naked form to his.

“I learned a few things from the girls.”

“Remind me to thank a bitch later,” he said.

Chapter Ten

“Hey Red, come over here and help me with lunch.”

Ariel glanced up and froze.
Is Hawk’s mom talking to me?
She
placed a hand on her chest.

“Yeah, you’re the only one rocking fire locks right now,”
she said with a kind smile.

Shit. She has no clue what’s actually go on around here.
I’ll just do what she asks, keep the conversation polite and casual, and run
for the hills the first opening I get.

“I’m Feather,” she said holding out her hand.

“Ariel,” she said shaking it kindly.

“Cute.”

“Better than the other option.”

“Oh, what was that?”

Heat infused her cheeks. “Harpy.”

Feather threw her hair back and laughed. She was beautiful
with olive skin, high cheekbones, full lips, and dark black hair threaded with
gray and pulled back into a braid that crept down her back. She was biker
royalty in a pair of formfitting dark wash denim with white crosses stitched on
the back and a scoop neck black T-shirt that flattered her collarbone and
hinted at cleavage. It was tasteful and flattering. She had to be in her
mid-fifties, judging by her sons’ ages, but she could’ve easily passed for a
woman in her forties. “I think you and I will get along just fine. I can’t
stand those giggly girls who take too long to answer my questions and don’t
have a domestic bone in their bodies. I’ll leave them for the men to be amused
by.”

Her jaw dropped. Hearing the woman speak so plainly about the
way the club worked threw her off.

Feather laughed. “Oh honey, you must be new.”

Ariel nodded her head.

“Just between us girls. Not my man.” She winked and spun on
her heel. “Come on, we’ve got a lot of work to do, and they’ll be coming in
here starved before we know it.”

Ariel followed Feather into the kitchen and admired the
stainless steel appliances, massive fridge, freezer, and butcher block counter
tops. A large island lined with chairs rested in the middle of the room.

“They really went all out with this new kitchen. I approve.
I remember trying to make magic on that ratty old thing from the eighties in
the old club before it died a well-deserved death,” Feather said.

Ariel chuckled. She liked Feather. She had a good sense of
humor and a warmth not all of the old ladies showed the lower-ranking woman.

“Can you cook, Ariel?”

“I can. What are we making?”

“I figure we’ll do barbecue fare. We’ll get the patties out
and thawing, marinate some chicken, make potato salad, baked beans and a
regular salad for those who don’t eat meat. I figure getting the boys grilling
and everyone outside would be a good way to take their minds off things. We
came in at a tense time. A blind man can sense that. It’s up to us to lighten
the mood and make them forget their troubles, if only for a few minutes.”

“I make a mean potato salad if you want me to get started on
that,” Ariel offered.

“Perfect, I’ll pull the patties out and start making the
marinade from scratch.”

“Good. I’ll start gathering materials,” Ariel said, happy to
have a plan mapped out. She hunted down the right tool, set herself up on a
stretch of counter space, and moved to wash her hands.

“I have to confess, I was surprised to see you with my
Hawk,” Feather said ten minutes into the prep process.

“Oh,” Ariel said.

“He’s not the type to take on the responsibility of a house
mouse.”

“The president asked him to.”

“Honey, you realize I wasn’t born yesterday, right? Whatever
you are, a house mouse isn’t it. Not with the way he looks and acts around
you.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“Girl, don’t play dumb; it doesn’t become you. You’ve
managed to penetrate my boy’s titanium shell. That’s impressive.”

Ariel continued to peel the potatoes, unsure how to approach
the awkward situation she found herself in. “We’re friends. He is doing a favor
for Tiny. We get along because we’ve come to an understanding.”

“Do you really believe that?” Feather said.

“Yes.”

“Then you’re both clueless.” Feather clucked her tongue.

“I’m not sure what you want from me, Feather,” Ariel said as
her nerves were plucked like a guitar string.

“Some honesty for starters. What is it you really do?”

Ariel sighed. Torn between pissing off Hawk’s mom and
keeping her cover, she decided to go with ambiguous but honest answers. “I’m a
writer.”

“A reporter?” The contempt in her voice was staggering.

“No, a fiction writer, romantic suspense mostly.”

“Oh, that’s lovely,” Feather gushed.

The woman thawed so fast, Ariel couldn’t help but chuckle.

