CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

“I’m adding that to the list of shit I can’t unhear, you, asshole.” - Rider

 

“I don’t want you to always rush off, Colton. Just bring your clothes here.”

Was it too quick to live with her boyfriend? Grace Kelly told her absolutely not and to get her brooding bull moved in already.

Four weeks and counting that she was officially the girlfriend to the infamous Renegade Souls VP. Seeing as how Armado Springs wasn’t as big as Denver the news she was with Hawk seemed to follow her wherever she went. She was even asked about it when a couple came to make an appointment for sessions the other day. Bizarre. And when she dropped into the diner now or to the local bank she noted a change in how people reacted to her.

He’d started bringing his clothes and leaving them over. She’d known he didn’t have his own place, she’d asked him why, and he’d shrugged telling her the MC was as good as a place as any. But then two nights later he discussed maybe he should get somewhere.

It was futile, she thought, he was at hers more often than he wasn’t.

If he wasn’t working, or out on a run for the club, he was with her.

Her dad would probably have a fit once he knew.

She’d tried again to ask him about his family, since he’d never mentioned any, ever. Each time he brushed her off and it began to worry an overthinking Gia.

Their love was no longer homeless.

How fucking disastrous would it be for a wife to crawl out of the woodwork now?

“I'm no good at families, Gia.” Hawk rubbed his forehead. That little frown pucker didn’t only mean he was angry. No, the crease of his skin, as she was coming to learn, could mean all manner of emotions Hawk wasn’t fully grasping, and she loved him more for it.

Gia wasn't dissuaded by his mean-boy scowl, it would scare a lot of people away, it rallied her spirits because he wasn't outright dismissing either her question or moving in.

“Will you come with me?” She offered her hand and he took it instantly.

“Where?”

“Take me to the club.”

His brow arched. “You never want to go to the club.”

For good reason. For one, Rider was still being salty towards her man even though she’d got back on somewhat of a better ground with him, only if she kept Hawk out of the conversation, which she never did, her stupid brother could just suck it up and deal with it already.

And secondly, seeing Hawk’s conquests still licking their lips over the surly VP was a hard pill to swallow. No one wants former lovers tossed in their faces. No one wants to see the women who have seen her man’s climax face.

It mattered none that he didn’t pay any attention to anyone other than Gia.

The cookout last weekend was a prime example of just not what to do when a biker had his girlfriend around. Countless women tried to fawn over Hawk, trying to bring him beers, asking if he wanted food. He’d told more than one “Go away, I’m with my girl.” Add in her jerk-face brother, she feigned a headache, so Hawk had taken her home for a cuddled night in front of a movie.

“I do now. You know, when you get around to meeting my mom she’ll like you.”

He snorted. “Sure, little bit. I’m betting your dad is just full of praise for your new man.”

She’d keep it to herself that her mom was due in town in a few weeks and then Grace Kelly was visiting the week after that and she’d absolutely want to peruse Hawk as any best friend would to make sure he was good enough. Spoiler alert; he was.

She smiled as he helped zip her hoodie and then clip the helmet under her chin, adjusting it for her until it was just right. He didn't see how caring he truly was.

The ride took no time at all. Pity really since she loved being wrapped around his waist, feeling his heartbeat steadily under her hands and the world whizzing by as the wind blew her hair.

For someone who’d lived her life always adhering to the rules and playing under the radar, especially not getting involved in anything MC related as most of her family did, Gia got a tiny thrill out of watching people’s faces as she rode by with Hawk.

She felt a little bit wild and reckless for people knowing she belonged to that MC VP.

His reputation was less than spotless.

She knew the unmasked man Hawk was.

And that man she adored down to the soul and bones of him.

 “Gonna tell me what we’re doing here now?” He asked once they’d climbed off the bike. He tossed his skull printed gloves in his jacket pocket and left their helmets on the handles.

“Just come inside with me.”

