Page 15 of Forsaken

Matty glanced over at Hawke before turning his attention back on me. “He helps people,” Matty said as he held the doll out expectantly. “Papa was sad but now he’s happy,” Matty explained, though I had no idea what he meant.

I lifted my eyes to look at Hawke and he gave me a small nod. I took the doll from Matty and shook my head and then leaned down to give him another hug. “I’ll take good care of him,” I murmured.

I held Matty for a little longer than necessary, but the little boy didn’t seem to mind and when I finally let him go, he was grinning again. I stepped around his bed and started to leave the room when Hawke stood and said, “Are you heading out? I’ll walk with you…I left something in my car.”

I’d made it a habit of making Matty my last visit of the day because I inevitably ended up spending more time with him than the other kids, so it didn’t surprise me that Hawke knew I was heading home after the visit. What did surprise me was that this was the second time in three days the man had “forgotten” something in his car.

“Matty, I’ll be back in a few minutes, okay?”

“Okay,” Matty responded and I saw him flip open a coloring book that was on the tray in front of him.

Hawke followed me out of the room and spoke to the man standing guard outside. “Dante, you mind sitting with him for a bit?” Hawke asked.

The good looking young man’s eyes slid over me for a moment before he nodded and turned to go into the room. I hadn’t missed the man checking me out on more than one occasion, but surprisingly, the looks never made me uncomfortable; not like so many of the men who often leered at me. With them I was always propelled back to the past when men used to size me up as they decided if I was worth the money I was charging for them to use my body in any way they wanted. With Dante, it was more like he was appreciating something, though I really didn’t know what.

But even though there wasn’t that discomfort I’d expected to feel, there wasn’t anything else either.

Not like what I felt whenever Mav’s eyes raked over my body.

Even the thought of his dark green eyes touching every part of me had my body drawing up tight with excitement. Fuck! How could I miss something I’d never had?

“You’re really good with him,” Hawke said to me as we made our way towards the parking garage.

“He’s an amazing kid,” I murmured. “You and your partner must be really proud,” I said.

The smile that spread across Hawke’s face was distracting because it changed his entire countenance. With the burn scars that marred his cheek and neck, he always had an air of danger about him but now he looked…

He looked like all the men and women in my family after they’d found their other halves.

“That’s all on Tate,” Hawke said.

I’d met Matty’s other father several times, but lately it had been Hawke who was with Matty when I did my rounds.

“Is Matty…” I began, but then hesitated when I realized the man might not like the question I’d been about to ask.

“Is he what?” Hawke asked.

“Nothing,” I murmured. “It isn’t any of my business.”

“Eli, I know how much you care about him. Ask your question. It’s fine.”

I hesitated, but my concern for Matty was greater than my need to not make this man angry by asking intrusive questions. “Matty, is he in danger?” I asked. “I mean, there’s always someone outside his door like Dante or Mav…”

My voice dropped off as I said Mav’s name and I hoped to God that Hawke hadn’t noticed.

“It’s just a precaution. Some guys from Tate’s and my past posed a threat a couple of months back and we’re just making sure they didn’t have any friends who might want to take up their cause now that they’re gone.”

The fact that he used the word “gone” was an ominous sign, but I ignored that as my concern for Matty and his family grew. I stopped, forcing Hawke to stop as well and when he faced me I said, “There’s a security firm out here – they’re really good. I know the guys who own it. If you need help, I could talk to them.”

Hawke studied me for a moment and then said, “Thank you. We’re covered right now, but if we need any more guys, we’ll take you up on that.”

I nodded and began walking again. My thoughts drifted to where they’d been for the last three days and once we reached the stairwell to the garage, I found the courage to ask, “Did he ask you to do this?”

“Do what?”

“Walk me to my car,” I murmured. I glanced at Hawke who was watching me curiously. “Two days ago you also forgot something in your car and yesterday Matty’s grandfather conveniently happened to be leaving at the same time I was and also happened to be parked on the same level as me.”

I hadn’t talked to Magnus DuCane who, at forty some years old, seemed nothing like any grandfather I’d ever known. The man had the build of a football player and the only hint of his age were the threads of silver in his dark hair.

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