“We’ve had some of those yuppie reporters cozy up to one of
the boys, try to get in and get the scoop on what goes around here before. So
you’ll have to forgive me for my earlier response.”

“Are they insane?” Ariel asked, thinking about how serious
Mayhem took their privacy.

Feather barked a laugh. “He landed a smart one.”

“We’re really not…anything.”

“You keep saying that, and I’m going to get offended on my
son’s behalf. Is he not good enough for you?”

“What? No. I mean yes, yes he is. I just don’t believe he
wants to be in a deeply committed relationship.”

“Honey none of them are ever looking for it. Given the way
he damn near ripped Rayen’s throat out, I’d say he’s
found
it,
regardless.”

Ariel ground her teeth and continued to peel.

“Did Ursula steal your voice, little mermaid?” Feather
teased.

She snickered. “No, I’m just not sure what to tell you.
What’s between Rayen and Hawk runs far deeper than me.”

“That is true, but I know what I saw. It’s a mother’s job to
protect her children. If you’re just looking for a good time you need to let
him know. I won’t have some long-legged mermaid coming in and breaking my boy’s
heart. I’ll show you what a real witch looks like if that happens.”

The steel in her voice was damn frightening. It reminded her
of Hawk.
Maybe he got his scariness from both of his parents.

“No disrespect meant, ma’am. But I think whatever we decided
to do or not do is between us. If you have an issue, you can take it up with
Hawk. It’s not my place.”

“Good girl.”

Ariel set down her peeler and turned to see the woman’s dark
eyes filled to the brim with approval.

“Were you testing me?” she asked.

“Someone has to,” Feather said with a shrug.

I’m not sure how I feel about that. Clearly the den
mother has returned to the roost.
“Okay,” Ariel said turning back to
continue her task.

“How long have you been writing?” Feather asked, dropping
the personal inquisition about her connection to Hawk.

“Almost six years now.”

“Do you like it?”

“I love it,” she said as they slipped into pleasant
conversation.

“Hey, Mom, have you seen…” Hawk’s voice trailed off.

“Yes your enchanting sea princess has been helping me in the
kitchen. You want to go fire up the grill?” Feather said.

Hawk looked uncertain as he hovered in the doorway.

Ariel shrugged. She only did what she was asked.

“Yeah, come on, Ariel, let’s go get things started.”

Please don’t be pissed.

“Take some of the chicken with you. It’s going to take
longer,” Feather said cheerfully.

Numbly, Ariel grabbed the container of chicken and a brush
to apply more marinade as she followed Hawk out to the deck that housed a
monster-sized grill. They stepped outside, and she held her breath.

“What the fuck was that?” Hawk asked.

“Your mom trying to pump me for information I think.”

“What did you tell her?”

“Nothing. That you were doing Tiny a favor, and we weren’t
serious.”
The same thing you tell everyone else.
“She said she knew I
wasn’t just some house mouse, and I didn’t correct her. Told her I was a
writer. She got a kick out of that.”
His silence as he moved to the grill made her nervous. “Did I do something
wrong?”

“No, you did right,” he said.

“Then why do I feel like something’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” He shook his head, turned on the propane and used
the long red-handled lighter to get a fire going.

Unease settled in her stomach. She ran over her conversation
with Feather. She’d done what he asked her to, kept her cover for the most
part, respected his mother who was an old lady, and did what she’d been asked
to. Her stomach knotted like fishing line. She’d gotten used to things between
them being easy and comforting. This was the cold Hawk she once knew.
God,
she was right. This has gone so much further than a casual hookup.
The
melancholy that swept over her deepened as they completed their task in
silence. They returned to the kitchen, and she found herself unable to take the
strain between them.

“I’m getting a headache. If neither of you need me any
longer I’d like to lie down,” Ariel said.

Feather frowned. “Maybe you just need to eat—”

“No. I couldn’t eat a bite right now. Really sleep is what’s
best,” Ariel said.

Feather studied her for a moment. “I’m good here. The rest
is up to the boys.”

“I don’t need you,” Hawk said.

The words were a shot to the kidneys.

She turned on her heel and hurried away before either of
them could see the tears forming. She’d screwed up and fallen in love with the
asshole. Now he was losing interest. She’d be left out in the cold. Inside the
room, she closed the door and slid down to the floor. She’d been fooling
herself getting lost in the fantasy.

