Final Ride (Lords of Mayhem) (6 page)

“She’ll agree,” Hawk said.
I won’t let her do otherwise.
“This
needs to come to an end yesterday. They’ve hit too close to home. We can’t give
them another chance at us,” Hawk said.

“Jesus, these guys don’t have anything better to do?”
Maverick asked. “If I had half the money they did this is not what I’d be
doing.”

“Well you’re not completely fucked in the head like they are
either,” Hawk said.

“Says a lot after all the time I did in the service,”
Maverick muttered.

“So we’re all on board with what’s happening? Because I want
to get this shit started now. Mav, I’ll need you to do your legal thing and make
sure it’s all airtight.”

“I can do that. I’ll need to talk to the girls and see what
they’ve signed. Do we have them on board?”

“We’ll get things smoothed over with them soon. I think Hil’s
been working on them for a while now,” Hawk said.

“She keeps a lot of secrets,” Shooter said. His frown spoke
volumes. He didn’t trust her.

“Won’t be any soon,” Hawk said.

“You make sure of that,” Tiny said.

Hawk met Tiny’s gaze and nodded, silently giving him a
promise. They had a lot riding on Hilary. It wouldn’t take much to get what he
needed from her. She had the aura of a soda filled with Mentos and shaken. A
few more gentle nudges and she’d blow. Secrets were a slow poison. They crept
in and began to turn things bad little by little until suddenly they were at
max capacity and someone’s life was on the line. There was no room for them
here in Mayhem.

“That being said. We’re going off lockdown. We need to make
these clowns think they have the upper hand. This weekend we go back to our
houses and our regular lives. We’ll keep tails on the girls. Security’s been
tightened. I don’t anticipate any trouble. Once this case hits their door, the
focus will shift off us, and that’s when we’ll start tearing down the
organization them from the inside.” Tiny grinned. “They don’t really need all
that money and with the media circus they’ll be doing they won’t notice a thing
right away. By the time they do, the money will be safely stowed in an offshore
account made for someone who doesn’t actually exist. Mayhem can be called many
things, but dumb isn’t one of them.”

Laughter filled the space. “Now that you know the basics you’re
dismissed, except for tech squad, Hawk, and Maverick. I want this shit wrapped
up with a bow and ready to be delivered by the end of the day.”

Legs of chairs scraped on the floor as people stood and
began to leave the room. Hawk watched them wistfully, settling in for a long
night.

When he finally emerged from the room the sun had long set
and the hallways and main room were quiet. He pulled out a cold bottle of beer,
popped the tab, and took a long pull.

He could hear Hilary’s voice through the door to her room. “Because
I need a break, Mom, that’s why. You can’t keep blowing up my phone. I’m a
grown woman and I made my decision. I need to be away from this mess. I’m in
way deeper than I should be. It’s not my marriage.”

His eyebrow quirked. So the opinionated woman had been
listening to him.
Right on, Harpy. Stand up for yourself.
He heard her
feet move across the floor as she paced in her room. The crack in the door let
out light and allowed him to see glimpses of her as she walked past the
threshold.

“What do you mean how can I abandon you? Mom, what can I
possibly do?”

He sat at the bar and waited to see how her argument would
pan out.

“No. I told you I’m not going to take sides. No I don’t
think Dad was right for what he did. But he’s still my father. You know what?
All you need to know is I’m going to be away for a while. If you need me, leave
a message on my voicemail. Bye Mom, I love you.” She took a shaky breath, and
he knew she’d hung up. She slipped out of her room.

He cleared his throat to announce his presence. “I take it
you told them.”

She jumped, then turned to face him, wiping at her eyes. “How
long were you there?”

“Long enough. You did what you needed to.”

“You didn’t give me any other choice,” she snapped.

“There wasn’t one.” He shrugged. Used to being the bad guy,
he let her disdain roll off him like water on a slip-n-slide.

“You’re all heart, Hawk. You know that?” she said, exasperated.

“We have bigger things on our plate than your parental
issues.”

She scoffed at him. “Asshole.”

“You keep talking to me like that I’ll think you’re starting
to like me, sweetheart,” he said.

“You wish. What are you doing out here? You were gone ten
minutes ago.”

“Just got out of church. It was a long one. We got
everything figured out. Tomorrow people will start heading back home. You take
care of those loose ends?” Hawk said.

“Yeah. I’m ready. Disappearing for a while is looking better
by the minute, actually.”

“Good and leave your dislike for me at the door. We’re going
to be spending a lot of quality time together.” He grinned wolfishly.

She glanced away, fidgeting with the edge of her T-shirt.
Either she hadn’t gotten any in a long time, she wasn’t used to a man who knew
how to stand up to her, or she was a virgin. The last thought made him hard.
What would it be like to be the man who took that prize from her? He narrowed
his eyes, studying her in the low lighting. What was it about this woman that
drew him in?

