Page 25 of Hawk's Sapphire

Yes, she damn well should be.

“When’s the last time you talked to her?”I ask, hoping maybe she gave Avery some kind of hint as to her plans to leave.I know she told me she hadn’t told anyone, but Sadie’s been known to lie and swear her best friend to secrecy before so I wouldn’t put it past her to have done it this time too.

“Briefly earlier when you brought her in with you, but there’s been nothing since.”The suspicion in her eyes is not lost on me.She knows me and Sadie argue often, but Sadie would never stay away from everyone else just because she’s pissed at me.

But this time you told her to leave.

“I’ll check in on her.”I tell her, hoping to ease her mind and to get Gabe to stop knowingly glaring at me.Avery seems appeased by my answer and scurries off to the playroom with the others.

“Where is she?”He says quietly.The agent and Allyson have found something new to argue about and their attention has been completely diverted away from us.

“She’s gone.”I know he’s waiting for more, but it’s the only answer I have to give him right now.“She took her computers, left all trackable devices and the keys to Loretta.”

“Fuck.”Gabe hisses.“We need to find her before the Feds do.”

“I know.I’ll get on it as soon as-” I don’t get to finish my thought because Allyson and the lady agent both walk up to meet us.

“Hawk, she’d like to interview you first.Will you lead us into one of the offices please where we can talk?”

“Why not just use the sanctuary?”The agent asks.I still haven’t bothered to catch her name.

“The sanctuary is off limits to outsiders.”Gabe states bluntly.“You can use my office.Hawk.”He calls my name and raises one brow.I understand why he’s chosen his office.I give a subtle nod and lead them down the hall to his door.Once inside, I sit behind Gabe’s desk and watch as the small red light on the camera in the far corner turns on and smile to myself.Garrison Security is now monitoring this room under Gabe’s orders.

“Get comfortably, Mr.Hawkins.We have a lot of things to discuss.”

11

SADIE

There’s a knock on the door, but I ignore it even when I hear the door to my room open.It’s early and I was up too damn late last night.After Matteo gave me the grand tour, I started searching through Hawk’s phone and discovered the video he had of me and Thomas in the basement.I spent most of the night digging through Trident’s files trying to figure outwhythey would send that to Hawk and set me up with the club that way.I’m left to wonder if they even understood what the club would do to a traitor now.After one escaping and the other dying in the cell, I can’t see them wasting anytime to dole out punishment for me.

Unfortunately, all I was able to find was the email address it was sent from and the video clip.There’s nothing else in the files.But I know how these guys work, and Tate knows my skill level.I just need time to find where he’s hiding all of his shit.

The light flooding the room as the curtains are pulled back has me tossing a pillow over my head and grumbling curse words from underneath them at whoever has decided to be an asshole this morning.

“I’m sorry, Miss, but Mr.Parisi has asked that we wake you up promptly at six this morning and get you ready for your training.That means you have ten minutes to use the facilities, get dressed, and be down at the table for breakfast.You start your first session at seven.will come to collect you from the dining room.”I peek out from under the pillow at the older woman and refrain from cussing her out.It’s not her fault.She’s just following the orders of a rude Italian jackass in an expensive suit who doesn’t understand my need for sleep.Marta gives a slight bow then trails off out of the room.

I shove my head back under the pillows and scream into the mattress.It doesn’t change anything, but I do feel slightly better.

“Trying to suffocate yourself so soon?”Matteo’s velvet voice fills the room.I toss the pillows at his smug ass standing, leaning in the doorway, but they fall at his feet missing their intended target.He quirks his brow at me as tsks.“Good thing we haven’t started your training yet or you’d start your day with a sore ass.Get up, Sadie.Let’s not start off on the wrong foot so quickly.Hmm.”He turns and walks away, but I hear his light chuckle fading as he goes.

“Asshole.”I grumble to myself.I have no idea what a sore ass means, but I have a pretty good idea, and self-preservation is currently high on my list of priorities.

Reluctantly, I drag myself out of bed and get dressed in a pair of yoga pants, an old t-shirt and my tennis shoes.Since I’m not sure exactly what training we will be doing today, but I’m shooting for comfort.With my hair thrown up in a messy bun and my teeth now brushed, I head down to the dining room where I find Sergio and Matteo speaking softly in Italian.As soon as they see me, they stop talking.

Ominous much?

“Good morning, Dolcezza.”Matteo greets as if I didn’t just interrupt their conversation.“Come.Sit.Eat.”

“Woof.”The reply slips out before I can stop it, and Matteo’s eyes narrow.I raise my hand and quickly offer an apology.“I’m sorry.I didn’t mean it.But you have to know that sarcasm is my second language and one I am extremely fluent in being raised with a bunch of bikers, so you’ll have to allow some type of grace while I learn the rules and stuff.”

“I’m sure you’ll learn to control the sarcasm quickly, lest your ass should pay the price for your mouth.”Matteo shrugs.“I’m sure you would prefer to put an end to your bad habits swiftly.But, so we’re clear, it’s no hardship for me to teach you a lesson in respect.”

My hands automatically move to cover my ass, and I find my way into a seat just outside of Matteo’s reach.His face breaks out in a knowing smirk, but he doesn’t say anything else.He doesn’t have to.

“So, what’s the plan?What are we working on today?”I ask and watch as Marta places a plate with a hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon and toast in front of me.

“Obedience.”Matteo says flatly.Sergio chuckles across the table, and I glare back at him.I would throw my butter knife at the jackass, but if sarcasm will get me spanked, I’m not sure I want to know what throwing cutlery at his right-hand man will get me.

---