Page 2 of Hawk's Sapphire

Thomas stops a couple feet from the bars, crossing his arms over his chest.“You owe me some answers.My daughter deserves to hear the truth about what happened that day with Maggie and Avery on the road.”

“What difference does it fucking make?It happened a long ass time ago.What does it matter how it happened or why?We can’t go back and fix it now.Maggie’s dead.The little girl-she wasn’t supposed to die, but -”

“She didn’t die.”I snap, stepping out of the shadows where Nate can see me glaring back at him.“She didn’t die.But she didn’t get to grow up knowing her father or her family either thanks to you two, and those asshole Devils you were working for.”

Nate scrubs the back of his neck.“The girl wasn’t supposed to be hurt.We were supposed to pick her up and take her back to the clubhouse.”

“For what?”I ask through gritted teeth.I can only imagine after learning about the Devils’ involvement with the trafficking shit.I have no doubt what their intentions were for Avery.“Did you know about this?”My question aimed at Thomas, who shakes his head.

“No.We were supposed to follow Maggie and when the Devils showed up, we were supposed to pretend to put up a fight and get run off the side of the road with her.No one was supposed to smash into the mountainside or get fucking shot.They were supposed to cause her to swerve and freak her out, that’s it.We were just supposed to scare her.Nothing more.It was meant to be a threat, not a murder.”Thomas answers.

“And the shit about Avery?”

“No.We were never supposed to…”

“We were supposed to hurt the wife and grab the kid to hand her over to Viper.Those were the orders.”

They both speak in unison, but it’s Nate’s words that have my blood running cold.

“And now?What are you doing here after all these years.What the fuck could you possibly want with the Kings?I know it’s not to make amends with your son because that will never fucking happen.So, tell me, Nate.What is it you came here looking to do?”I’m not waiting for Thomas anymore I want my own fucking answers.

“I did come here to see my son, but…”

“He’s not your son.You lost the right to call him that when you left him to take care of his mother and pick up the broken pieces you left behind after you beat the shit out of her and ran off.”My body is shaking with the rage I feel on Hawk’s behalf.The pain of being tossed aside, abandoned and forgotten.I know how hard that was.It’s the one thing we’ve always had in common.

“Because of your bullshit, he grew up without a father.I grew up without both of my parents.Avery was raised in a cell by a witch.Gabe lost the love of his life, and you two got to fuck off and do whatever the hell it is you two have been doing all this time!”I shout, letting my temper get the best of me.“What could you possibly hope to have found by coming here?Forgiveness?Fat.Fucking.Chance.”

“No.”Nate says, his head and shoulders dropping in defeat.“I was hoping Hawk would be willing to help find my daughter.”

“Come again.”Thomas says, looking as confused as I am.“What daughter?”

Nate breathes deep then exhales.“I have a daughter.Shea.She’s a couple years younger than Nathaniel.The Devils took her from me after a deal went bad.I haven’t been able to find her since.The Feds said they’d help, but they’ve done fuck all to find her.So, I came here hoping I could convince my son to find his sister and bring her home.”

“The Feds?”Thomas asks, but I don’t wait for the response.I need to know what the hell Nate is talking about.If there’s a girl out there, alone at the hands of the Devils I need to know more.

“Wait.Hawk has a sister?Y-you have a daughter?With who?”I ask, trying to connect the dots.The two men exchange a look I can’t decipher.“Hawk’s always been an only child.”I say looking to Thomas for an explanation.He shrugs his shoulders.

“I got a Devils’ club girl pregnant when I first got involved with them.She was a gift, for the night, ya know?”Nate shrugs, smirking like it’s normal to get a woman as a gift.Fucker.“Hawk’s mother knew about her.The pregnancy was what our last fight was about.She discovered I’d cheated on her and wanted a divorce.I was high out of my mind and beat her for even suggesting she could leave me.”Nate looks at the ground, his hands clasped through the bars.“I was in a bad place.”Nate offers as explanation.

“Anyway, Shea’s mother died when she was twelve.Overdose.The club helped me take care of Shea.I raised her up, best I could, but I knew she deserved something better than the club life.So, I pulled off every job they asked of me.Most I’m not proud of.But I did it and then stashed the cash away for her to go to college-to get her as far away from club life as possible.”

Sounds like what Uncle Mack has been trying to do for me.

It’s not the same.And it doesn’t matter.Soon enough I’ll be far enough away from the club, building my own business, and they’ll all get their wish.

“What happened?Why did they take Shea from you?Where did they take her?”Thomas asks, crossing his arms and listening intently.

“A while back, I was supposed to pick up a tractor-trailer full of women and girls from Baron’s Edge.I was at the rendezvous point, but the truck never showed up.The shipment was intercepted and the merchandise taken.Pres saw it asmymistake.”Nate grits his teeth.“These ladies were supposed to be for a group of very important people.People of power.When the clientele arrived at the auction and there were no women, some of them lost their shit.Deals were postponed.Some fell through.Money was returned.Pres was the angriest because he had plans to get video of some of these sick fucks and use it for blackmail.Politicians, judges, lawyers, doctors, social workers.We had a little of everything in that deal.Could’ve covered our asses for years to come, ya know.But without the merchandise, there was nothing to bargain with.As part of my punishment, Pres decided to take Shea.I was still out on the road when it happened.I never knew until I got back, and not one of those assholes would tell me where he stashed her.He said she could work off part of my debt while I found a way to make up for the rest.”

“And how was Shea supposed to do that?”I ask, though I already have a pretty good idea of what he means.Mili has told me numerous times about the women Kayce and his team have rescued on a number of occasions.People she’s helped escape their fate.Vincenzo even told me stories about foster care transition homes and children who have mysteriouslyrunawayor disappeared, like the one they found Carter in.

This is why you have to help.

I resolidify my decision to myself, knowing if Gabe had any idea about any of this he would have my ass on lockdown in the cell next to Nate.

“You know how they would use Shea, girl.You’re not that naïve.”Nate growls.

“And what about you?How were you supposed to earn enough money to buy back your daughter’s freedom?Or were you ever planning to?”Hie eyes snap to mine.I’ve touched a nerve.Good.

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