In the morning, after a long hour of cuddling, Alexa pulled away from him.

 

“Where are you going?” he asked, reaching for her.

 

“I have a ton of laundry to do. And dishes. My place is a mess. Maybe I’ll see you later?”

 

It was his day off. Though repos could be done almost any time, it was easier to take off when places like banks would be closed. They never sent new orders over the weekend anyway. He could do the ones that had piled up, and the cops would still be around if need be, but it was nothing that couldn’t wait until Monday, and he needed a day off.

 

He would see Alexa later, and in the meantime, he let himself wonder about the ominous threat on the mirror. He let himself wonder if it meant Alexa - it wouldn’t surprise him if she had some admirer that she’d never mentioned, or possibly that she didn’t even know about. But more likely it had something to do with the Charger or that Rucker guy. He’d been digging around in Hugh’s case.

 

His fingers twitched. If only he could get his hands on a gun. He’d shoot the guy himself and be done with it. Let the cops call Rucker’s murder a gang incident, too. Why not? If Rucker had gotten away with it, why shouldn’t he?

 

Except he had already done time for killing someone, and that would make him look even worse. He wondered what Alexa would do if she found out. If she knew she’d slept with someone, came to the house of someone, and lived so close to someone who had served years for killing his own father. Didn’t matter if he’d done it or not. The jury said he did, and that was all that had counted when it came to law. And Alexa belonged to that world.

 

He shook his head. Between Alex and Damian and Hugh life had become a maze. Before he knew it, he’d end up some kind of family man with a wife and a bunch of kids, a minivan and a to-do list on the weekends. He pictured that for a moment, then shook his head again.

 

Hawk pulled himself out of bed. Damian should be waking up soon. He got up and put on some clothes, then poked his head in the nursery. The baby was still sleeping soundly. Downstairs he headed to the computer, prepared to do some paperwork, when there was a knock on the door. Maybe Alexa had come back over. He got up and went to the door, not bothering to look out the window to see who it might be.

 

But it wasn’t Alexa. She had dark hair, long and dirty looking. She looked one step away from being on the streets. Her clothes were dirty and she needed makeup, and there was a tiredness about her.

 

“Can I help you?” he asked. He crossed his arms and took on a defensive stance.

 

She sniffed and wiped her nose. “I’m Jessica. I believe you have my son.”

 

Hawk’s stomach instantly tightened, and he was on his highest alert. “What son?”

 

“Damian? You have my baby.”

 

“No, I don’t.” He started to close the door, but she stuck out her hand.

 

“I’m his mother. He’s my baby, and I want to see him.”

 

“His mother is dead. Get out of here before I call the cops,” he snarled.

 

“No, please. I know what Hugh told you, but it’s not true. He said I was dead to him because of what I did. Please let me come in and explain.”

 

Hawk inspected the woman for a moment. He’d only met Damian’s mother once. It was not a bright room, and he hadn’t gotten the best look at her. When he’d gone over to Hugh’s, it was always late, and she was always upstairs passed out or asleep. She and Hugh had only been together a short time before she got pregnant.

 

Hugh and Jessica had lived together, sure. But she did little to take care of the baby or to help around the house. Their place was usually a dump, unless Hugh had cleaned up. She did the drugs he was trying to sell, and she got drugs from other sources. Hugh had guessed she was out sleeping around or selling herself, though she wouldn’t admit it. And because of that, he rarely slept with her. But all the same, Hawk tried to find recognition in this pitiful woman standing on his steps.

 

It could be possible. But it wouldn’t matter. He had legal custody of Damian. All the same he opened the door so she could enter. He gestured to the dining room table and told her to sit.

 

She stood by the table, hesitating, looking from him to the door and around the house. “I want to see my baby. Where is he?”

 

“No.” Hawk pulled out a chair and pointed. “First, you sit and explain. I was told his mother is dead. You’re going to have to convince me she’s not.”

 

The woman took a deep breath and sat, but almost missed the chair. Hawk raised an eyebrow.

 

“You okay?” he asked.

 

She nodded. “I just… I guess I’m so upset that I haven’t seen my baby in so long.”

 

“And why haven’t you?” He crossed his again, not liking the way the woman seemed to be fidgeting non-stop. She kept looking around, too.

