Page 188 of Filthy Love

“Good riddance, you piece of shit.” He said as a way of sending her off with a prayer. He’d talked to Danny Murphy that one night. Pretty insightful for an Irish pastor that one. Law wondered if the holy man would approve.

He left the same way he’d gained access. Strode across the quiet street back to his Harley. Straddling the seat, he took out his phone and made one call to his club president.

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE

“A monster laughed, and her heart was full.” - Gia

He found his girl with her brother in a huddle in the office room out back of the club. Voices hushed. “What the fuck is wrong with everyone out there? They all stared at me like I’m wearing a dress.”

One look at Gia’s wild eyes and he knew something was wrong. He took her face in his hands, ready to slay dragons, lock her in a safe room where nothing else could put fear into her. And then the pensive stare from Rider, his gut tightened.

Every instinct he had started to roar. Hooking a hand around the back of her neck he had no intention of letting her go, instead he brought her in and let her find her place next to his ribs.

“Okay. Who’s gonna tell me? Is your dad causing trouble?”

“No, baby. I want you to listen, okay?”

“Are you hurt? Who the fuck am I killing?” She was his everything. He didn’t fucking care if that made him weak.

She smiled at him and laid a hand on his cheek. “I’m good. I love you. Come and sit down with me?”

He eyed his Prez. Unreadable.

“If we’re having an intervention, little bit, you already know I’m a stubborn bastard.” As he roamed a finger under the bangs of her hair to better see her worry filled eyes he thought back to when Rider was bombarding public affection on his girl not so long ago and Hawk had watched incredulously that his prez would do that and not give a fuck who saw him doing it.

Now he got it.

Making sure his Gia was okay came before anything. Even catching shit from his mocking boys. They took a seat.

Now he was fucking worried. “Just tell me.”

“Okay.” He watched her wring her hands and it looked like she’d been crying.

“The issue with your … with Lisette no longer matters. She’s gone and isn’t coming back to bother you again.”

Not what he expected. “Did you pay her off?”

“I had to do something, Colton. You were breaking apart because of her. You couldn’t have a life because of her.” Tears filled beautiful blue eyes. He swiped a thumb under and caught one. She leaned into his hand, holding it to her cheek.

“I …”

Rider took over and was straight forward as Hawk knew him to be. “We had her killed, Hawk. It’s done. If you’re gonna blow up and blame someone, then blame me. The decision landed on me.”

“No, it was not, Ambrosio. I brought it to him. It was me. This is on me.”

The only woman he’d cared about sat at his side worrying her nude lip with her teeth, looking at him with expectant eyes waiting for him to blow up.

When all he felt was relief pooling through the front of his belly.

She was gone.

Thank fuckwas his immediate and truthfully, cruel thought.Thank fuck.

“I had to do something, Colton. You are mine. We take care of our own. Marinos’ take care of our own, Colton,” she said more fiercely as if she anticipated an argument out of him but what his little bit didn’t know, and even as Rider watched him carefully waiting for any ticks to alert his boss he was about to go fucking nuclear, was; Hawk was so damn relieved. So damn grateful someone had taken this out of his tired hands.

He couldn’t speak. His tongue was too slack in his mouth, his throat thick.

His head dropped over his hands. He inhaled and exhaled.

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