Page 40 of Freeing Hawk
That was the part that scared me—that she would go back before she was ready. But I couldn’t be the asshole who stopped her from doing this. Kingston was her partner—and come hell or high water she was going to find him.
“While you’re here, watch your back.” I told him.
“You too.” Ghoul told me. “I’ll be fine. I’ll have backup.”
Ghoul nodded.
It took a longer time for us to get out of the house. On our way to the hotel, I stopped and bought a bottle of whiskey and juice. At the hotel, we checked in, I ordered room service then led her up to the suite. Once there, I ran her a bath, stripped her down and held her hand until she’d submerged her body into the water.
I left her only to accept the food and tip the young man, then went back to sit by her side.
“You know you don’t have to watch over me.” She smiled softly up at me. “I won’t fall asleep.”
I touched her cheek tenderly. “I was scared.”
She blinked, her beautiful eyes were filled with worry. “Scared?”
“When I came down and saw you lying there with Romeo beside you—I was scared, Hawk.” I couldn’t meet her gaze then. “I know you never said you were mine, but I didn’t want to lose you—I don’t want to lose you.”
Hawk touched my knee, forcing me to meet her gaze. “Do you want me to be yours?”
In that moment, it didn’t even occur to me to lie. Watching her lying there, dazed, trying to catch her breath, I realized live was so short. “Yes.”
“Oh.” She gasped.
“I get it. That’s not what you want.” I told her, tracing a finger down her cheek.
“How do you know what I want?” Hawk asked. “I want to be happy. You don’t treat me like I’m fragile. You don’t speak for me or treat me like I don’t have a brain in my head—there are things about you that I’m so obsessed with.”
A smile traced my lips. “Are you saying…”
“I’m asking you, Angel James, if you’d like to be my man.”
I held my breath. “You know, some women would wait and let me ask.”
“Some women are stupid.” She lifted her arm and blew bubbles at me. “So, what do you say?”
I leaned in and kissed her deeply. Hawk moaned and offered her lips up to me until it was as if I would lose my breath.
“Thank you for this.” Hawk whispered. “I don’t think any other man would do all this for me.”
“It’s partially for selfish reasons.” I admitted. “Out of all the missions I’d ever been on, all the destruction I’ve seen, none of them prepared me for what happened earlier. I’m still a little rattled.”
“But I’m okay—see?”
I kissed her again. “Come, let me help you out of the tub. Dinner will be cold by the time you’re dressed.”
“Who says I’m getting dressed?” She wiggled her brows at me. “I’ll wrap in a towel while you feed me.”
My phone rang and I dropped a kiss to her head before answering it. “James.”
“Angel, it’s Cadmus.”
“What did you find?” I asked while taking Hawk’s hand to help her from the tub.
Suds rolled off her body to the carpet under her feet. One of her pink nipples was hidden under some bubbles and I wondered if she would freak if I leaned in and licked it clean.
“You were right.” Cadmus was speaking.