She tensed her jaw and glanced up at him, recovered from her
bout of shyness.

“When are we going around the club?”

“Saturday.”

“That’s like four days away.”

“Yep, so get ready for me, babe.”

“I don’t think you’re any experience anyone can prepare
themselves from,” she said.

“Shit, now you’re just flattering me,” he said. She ducked
her head, and he chuckled. “Am I embarrassing you?”

“No.” She lifted her chin. “I’m just not used to a man being
so…”

“Real?” he guessed.

“Blunt,” she said.

“That’s because they didn’t know what to do with you,” he
said.

“And you do?” She cocked her head to the side.

“Best believe I do, babe. Now, I’m going to finish this beer
and head to my room. I’m not saying you need to do the same, but no leaving the
cabin. I don’t like the thought of you wandering around here at night by
yourself.”

“I’m perfectly safe here,” she protested.

“Hmm. We’ve been holed up here for a while now, and you’re
not claimed. No reason to press your luck. Most of the guys here respect things
but we got a few rebels who skate the line. You’re under my protection now. You
want me to start our partnership off by busting some fool’s head open? ’Cause I
got to say, you in my bed is sounding pretty damn good right now.”

She shifted her weight. “No, I don’t want to cause in
trouble, and I’m tired anyway.”

“Good. Get into the mindset of listening, Hil. It’ll only
make things easier for the both of us.”

“No, it’ll be easier for you,” she said. “No one tells you
what to do.”

“Yeah, his name is Tiny, and he runs this M.C.”

“It’s not the same.” She shook her head. “You choose to
follow him.”

He grunted. “Not me who put us in the situation, babe.”

“I know.” She walked toward the bar. “Good night, Hawk. I
really do appreciate you keeping me safe.”

He gave a small nod and watched as she moved down the
hallway. He watched her ass give just the right amount of bounce as she disappeared
into her room. His pants grew tighter. Maybe this wouldn’t be the nightmare
he’d expected.

Chapter Five

Hawk eyed the woman sitting across from him at the kitchen
table cradling a mug of coffee. He had a week to work on her before they went
public, and Tiny wanted more than guesses about what she knew.

“Be straight with me. Have you spoken with the victims?” Hawk
asked.

Hilary spluttered and blinked owlishly. She cleared her throat
and wiped away the droplets of coffee that clung to the corners of her lips. “Hell
of a way to start a morning conversation.”

“We’re going public in a week. You had to know this was
coming. We need more than you to seal this thing shut. They’re out there in the
wind right now with no protection. What happens if Emmit and Linden send people
after them?”

“Jesus, ’cause these women haven’t been through enough,” Hilary
said.

“Yes, which is why we’re ready to offer up protection until
all of this is finished. I’d think they’d want this put to bed permanently as
much as we do,” Hawk said.

“Fear defies logic when it’s intense enough,” Hilary said
glancing down. She swirled the mug in her hands.

“They’re still scared of these guys?” Hawk said.

“Let’s just say Linden and Emmit drop gifts off now and then
to let them know they’re still watching.”

“Fuck, these guys are sick.” Hawk shook his head and took a
sip of his alcohol-laced coffee. “Legally can any of them actually talk?”

“There are a handful of these girls who escaped who have
formed a sort of sisterhood. They keep track of one another, compare notes and
do their best to move on from what’s happened to them. Which is nearly
impossible with the threat of Linden and Emmit reappearing at any given moment.”

“You realize this shit is sounding like an eerie television
show, right?” Hawk said, trying to wrap his head around the new information.

“I wish for their sake it was. No one should have to live
like this. I keep telling them, but they won’t listen. They warned me if Linden
or Emmit found out they’d hunt me down. I told them I didn’t care.” She shook
her head. “This is all wrong and needs to be exposed.”

“At the cost of your life?” Hawk said.

“I’m hoping it won’t come to that. But yes. We both know
they’ll never stop. My life is basically forfeit now because I know too much.”
She shrugged.

He had to admire her courage. She was rock steady right now.
It was a rare trait. Hawk nodded. “We’ll give them protection if that’s what
they’re afraid of.”

“It might help some. But the true terror is locked away in
their minds, always with them, forever tormenting.” Hilary sighed and shook her
head.

“You know a lot about this kind of thing.”

“I went through this with Juliette, and I’ve formed a tight-knit
friendship with these girls. Compared to some of them, Juliette had it easy.”

“You’ve been busy keeping secrets. Not a smart thing to do
around here. It makes people nervous.”

“No. I was doing what I could to protect the people I love.”
She narrowed her eyes. “How is that any different from what you do?”

