Page 81 of Isaac

I knock gently on his door, my heart pounding in anticipation with adrenaline under my skin while a persistent question torments me—what the hell brought me here?

"Who is it?" comes Hawk's muffled voice from behind the door.

"Room service," I reply sarcastically.

The door swings open, revealing Hawk wearing nothing but a pair of sweatpants and a sleep-rumpled expression.

"Nice outfit," I comment. "Brought you coffee. Thought we could take a ride."

"Sure thing." He takes the cup from my grip, his fingers briefly brushing against mine. His blue gaze lingers on me for a heartbeat longer than expected before he retreats back into the room. "Need a few," he murmurs after taking a sip.

"Cool." I follow him inside and shut the door.

He says nothing, just pads into the bathroom to brush his teeth and clean up. I watch him come out and lose the sweatpants, then tug on a fresh pair of jeans and a black T-shirt.

As we ride the elevator downstairs in silence I still don’t know why I’m taking him with me today.

Finally outside, we head toward the warehouse where a collection of cars at my disposal is waiting for us. Today’s pick? A sleek black sports car that I know will impress Hawk.

Still confusion looms over my decision; what business do I have impressing someone technically under my payroll?

I shake off these thoughts; maybe it's time to stop questioning every leap and simply...jump. To let go…

"Nice ride," Hawk comments, whistling appreciatively as he slides into the passenger seat. "Where are we off to?"

"Breakfast first," I reply, starting the engine and revving it dramatically. "After I have some errands to run." As we drive through the still-quiet streets of Las Vegas, I can feel Hawk's curious gaze on me, but he remains silent, allowing me to navigate us without interruption.

We pull up to a small diner, the kind of place that serves up greasy goodness and endless cups of coffee. Over plates piled high with eggs, bacon, and hash browns, I ask Hawk if he’s going to take me up on my offer and move into the hotel permanently. He’s never given me a direct answer.

His fork pauses midair as he chews, considering my question thoughtfully. "Sure," he says eventually.

"Good." I nod, shoving food into my mouth to hide what I think is a grin.

"It's safer that way, right?" Hawk comments matter-of-factly. But we both know there’s nothing offhanded about this. "Are you going to tell me what those errands are that you’ll need my company for?"

"Nothing crazy," I say with a shrug.

"Alright."

We finish the remaining breakfast in a comfortable silence, pausing occasionally to compliment the food.

"You take care of this place too?" Hawk asks as I signal for the check.

"You think I take care of every diner in this city?" I chuckle.

"I don’t know. You’re full of surprises."

I don’t respond.

As we get back into the car, I feel a strange sense of contentment. Despite the darkness that surrounds us—the danger lurking just beyond my line of vision—today’s morning is just…normal. A chance for us—me and him—to simply exist, together, in a world that's hell-bent on tearing us apart.

As I cruise down the street that’s starting to wake up, I can feel Hawk's presence beside me. His scent is filling the car with that intoxicating musk that makes my chest tighten.

Twenty minutes later, I pull up into the parking lot of a massive toy store. As always my stomach twists in knots at the thought of entering such a...happy place. A place filled with all this innocence. Sometimes, I wonder if I’m getting it dirty just by walking inside.

I know it’s an absurd thought, so I push myself. I push myself to come here once a month and do what I do.

"I would ask why we're here," Hawk comments while we approach the entrance. "But I’m afraid."

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