Page 12 of Hawk's Sapphire

“Hey.”She says, her voice breathy, hesitant.The mix of emotions staring back at me is too much to decipher.She looks at me as if I’m a puzzle to be solved.“Are you good?”

I shrug.“It is what it is.”She bristles at my bluntness, but what else can I say?Am I glad he’s dead?Yes.The asshole never deserved to breathe the same air as the rest of us, not after what he did.Do I wish he would’ve suffered more?Fuck yes.But the decision has been taken out of my hands, and I’ll have to live with it.What other choice is there?

“Are you okay, babe?”I ask, my voice sharp, even to my own ears.I can see her withdrawing from me.Her shields coming up gradually between us.And I’m not having it.

Sadie bristles, her eyes narrowed.

“Fine.”

Oh shit.

I can’t deal with this right now.I really need to get moving.

Scrubbing a hand down my face, I try to find the right words to say.None of this is her fault, and I should be treading lightly after everything that happened last night.Things are still new, and this shit with the club is a completely separate matter, but I can’t think clearly enough to make things better.I need to get on my bike and get my ass to the club.Pres needs me.Theclubneeds me.

“We need to get to the clubhouse.”I tell her flatly.

Real smooth, dickhead.

She nods, hurt flashing momentarily in her eyes.My own narrow on hers, searching for any sign of what she’s thinking.Knowing she’s just going to deflect if I push her now, I take a different approach.Cupping her face in my hands, I take her mouth with mine.

Sadie’s soft, and sweet.A mix of fire and ice, all wrapped into one.She makes me feel things I don’t understand, or know if I should want, but I can’t focus on all of that now.

The kiss is slow at first as I coax her with my tongue to open to me, let me in.When I run my tongue along the seem of her lips a second time, she caves, giving me full access to explore her mouth.Our tongues twist, and tangle, tasting and exploring each other.When I feel her melt into me, letting her body go lax in my hold, I pull back.As much as I would love nothing more than to bury myself balls deep, and explore her gorgeous body, to forget the world around us, now is not the time.

“There.That’s better.”I kiss her nose, and she graces me with a sweet smile.I love seeing her like this.Relaxed and unguarded.“Come on.We need to get to the clubhouse.Pres needs me and it sounds like Avery could use your special brand of chaos to keep her calm.”

Sadie smiles but it doesn’t reach her eyes.“I’ll follow you in Loretta.If you’re going to be in church all day, I’ll need my car.I have some errands I’ll need to run later.”

I’d rather have Sadie on the back of my bike, but that’s a big step for her, and I’m not sure she’s ready to accept what that would mean.She’s ridden on the back of Jake and Mack’s bikes, but it’s not the same.Riding on the back of mine would be making a statement.We need to talk and set shit straight first.She has to be willing to accept what it means to be mine.

If I’m completely honest, it’s better she doesn’t ride with me.I need to open the throttle and let the wind carry my worries away because I won’t be able to go into the clubhouse feeling like this.Out of sorts.

Calm.Cool.Carefree.

That’s what the club needs form me.If I let on that I’m feeling anything other than I don’t fucking care, Pres will put a prospect on me.He did it the night we brought the fucker into the basement after I shot him.I grabbed a bottle of whiskey and got trashed.Even ended up in bed with a club whore.Thankfully, the last thing I remember about that night was that I wrapped my dick.

I never get trashed like that and it must’ve rocked the guys, because I had a prospect following at a distance for the next twenty-four hours making sure I didn’t get trashed and try to drive or worse, go visit Nate alone.

“Come on, babe.Let’s go.”Taking her hand in mine.Her hold is stiff, so I give her a little squeeze and lead her out of the kitchen.She grabs her backpack and phone on the way to the garage.When we get out the door, she presses the button opening the roll-up door revealing my bike in all it’s beautiful glory.

That’s what I need.

I walk Sadie to her car, open the door and kiss her on the forehead before ushering her inside and closing her in.As soon as she’s settled and has Loretta started up, I hop on my bike, put on my helmet and rev the engine.Moving my bike out of her way, I let her pull out first.S soon as she’s clear, I pull out and take off down the road, passing her up knowing she’ll keep up.

5

SADIE

Pulling into the yard at the clubhouse, all the brothers are already here, even the guys from Mountain Heights have stuck around.Hawk is the last bike to pull in, parking between the sheriff’s SUV and a familiar citrus green 1970 Chevrolet Chevelle.Declan’s lawyer, also known as Jameson’s ex, Allyson is here which means Gabe called her in to town just in case.

Smart man, my uncle.

I pull in a little further down the building, passing the ambulance that’s blocking the front.The two paramedics walk past Hawk with their gurney.They exchange head nods as way of greeting, and I watch as he waits for me to exit my car.

“Shit.”I curse to myself.I have no idea how any of this is going to go, but the pit in my stomach tells me it’s going to be a shitshow.

When I reach Hawk’s bike, he reaches for my hand.I feel like all the color has drained from my face, a light sheen of sweat resting on my brow.I guess it’s to be expected.It’s not usual to be hauling a dead body out of the clubhouse.Not one that hadn’t been properly prepared for the pigs anyway.

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