“I got the means to back myself up, babe,” he said studying
her.

Her cheeks puffed out, and she inhaled through her nose and released.
“I wasn’t expecting it to go this way,” she said, speaking through her teeth.

I bet you want to cuss me out right now, don’t you?
“No,
but you had to know it might.”

She gave a curt nod.

“From now on, no keeping shit. You got any other bats hiding
in your belfry, you’d best let them out here.”

Her eyes widened.

This ain’t my first rodeo. I know stubborn people. I come
from the bear clan.
He snorted. “Yeah, I’m not just some stupid biker you
can pull one over on, college girl.”

“I-I didn’t say you were,” she said.

You didn’t have to.
“It’s okay. I like that people
underestimate me. It gives me an advantage. How soon can you arrange a meeting?”

“I’m not sure. I mean I can ask them today, but I don’t know
what their schedules are like.”

“Fuck, girl. Tell them they’re in danger. I’m pretty sure that’ll
clear the day calendar.”

“I don’t want to cause panic.” She shook her head.

“I think it’s time for that. Once Linden and Emmit lose
track of you…they’re going to retrace your steps.”

“Fuck. I’ll call them right now.” She set her mug down on
the table and stood.

“Make your call but don’t think I forgot what we were
talking about before this.”

She ignored him as she rushed for the backyard to keep a
semblance of privacy. He shook his head. The woman was a frustrating
combination of contradictions. Damn near meek one minute and roaring like a
lioness the next. It created a kind of crazy he found himself drawn to.
Of
all the times to be attracted to a female.
He slowed his thoughts down, the
way he did everything when he had a mission to carry out. A few minutes later
she returned.

“I left a few voicemails and sent some texts. We’ll see what
happens next.”

“Anything else you want to share?” Hawk finished his coffee
set the mug on the table and leaned forward, studying her.

“That was it.”

“You sure about that?”

“What?” She laughed. “You don’t believe me?”

“I’m still deciding. But for your sake, I hope you’re
telling the truth.”

She swallowed hard. “I am.”

“We’re in this thing together now. So, I’m going to give you
the benefit of the doubt. I need your complete trust. There are things I won’t
be able to explain to you, but my directions, no matter how infuriating they
may seem, should be followed to the letter. It might mean the difference
between life and death.”

“I get it, Hawk. I’m not stupid.”

“No, but all of this is new to you.” He studied her face. “You
done with your food?”

“Yeah.”

“All right, then let’s get dressed. I want to take you out
and teach you how to shoot.” She opened her mouth, and he shook his head. “No.
This isn’t an optional. You strike me as the type of woman who likes to be her
own hero, and the people we’re up against don’t fight fair. To even the odds
you need to be ready to get your hands dirty. You feel me?”

“Y-Yes.”

“If it’s going to be them or you, babe, they’re always going
to choose them. So you need to get your mind right and adopt the same
mentality.”

“Is that what you do?” She glanced up at him from beneath
curly, thick lashes. Without a stitch of makeup on, she might be the prettiest
thing he’d seen in months.

“Damn straight. I was born into this chaos. I live that
philosophy. This world is a cruel, cold, callous place where mostly might makes
right. You got to be prepared to take what you want and kill to protect it once
you got it.”

“Seems so cold.”

He shrugged. “Maybe. It’s never steered me wrong, though. To
make it out alive you got to get a little hard.”

“I don’t want to believe that,” she said. Her shoulders
slumped, and some of the liveliness left her.

If she were anyone else, he’d have told her to suck it up
and get a move on. But her vulnerability did funny things to him. “Not hard to
the core. Just enough to protect your delicate bits and do what you have to.”

She peered up at him as if he’d suddenly hung the moon, and
warning bells chimed in his head. He pushed back his chain and stood. “I’m
going to get ready. I’ll meet you in the living room in twenty.” The more distance
he put between them, the better he felt.

He cursed her as he shed his clothes and stepped inside the
shower with a raging hard-on. Images of her full lips parted and trembling
while she looked at him with dewy eyes made him groan. No one had ever looked
at him that way before. After Rayen had been locked up, he’d gone on a spree,
fucking and fighting his way through the pain. The fighting had slowed down,
but the women continued in and out of his life like a revolving door. Now he
had a proper fucking lady with the body of a goddess making him feel things
best left to others.

He palmed his dick and stroked, imagining her lips parting
as she sucked him down. He grunted, tugging harder. He could practically feel
the slick heat of her mouth. Thrusting his hips, he fucked his hand until he
found blissful release and emptied all he had to give. Learning to shoot was an
up close and personal task. Now at least he wouldn’t embarrass her and distract
himself. Slumped against the shower, he groaned.
Shit, I need to get laid
soon.
He caught his breath and stood up, grabbing the shower soap from the
shelf and squirting some in his hand. The familiar scent grounded him and he
got his eyes back on the prize.