This wasn’t her club. They weren’t her family, and he sure
as hell wasn’t her man. Sobs shook her body as she released the anguish,
disappointment and humiliation. He’d looked right through her. In the blink of
an eye, he’d clammed up and reminded her of her place.
This is just a role.
Only silly girls lose themselves in things they know could never happen.
He’d
made her hope.
Now I know better.
Swiping away her tears, she rose to
her feet.
I survived a shooting. I’m not going to let a little heartbreak
put me down for the count.
Spent, she trudged to the bed and fell down face
first. Later she would pull herself together, walk out with her head held high,
and be there for the girls who’d been brought in late last night. Right now,
she’d sleep and forget about the pain.

* * * * *

“What did you do to that girl, Hawk?” His mother’s accusatory
tone shocked him.

“Nothing, Ma. You need to leave her alone. Don’t ask her too
many questions. She needs to stay under the radar. If you draw attention to her
you could jeopardize our setup.”

His mother gave him the stink eye. “Fine. For what it’s
worth, I like her.”

“There’s nothing there for you to have an opinion about,
Mom. Didn’t she explain it to you?” he asked.

“Humph. You seem worked up for it to be nothing.”

“Because the club is dealing with a lot, and I don’t need
this on top of it.”

“What exactly is this?” his mother asked.

“I don’t know, Ma, you tell me. Twenty questions? Love
connection? All the above?”

“Is that what you want it to be?” his mother asked.

Yes.
The thought took the wind from his sails. His
anger dissipated as swiftly as it had arrived. Her comment about them being
nothing rubbed him the wrong way and pissed him off. It didn’t matter how or
why things had started between them. Ariel belonged to him now. “Shit.”

His mother chuckled. “Just like your father, a bull in a
china shop. Go fix what you broke before the crack widens.”

For once, he was going to listen to his mother.

“Yes, ma’am,” he said, turning to leave the kitchen. He was
halfway down the hall when he heard his name called. The sound of Tiny’s voice
stopped him short. “We got a problem.”

Naturally.
“What’s going on?” Hawk asked.

“Angels are selling again in our territory.”

“Fuck man. Why are they pushing this?”

“I wish I knew, brother. The new pres is green and pissing
off the wrong people. I say we deliver a message he’ll remember. The last one
didn’t stick too well.”

“What do you have in mind?” Hawk said, fully immersing
himself in the business at hand.

“It’s time we hit one of their production centers,” Tiny
said.

Hawk grinned. He could use a little mayhem and destruction
right now. “I’m always down to ride, brother.”

“I want to take down their main location in the southeast
area and the one up north.”

“When?”

“We need to hit him hard. Get your cut on. This could be
bloody. We need to shut down the Angels’ main source of income. I want these
fuckers scrambling to put their shit to right as business grinds to a halt and I
want his people questioning his leadership.”

“You’re trying to mount an assault.”

“Damn straight,” Tiny said. “I want the buildings burned to
the ground. Once that place catches, it’s all going to go up. All the chemicals
they used to manufacture the drugs are accelerant on crack.”

“We need guns,” Hawk said thinking of the warehouse where
they stored the heavy firepower.

“I know. I’m going to get the prospects to pull the vans
around and rally the troops.”

“Let me get my vest on and I’m good to go.”

“See you out there, brother,” Tiny said.

Hawk jogged to his room and slipped inside. He spotted Ariel
splayed across the bed, belly first.
Maybe she did have a headache.
He
knelt beside her and ran a hand over her silky hair.

“It figures you were the one to fuck up everything I had
going. Now other bitches don’t even make my dick twitch.” He kissed her crown.
“I’m going to fix this shit when I get back, but between the two of us, I’m in
love with you, siren.” The words rolled off his tongue with ease. The weight on
his shoulders lifted. “When I get back we’re going to talk this shit out and
you’ll know who you belong to. Right now, I got to go to work.” He stood, and
walked to the closet, stripped off his cut, hung it on a hanger. He grabbed his
bulletproof vest off the top shelf, pulled it over his white T-shirt, and
tightened the straps on the side. He Velcroed it shut and patted the chest for
good luck. Slipping a black hoodie over his head, he added his cut.