Page 33 of Hawk

But it wasn’t just manipulation. It was a roadmap to violence.

“Here’s the kicker,” Deviant said as he brought up a screenshot of Ellen’s phone calendar. “See this? After she added the appointment with Gemma to her calendar, she got one last text an hour later.”

He clicked back to the messages.

Asshole Ex

Don’t think I don’t know where you are. I see you every time you step outside.

“Motherfucker’s been watching her,” I said, low and lethal. “Tracking her.”

“Wasn’t just watching,” Fox said grimly. “He was targeting. This wasn’t random. He thought this through. Wanted those photos. Wanted control of her.”

My stomach dropped. “When he saw the appointment and decided to act.”

Deviant nodded. “Day after the session, the texts started coming again.”

Asshole Ex

You think you’re some kind of model now? You’re disgusting. Pathetic. No one’s going to want you after they see what you really look like.

You looked ridiculous posing like that. Like some girl playing pretend in a woman’s body.

You degraded yourself for a camera. Don’t pretend it was for confidence or closure.

You showed everyone what I had to put up with. All you did was prove me right—no one else would’ve wanted you if I hadn’t made you feel like you were worth something.

You should’ve been ashamed of that body, not showing it off like it’s something special.

“Now he gets pissed,” Deviant murmured as he kept scrolling.

“They always escalate,” I said quietly, voice low and full of ice. “The moment she took control back, he had to remind her he still had power.”

Asshole Ex

You’re not walking away from me. You’re just dragging the leash until I yank it tight again.

If you ever let another man touch you, I’ll fucking kill him. You know I will.

Come back now, or I swear, I’ll make sure no one else ever wants you.

Keep pretending you’re free. I’ll be the shadow you never see coming.

You’re not brave. You’re stupid. You’ll get someone killed.

Smile for the camera all you want, bitch. I’ll be the one waiting behind the flash with a bullet.

Midnight grunted in disgust. “I’d bet everything I have that he’s the one who planted the bug. And vandalized the studio.”

My rage wasn’t fire. It was cold. Controlled. Deadly.

This wasn’t just about Ellen anymore. This was about whatcould’vehappened to her. What mightstillhappen to other women if we didn’t end this. Because that was what men like him counted on—that no one would take these kinds of threats seriously until it was too late.

Maverick exhaled through his nose, sharp and measured. “This guy’s got a god complex. He’s been building this business for years—trading, threatening, maybe worse.”

“He used Ellen’s pain to justify his own sickness,” I said. “Tried to twist it into something righteous.”

Deviant nodded. “He didn’t like that she posed for someone else. Even though he’s been running this ring, he still couldn’t handle her reclaiming herself.”

---