They were still in the trial period. While he didn’t believe
she’d ever betray them intentionally, her priorities tended to be whack. If she
thought it infringed on the rights of others, she’d hold back important
information. The real question was how he’d get her to let him inside far
enough to figure out how to get her to open up.
Why the hell did Tiny think
I was the man for this job?
Keeping someone safe was one thing, but all
this mental work gave him a damn headache.

Hell, Casanova would have her panties off, and her mouth
moving a mile a minute while she spilled her guts in no time. Thoughts of her
doing anything with the blond-haired man made him growl. Like it or not,
something inside of him claimed Hilary as his. He just needed to figure out
what that meant exactly while he bulldozed her walls.

They stood a few feet away from the fence he’d littered with
liquor bottles. He pulled out his .45.

“Before I teach you anything, we have to go over a few base
rules. First, treat every weapon as if it’s loaded. Second, don’t point at
anything you don’t intend to shoot.” He laughed at her shocked expression. “My
old man took firearms seriously. I was properly trained and shooting regularly
by the time I was twelve. This isn’t some point-and-shoot sideways shit like
you see on TV.”

“So this is common knowledge?” she asked.

“To anyone properly trained it is. Rule number three, keep
your safety on until you intend to shoot.”

“Roger that,” she said.

“Have you ever held a gun before?” he asked.

“No.” She shook her head.

“Okay, let’s go over it first. This is the safety.” He
touched the metal tab near the hammer. “You flip this to arm it.” He flicked it
and she flinched it at the click. “I know this is a lot, but you need to get
used to it to shoot effectively.”

“I know; it’s just…disconcerting. This is a life-ending
instrument.”

“It’s good to have a healthy dose of respect for a firearm,
but you can’t fear it.” He clicked the safety once more. “And now it’s off. You
can’t see the red dot. When the safety is off, you know the gun is ready to
fire. Here, I want you to hold it.” He offered the lightweight weapon to her.
She took it gingerly, wincing.

“This feels awkward,” she said.

“It will be for a while. How does the weight feel?” he asked
watching her emulate the hold he’d showed her.

“It’s not too heavy. I thought it would be.”

Hawk remained silent, watching as she shifted it from one
hand to the other. “Hold it by the pistol grip.”

“The what?” she said.

“The handle.”

“Oh.” She did as he requested.

“All right, now we’re going to work on aiming. Plant your
feet a few inches apart. Good.” He moved up and pressed his front to her back. “Now
lift the gun.” He wrapped his arms around her, guiding her arms into the proper
position. “Are you right-handed or left-handed?”

“Right.”

“Okay, get a high, firm grip, like this.” He positioned her
hand. Now use your left hand as a base. You want to form a triangle.”

“Oooh, okay, I get it.” Her muscles loosened slightly.

“Now I want you to use the rear sight and line it up with
the front.” Her ass pressed into him and he held his breath.
Holy shit, she’s
built like a brick house.
“I’m going to let go now, you ready?”

“No.”

“Trial by fire, babe. Let’s take the clip out. Clear the
weapon like I showed you.”

She pressed the button on the side releasing the clip.

“Now, it’s not loaded so you’re okay. We’re just going
through the motions.” He released his hold on her wrist and the gun, grateful
for the space. He put a stranglehold on the blood flowing straight to his dick
and forced his attention back to the lesson. “Aim and I’m going to show you
what the recoil will feel like, so you’re not taken completely by surprise.”

He walked around her and knocked the barrel with his open
palm. “Aim.” He hit the barrel again. “Aim.” They repeated the process until
she flinched. “See, you’re anticipating the kick back. What you need to do is
get used to squeezing the trigger, nice and slow, keeping your gun straight,
and your sights set on the bottles. Right now you have the luxury of time. In
real life, you need to be able to act instinctively.”

“How do you get used to this?”

“Practice, girl. Now load the clip. We’re going to take the
safety off now and actually fire.”

“I’m not ready, Hawk.” Her eyes grew as round as dinner
plates.

“No one ever is their first time. Now I want you to aim the
barrel down, take the safety off, and aim at the first bottle on the end of the
fence.” When she completed the task he forged ahead, racing against the nerves
he knew must be forming. “On three, one, two, three.”

Her body flinched and her eyes threatened to bulge out of
their sockets. She missed the shot by a few feet.

“You all right?”

“My heart’s beating about a mile a minute. That is some
scary shit.”

“Then you’re going to hate me because I want you to do it
again.

“Now,” he said.

“O-okay.”

She lifted her arms once more and took the shoot, missing the
bottles again by a shorter distance.