“Gia…”

“You’re no good at families. I listened, Hawk. Just come inside or are you a big ole baby chicken? Let me touch your feathers, chicken.” Her smile teased. She loved making him react.

He reacted by giving her ass a squeeze.

“I got something else you can touch, little girl.”

Gia laughed, slipped her palm into his.

 “Let’s go, tough guy.”

He grumbled under his breath with every step. But he came along with Gia.

Once inside, Gia looked left and right. Good. The club was packed with his boys.

“Hey, you two,” called out her uncle Jed from behind the bar. He was restocking bottles. Gia pulled Hawk over with her, so she could lean across the bar and kiss her uncle’s cheek. “There’s my special girl, what brings you by?” He turned a grin on Hawk and then sobered. “You being good to this one? Don’t make me come out of retirement, son.”

Hawk snorted. “Think you can take me, oldie? Hold on, I’ll grab your walker for you.”

Jed barked a laugh and held out his fist for Hawk to bump.

Gia had a point to prove so she pulled him away after a minute of conversation.

“Yo, VP!” Called out twin voices behind them. “You got anything that needs doing? Saw your sweet ride outside, looks to be needing a clean and polish I reckon.”

Hawk dug into his pocket with the hand not clasped around Gia’s and tossed his keys over. One of the younger boys caught them.

“Careful with my girl, prospect.” He eyed both from under menacing brows and the two men almost snapped to attention. She bit back a grin. They were so eager to please him, and Hawk didn’t see it. “Nah, VP, we’ll treat her better than my next girlfriend.”

“See that you do, Slider.”

“You maybe wanna spar later? Preacher showed me this sweet move,” smirked the other one.

Hawk raised his brow. “I might do. Catch me later.”

Gia looked up at him. “Your bike is your girl?” He gave her that little mouth twitch that translated his amusement. “Jealous?”

“Yes,” she pouted.

“You’re my...Gia. Much better title, little bit.”

Gia swooned from the inside. He was right. So much better. The title she’d coveted for years. But there was another she wanted more. Wife. All in good time.

Next on her trip around the club they went into the kitchen where the three men greeted Hawk like a long-lost twin. Wanting to know what he was up to and engage him in conversation. While Hawk didn’t say much past a few grunts and single words, Gia watched on. How cool was it to be right?

Some thirty or so minutes later he asked. “Gonna tell me the point of this now or you just pimping me out all of a sudden?”

“Everyone in here loves you,” she explained sipping the coffee he’d poured for her. “You have family, Hawk. You’ve been doing family all this time just fine. We select our family, and you have yours, baby. It’s that easy, no big secret.”

Silent for a good while, she watched him mull over this new information. Damn, he really was cute as all hell. Unable to not touch him when Hawk was this close, she rested a hand on his belt.

“Think you’re clever, don’t you, little bit?”

Eyes twinkled, biting her lip, she nodded vigorously.

Hawk smiled and kissed the tip of her nose. “Smartass.”

She didn’t deny it. She was a Marinos after all.

Better to prepare him, was her motto in getting to know Hawk. She was transparent as a pane of glass so after taking a sip and laying her hand on his inner thigh feeling it bunch to a hard nugget of muscle, she looked him square in the eye, didn’t even blink. “So, you see, when you and I get married, and you inherit my clan of Greeks and Texans, you’ll do just fine with extended family, Colton.”

She could have heard an ant rolling a dew drop of water fifty mile away.

Not even a slow blink from her lover could ascertain as to what was whirling around in his blond head. Only, Gia knew to give him the space to absorb, to accept and to get with her way of thinking.

He’d been all about doing anything she wanted. What was one more thing, really? It was a veil, some I Do’s and a lot of happily ever after in a hard sex stupor. Even he couldn’t say no to that.

And she wasn’t saying he had to marry her tomorrow, though she’d be up for it.

Planting the seed with some emotion gardening.

“You look so stunned right now,” she chuckled, leaned forward to press her lips to his, feeling the familiar electricity sliding through her nervous system carrying with it the loaded love.

