Page 50 of Hawk

“Have him come inside, and I’ll be the judge of that. If I think you need someone better, I’ll hire someone. I know you didn’t have the money to hire the best, but I do.”

“He isn’t charging me. He just wants to keep me safe. We’re, umm, involved.”

“Well, that’s all the more reason for me to meet him. Some decisions have to be made with a clear head, not your penis, dear.”

“Mary Ellen,” I said on a gasp.

“Don’t Mary Ellen me. Just get your young man in here.”

I pulled out my phone and sent him a text.

Me

Can you come inside?

Hawk

Is everything okay?

Me

Yes, she wants to meet you to see if she thinks you’re good enough to take care of me.

Hawk

I can take care of you. She has nothing to worry about.

Me

I know that, and you know that, but she needs to meet you. She’s threatening to hire someone else that she trusts to protect me.

Hawk

I like her already. I’ll be right in.

“He’s coming in. But trust me, no one will mess with me as long as Hawk is with me.”

“I’ll be the judge of that. Now, let’s go meet your young man.”

I grinned at the idea of someone calling himmy young man.I bet he’d get a kick out of that.

By the time we made it to the front door, Hawk was standing there waiting. All six and a half feet of him. He sure looked like someone who could keep a person safe. Mary Ellen took a step back and looked him up and down before looking at me.

“I see what you meant.” Then she turned back to Hawk. “Well, come on in. Let’s have a seat, and you can tell me why I should trust you to keep Mika safe.”

He glanced at me, and I shrugged. We both followed her across the foyer and into the formal living room. She took a seat in the large wingback chair and motioned for us to sit on the small floral settee. It took everything in me not to laugh. In all the time I’d been working here, I’d never seen her use this room. She much preferred the cozy family room or the airy conservatory. Poor Hawk looked totally out of place on the small fancy couch, but I was willing to let this play out and see what she was planning.

“So, Mr. Hawk, is it?”

“Actually, ma’am, my name is Duncan. Duncan Hawkins.”

I raised one eyebrow at him. He still hadn’t told me his first name, but he folded like a bad cheap deck of cards as soon as she asked. He shrugged but didn’t say a word to me.

She nodded approvingly. “Very good. Duncan, then. Now, Duncan, what is it that you do for a living?”

This felt more like I’d brought a guy home to meet my dad, but okay.

“I’m one of the owners of Three Bears Tactical Services. We provide personal security for individuals and events, as well as training for law enforcement.”

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