Page 166 of Dirty Salvation

He came too damn close to losing her.

Visibly inhaling calming air down into his lungs, he set it out slowly before looking across at Hawk.

The two brothers---not by blood but through loyalty and shared respect for all the shit they’d been through together---- sat at the long table within their church, the doors closed leaving them alone. Rider had already given his VP his thanks, Hawk dismissing it, calls would need to be made if Hawk was to lie low in another chapter, as far away as he could go.

Luckily the Renegade Souls had chapters in most every state.

“Soon as I can throw some shit into a bag, not like I got a lot anyway.”

“Hawk...”

“Don’t, Rider.” He warned as if guessing Rider wanted to show his gratitude.

Hawk was allergic to emotion.

Rider sighed, drummed fingers on the table, his eyes boring into the side of his friend’s face.

“Thought it’d be me who would take that cocksucker out. For the club and for my old lady.”

“Dead is dead. Doesn’t matter how he got there, he’s there now.”

True.And still.

“You got my girl out of there, Hawk. Fuckin’ grateful, can’t even tell you how much, you get me? There will be a day I can repay it, you name it, it’s yours. I mean it.”

Hawk frowned. “It’s no big, Rider. Forget it. Hades, had it coming. I’ve wanted to kill that assclown for years even when he prospect’ed, cocky little shit even then, I was just the lucky one.”

Rider let it drop.

But when both men rose he dragged his friend into a back-thumping hug. “Okay, let’s find a fuckin’ hole for you to hide in, brother, get your shit together, I’ll get on those calls.”

******

Seeing Hawk kick the stand up of his Harley, Zara grasped she only had about a minute before he was gone if she wanted to have a word with him. It had been busy in the clubhouse the last few hours, plastered to Rider's side. Hawk hadn't taken much time to say his goodbyes to his brothers, a few grunts, that half smile of his and a shoulder slap and then he was outside. She pulled out of Rider's lap, his brow rose in question. "I'll be back in a second." was all she told him. Not even stopping to grab her sweater, her boots clopped as she made her way across to him. Understanding Hawk and how she interpreted his cold feelings about her he was likely to just ride off even if he saw her so she made sure to hurry.

His body was sat on the bike, swung around securing his saddle bag, the only indication he knew she was there was the tightening of his fists when he faced the handlebars, gripping them.

Hereallywas an intimidating man.

But she had something to say, and dammit, even the big scary beast was not going to stop her.

Forgetting the cooler night air whipping her hair into her face, her chin went up, shoulders back.

"Hawk. What you did for me, or not, for the club. Thank you. Thank you so much."

No eye contact whatsoever, but his eyebrows drew down and Zara took it as a sign he was listening at least. Hawk looked like the kind of man who ate, drank and swam backstroke to the murky depths of sarcasm on a regular basis and if he knew how to take gratitude, she was about to find out. She could see now why the outward pissed off persona had initially scared her away, scared everyone away. It was what he wanted.

Despite shabby appearances Hawk didn't smell bad at all, in fact she smelled clean soap, he just appeared unwashed and in need of a vigorous beard brushing, he could do with a new shirt, she'd seen him in the same ratty Guns N Roses black shirt so often, the pattern faded so much on the front it was hard to tell if it was the rock band or he just liked flowers, and the hem had seen better days.

She watched him zip his jacket to his chin, and pull on a pair of leather gloves, skulls decorated across the knuckles.

She had a million questions she wanted to ask him, namely why he’d protected her when for weeks now he’d given the very obvious impression he would like Zara to disappear from the MC. It would have been simple for him to ignore and ride on by. Questions rattled around her brain.

But she asked him none of them.

Wild, unkempt, rough, stern—terrifying, and yet Zara didn't fear him anymore. It didn't matter if he'd killed Hades for his own reasons or to protect her because she belonged to his friend, it mattered to her simply because he'd done it, the whys didn't come into it and probably because she was still bouncing on adrenalin she did something dumbfounded by stepping forward closer to man and bike and wrapped her arms around his massive shoulders.

He instantly stiffened but didn't shove her away. Zara only let the one-sided hug last no longer than three seconds before she pulled back, smiled at him. "I mean it, thank you."

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