Page 3 of Hawk

Just my luck.

He hits the lights as soon as I whiz by him doing way more than the posted exit speed limit of forty-five. I blow through the stoplight and almost get creamed by an eighteen wheeler as I try to escape. I’ve temporarily slowed the trooper down with my near-death maneuver, so I hop back on I-10 and gun it once more. Traffic is still crawling, but the shoulder is clear, so I use it – getting up to ninety miles per hour in my desperate attempt to escape these cops. My adrenaline is pumping. When I’m like this, I do reckless things, but I can’t stop myself this time. Getting locked up is not an option. It’ll ruin my life and my life, the way it is now is perfect. I have my girl, the MC and my garage. There’s no way I’m going to mess that up by getting caught out here.

I check my mirror again. I see blue lights behind me a ways and that’s how I know I’m not quite ready to celebrate. I don’t want to see anything behind me but road. I just want to be home free.

I crank it up to about a hundred miles per hour now. The last time I drove this fast, I was a dumb teenager, looking for a cheap thrill without the fear of injury or consequences. I should know better not to drive so recklessly, but it’s my life I’m fighting for. My girl. My future. All those thoughts are running through my mind, clouding what I know I need to be doing – concentrating – but I’m thinking about all that while wondering at the same time if my brother was able to get away. I’m so lost in thought, I don’t see the large piece of rubber from someone’s blown-out tire until I get right up on it. I jerk the handlebar to move out of the way and that’s when it happens – I lose control. Speed and a sudden movement is a combination for disaster for riders. I know this, but desperation has caused me to make a mistake that proves fatal for most.

The front tire locks up and loses traction with the road. I go flying in the air, seemingly in slow motion as I see my life flash before my eyes. In quick succession, I see Ivy in a beautiful wedding gown. I see my mother and the memories I have of my father – one of those being when we used to cruise on our Harley’s together. I see me and my brothers when we were young and a lot closer than we are now. And I see my MC brothers – us cracking skulls and sharing beers.

This is it for me. I know I’m going to die. I know it. Of all the insane things I’ve done, my life has never flashed before my eyes like this, and the messed up part about it is, I wasn’t supposed to be involved in this nonsense.

I slam into the grass head first. The helmet took the brunt of the collision. I don’t know how on earth I made it to grass and not the road, but I suppose that’s a good thing because even though I’m injured, I’m still breathing. I’m in instant, excruciating pain. My right arm and shoulder hit hard too, and I know my collarbone is broken. I’ve probably cracked a rib or two as well. There’s no getting up and running away. I wouldn’t make it far even if I could get up.

The sirens are louder now, so I know the cops are here. They all converge upon me with weapons drawn, telling me to put my hands in the air like I’m capable. I’m too dizzy to hear their instructions. I’m in pain. My head is killing me and I JUST FLEW OFF OF A BIKE. I can’t do anything but lie here.

One of the cops grabs me and says, “I said put your hands up.”

“Ah!” I shriek. “Get off of me you prick! I can’t move my right arm.”

The jerk-of-a-cop loops the cuff around my left wrist and says, “You have the right to remain silent.”

“I broke my arm! I need help! Don’t put those cuffs on me, man!”

“Anything you say can and will be used against you—”

“Get off of me!”

“You have a right to an attorney—”

The pig keeps right on talking like he didn’t hear a word I said, and my right arm feels like it’s legit about to fall off. Yeah, the pain is starting to really set in, especially when they grab me.

“Stop resisting!

“I’m not resisting. My arm is broken!”

I screech in pain when he yanks my arm, and slaps on the cuffs. Three of them carry me to the squad car where they’re waiting for the ambulance. I hear it, but I don’t see it yet. I’m hoping the paramedics will be more sympathetic to my plight.

I shut my mouth so as not to incriminate myself and wait until they arrive. I wasn’t aware of my ripped jeans and right leg scraped to the flesh until the paramedics examined me. One said she was confident that my arm was broken and put me in a temporary sling. The other said I probably had a few cracked ribs and needed to be examined for a concussion as well.

I really screwed up this time.

Besides getting banged up pretty bad, I know I’m facing some time in the slammer. It’s only a matter of time before the judge sends me to Club Fed.

And there goes my life. My MC crew solely relies on me to repair their bikes and cars, and now I’m about to be locked up. And then there’s Ivy. She probably won’t take a call from me when she finds out about this. She told me as much. I may be battered and about to face one of the toughest challenges of my life, but I can’t lose my girl.

Chapter 1

Hawk

“Bout time they let you out of there for something you didn’t do,” Gage says with a chuckle like something’s funny. I look up to see him walking up the paved driveway at my house. It’s been two years since I’ve had my freedom, and he hasn’t matured any. He was twenty-three when he robbed that joint with dumb and dumber. Now, he’s twenty-five and he’s still the exact same idiot he was when I did the time for his crime.

“You know you gave your mom some extra gray hairs behind your foolishness,” my other brother, Brandon, says to Gage.

“Her hair has always been gray,” he spats. “And don’t act all holy like you’re a saint, Brandon, because you ain’t.”

“Shut up, Gage,” Brandon says pushing him.

Gage shoves him back.

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