 

“I was away. I needed some help. But I’m here now and I’m ready to be his mother. I’m a good mother. Hugh didn’t see that. He said I was dead to him, and he kicked me out. He wouldn’t let me see my baby. But now he’s gone, and Damian needs his mother.”

 

“Away where? Why would Hugh tell everyone you were dead if you weren’t?”

 

“He was mad at me. He didn’t want me doing drugs, and that’s where I was. I went to get help. I got help, and now I’m better. I’m clean and I’ve got a place. The only thing missing is my son.”

 

“He was mad, so he told everyone you were dead?” Hawk narrowed his eyes. He wasn’t buying it.

 

Her face softened. “Hawk. You know your brother’s temper. I wouldn’t do what he wanted for so long and he got sick of it. We had a huge fight and he said awful things to me. About how I wasn’t a good mother and I would never be if I was high all the time. Well, he was right. But I’m better now. I want to see my baby. Please, can I see him?”

 

She stood and held onto the table as she inched around it. Hawk stood, too, and got in her path. She was probably high now. Too flighty, too unstable, too fidgety to be straight. If she was his mother, she hadn’t cleaned up her act at all.

 

“I don’t believe you. Something isn’t right, here. What you’re saying about Hugh isn’t true at all. He didn’t have a temper. In fact, I thought he should have kicked out Damian’s mother long before he did. She was good for nothing.”

 

She thought for a moment, then said, “Did you go to the funeral?”

 

Hawk thought about lying. He hadn’t gone to the funeral. Neither had Hugh or Damian. She didn’t have much of one. Her mother showed up and her sister from what he’d heard. She’d screwed over everyone by the end of her short life. No one wanted to say goodbye. Hugh preferred to remember her how she was when he first met her. Healthy and vibrant.

 

“Yes,” Hawk said.

 

She smirked. “No, you didn’t. You don’t have to lie to me. It’s sweet, though.” She smiled and blinked her lashes at him. “I’m glad you’ve been taking such good care of my baby. You want to protect him. You make a great father.” She reached out and put her hand on his chest. “With you as a father and me as a mother, Damian could have a great life.”

 

She leaned forward and pressed her mouth to his. It took him a moment to realize what was going on and he pushed her back forcefully.

 

“What the hell?” It was a woman’s voice, angry and stunned.

 

Hawk’s head snapped to the left, to where Alexa stood in the hall, watching them.

 

“I’m gone for a few hours, and you hook up with someone else?” Alexa said, almost shrieking. Her lower lip shook.

 

Hawk’s heart lurched. “What? No!” He pushed the woman back and took off after Alexa, who was storming toward the door.

 

He almost ran outside after her, then thought better of it. There was no way he could leave this strange woman alone with the baby. He stomped back over to “Jessica” and grabbed her by the arm.

 

“Ouch!” she said as he pulled her toward the door. “You’re hurting me! Let go!”

 

“Get out of my house. Who do you think you are, coming here with some tall tale, trying to take my baby? Don’t ever come back here again.”

 

He opened the door and forcibly shoved her outside. She pounded on the closed door, begging.

 

“Please! Let me see my baby! He’s mine! I’m his mother!”

 

Hawk put his mouth close to the door. “I am calling the police right now. I suggest you leave immediately.”

 

“Hawk! No! I just want to see my baby. Please? Just for a minute? Then I’ll leave.”

 

He said loudly, “Hello, police?”

 

She banged her hand on the door one last time. “Just you wait, asshole. I’ll get my baby. And you’ll pay for this.”

 

The sudden angry turn in her voice made him peek out the window to see what she was doing. He wouldn’t put it past her to break a window. He watched her walk down the driveway and get in a beat up old Cavalier. The thing looked as messed up as she was. After she drove off and he was sure she wasn’t coming back he went into the nursery and picked up Damian.

 

He rushed over to Alexa’s and banged on the door. “Alexa! Please, let me explain.”

 

It occurred to him that he and Jessica had changed places, and now he was trying to convince someone of the truth.

 

“Please! It’s not what you think, I swear.”

 

Damian woke up with the noise and Hawk’s yelling. He started crying and Hawk tried to comfort him by rocking him.

 

She yanked open the door, hard. “Why did you bring him over here like this?”

 

She took the baby from him and let him in, then shut the door. She cooed at Damian, and he settled after a minute.

 

“You better explain,” she said. “And without yelling.”