“I love you more than diamonds and puppies and you know I adore puppies, and it’s because I love you so much that I feel like since you’re incredibly old now, Colton, we shouldn’t wait too long…” she got no further because he grasped her around the waist, plucking her from her seat and landed her butt on the work surface where anyone could walk in any second and see Hawk pushing his frame between her legs.

“Was I too old last night when I had you screaming and begging to God, little bit?” He bit the tender skin of his shoulder.  “Was I too old when you woke me this morning slithering all over me demanding I take care of your morning arousal dripping down your thighs?”

Gia grinned with her heart all of a flutter, shook her head and tried to appear chastised.

Hawk nestled between her legs, pressing his groin up against hers, brushed hair from the side of her face with a long finger.

“Do you know what I realized a long time ago when I thought I was stupid enough to actually consider that we could be something? That I could worship you for the rest of my miserable life and it still wouldn’t be enough to deserve you.”

Oh.

God.

“I wish you had said something.” She whispered turning her cheek into his palm. Feeling a little shattered and pieced back together at the same time.

To know now feelings weren’t only one sided all this time hurt her heart.

“I would destroy the fucking world if someone took you from me, Gia. There would be nowhere they could hide I wouldn't find them and then I would take them apart one bone at a time until their screams were music in my ears.”

Gia never advocated violence. So, then that’s why his quietly calm declaration didn’t only take her by surprise, it sent tidal waves of elegant love towards her heart at a rate of the speed of light.

Tears sprang out of her eyes, her tear ducts leaking uncontrollably. “I’m completely yours.” She told him pressing her face into his shirt.

A big hand held the back of her head while she had a tiny break down of emotions in the biker kitchen in front of a fridge full of cheese. Hawk’s voice stroked through her. “Every time you let me into this tight, little body I feel at peace. You're my religion, little bit, and I want to be consumed in that redemption. So, if marriage is something you want one day or next week then I’ll go about getting it for you.”

Gia was incapable of speaking, afraid if she did she'd break the spell and Hawk would go back to being clam-like, sharing nothing of his mind, only his wonderful body. And as much as his sex made her drunk and selfishly, deliriously happy, she wanted all of him, body, mind and voice box. “I don't feel empty when I'm here with you.” He went on and she caught back a sob, wrapping arms around his neck nearly choking him.

“Hawk. Baby. You’re gonna make me cry.”

His hand moved in and out of her hair. Slow, lulling motions of affection.

His voice dropped to a husky timber.

“I haven’t ever had anything as precious as you. I’m afraid I’m gonna fucking break you open.”

“You won’t. I’m not glass.” She mumbled into his shoulder.

“You’re the rainbow, Gia.” Her heart was a rat-a-tat-tatting inside her ribcage. Afraid of breaking whatever talkative spell Hawk was under. She raised her head and let him brush her escaped tear away with the pad of his thumb. “In my black and white world you brought a bright splash of color to it. And now I can’t do without it. I can’t go back to the drabness.”

Chuckling around her flowing tears, Hawk scowled. “Stop crying.”

Like that would make her. She laughed again. “Oh, check you out, that was smooth. You’ve turned into a poet.”

She leaned in, brushed their noses, smiled and whispered. “What if you were made for me, and I was made for you.”

Hawk snorted and lifted her down from the counter after kissing her.

“You were made to take me nice and deep. Does that count?” He leered sexily and had her lungs doing somersaults of excitement. She was about to go up on her tiptoes and kiss the hell out of him when she heard.

“Jesus fucking H Christ.” Standing in the doorframe looking completely horrified was her brother.

Pressing her lips together to stifle her immediate laugh she stood in front of Hawk.

One glare at Hawk, he turned on his boots and walked out.

“Colton, that’s all on you.” She accused.

Leaving Gia to bury her face in her man’s chest with hysterical laughter bubbling out of her.