Chapter Eighteen
Hawk
Sitting behind the counter in his shop, Hawk rubbed the back of his neck and stared down at his phone: fifteen unanswered texts. Clenching his jaw, he pushed the phone away. This shit stops today. For the past two days, he’d humored Cara, expecting her to come home and chew his ass out, but she hadn’t. She’d taken the kids and left, running to her parents. His father-in-law had called him the day she’d come over, said she was upset and she’d probably cool down. Knowing his mother-in-law, Hawk wouldn’t be surprised if she was encouraging Cara to stay longer. He sneered. The bitch has never liked me. But he put up with family dinners, charity fundraisers, and a host of other activities Cara’s family did together because he loved her and wanted Isa and Braxton to be close to their grandparents. Cara was very close to her parents, especially her father, and Hawk didn’t want to put her in the middle. He was cool with his father-in-law; it was Cara’s mother who could be a pain in the ass. She never butted in except when they’d had a fight or Cara was upset with something. Then she would suggest that maybe Cara should’ve married someone from her background—her class.
I bet she’s having a fuckin’ field day with this.
“Is Kimber here?” Throttle asked, coming up to the counter.
Hawk jerked his head up. “I didn’t hear you come in, dude. She went to Silverton to pick up some parts, should be back in an hour or so. When she gets back, I’m gonna cut out of here. I got some shit to do.”
Throttle fidgeted in place, gripping the edge of the counter. “You got any beer?”
Hawk chuckled. “Starting kinda early, aren’t you? I got some in my office fridge. Help yourself.”
As Throttle left, one of his employees, Patrick, came in. “Sorry I’m late, Hawk. Uncle Banger wanted me to pick up some stuff for him in Mount Vista. He said you’d be good with it. Did he call you?”
“No, but it’s cool. Take over the counter. I’ll be in my office.”
Throttle came back in and sat in one of the leather chairs, his legs stretched out and a can of beer in his hand. “Make yourself comfortable,” Hawk said.
Throttle laughed. “I am. If it keeps snowing like this, Rags and I are gonna make a mint.”
“Did you pick up Allard Food Mart? Rags was telling me a couple of weeks ago that they were interested.”
“Yeah. I gave them a real sweet deal. So, you like being married?”
“Whoa, where the fuck did that come from?”
Throttle took a drink, then put the can on the desk. “I was just wondering. Do you ever miss being single?”
“No, but when your wife’s pissed at you and won’t fuckin’ let you explain anything, it sucks.”
“You still in the deep freeze? Cara didn’t believe you about the club whore?”
“She hasn’t even let me tell her about it. She believes Doris over me—her husband. Fuck, the woman is stubborn and really pisses me off sometimes.”
“I guess my timing’s off in asking how you like married life, then.” Throttle swiveled around in the chair and took out another beer from the mini fridge behind him. “Want one?”
Hawk shook his head. “Why’re you asking about marriage? You planning to hitch up with Kimber? Fuck, she’s gonna give you a real run.”
Throttle laughed. “I know, right? And… yeah, I’m thinking of asking her.”
“Rags told me you bought a ring for her.”
“Rags has a fuckin’ big mouth. I didn’t think you knew since you never said anything.”
“I figured you’d tell me when you wanted to. It’s a big step to ask a woman to spend the rest of your lives together.”
“She’s my old lady, so we should take it a step further. Anyway, I’d like a kid or two.”
“Having kids rocks, brother. There’s nothing like it. Is Kimber down for the whole package?”
“I don’t see why she wouldn’t be. I’m a great fuckin’ catch.” Throttle crushed the can and tossed it into the trash.
Hawk guffawed. “It’s the other way around, dude. She’s the catch.”
Nodding, Throttle reclined in the chair. “Did you ever think we’d be this fuckin’ conventional?”
“Never, but it’s cool when you’re with the right one.”
For the next two hours, they talked about Harleys, business, women, and reminisced about the years they’d shared in the Insurgents before Cara and Kimber came into their lives. A rap on the door broke the flow of their conversation, and Throttle leaned over and opened it. A huge smile spread over his face, making Hawk snigger.
“I was waiting for you, babe,” he said to Kimber.
She went over, dipped her head, and kissed him. “What a nice surprise.” Clutching her waist, he pulled her onto his lap while she chortled.
“Everything go okay in Silverton?” Hawk asked.
“Yeah. Gary threw in some extras, said he was feeling generous. He’s really just an old softie, and he likes and admires you a lot,” Kimber answered.
“Gary’s all right. You guys going out to lunch?” Hawk changed the subject. He didn’t feel comfortable when people paid him a compliment. Maybe it was because his father never uttered a kind word to him, or the fact that his mother abandoned him. That’s just the way it was.
“Did you come here to take me out to lunch?” she asked, stroking Throttle’s cheek with the back of her hand.
“Yeah.”
“You can be such a sweetie.”
A deep ache throbbed in Hawk as he watched them. He missed Cara and the kids like hell. He stood abruptly. “I got some stuff to do. I won’t be back, so I need you to close, Kimber.”
She climbed off Throttle’s lap. “Sure thing. Do you need me to stay here? I mean, Throttle and I can order out.”
“Nah, go get some lunch. Patrick, Dwayne, and Bill are here. Anyway, it’s slow. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He and Throttle fist bumped, and then he left the shop.
When he opened the garage door, Cara’s maroon Land Cruiser was parked inside and warmth radiated throughout his body. Switching off the motor, he closed the door and went into the mudroom. Braxton’s squeals and Isa’s small voice made his heartbeat race, and he shoved his keys into his pocket and went into the kitchen.
From where he stood, he saw Cara cross-legged on the carpet next to Braxton, who knelt while he figured out a train floor puzzle. Isa sat next to Cara, putting colorful balls into a muffin pan. As he watched them, a grin he couldn’t contain spread over his face. I missed them so damn much.
After several minutes, he crossed the length of the kitchen, his boots thudding on the hardwood floor. All eyes turned to him.
Braxton scrambled up with Isa following him and they ran over to him, Braxton grabbing hold of his leg while Isa raised her arms, saying, “Hold me, Daddy!” Hawk picked her up easily and pressed her close, and she nuzzled her face into his neck. “How’s my sweet princess doing?” He kissed her.
Braxton tugged at his pant leg. “Daddy, come over and see the number train I’m doing. There’re three dragons in the train car.”
Hawk went over and knelt, setting Isa down on the floor. “Great job, little buddy. How many cars do you have in your train?”
Braxton held up five fingers. “And I have a hiptamanus, two monkeys, and… I have to see again.” He bent over, looking at the puzzle pieces.
Picking up a red ball, he handed it to Isa, who put it in the muffin tin. He glanced at Cara who sat mutely, her head down and her fingers pulling at the fibers in the carpet.
“And four tigers.” Braxton held up the piece. “See?”
Hawk took it from him. “How can four tigers fit in this small train car?”
Braxton took the piece back and stared at it, a small frown knitting his brows. He shrugged. “I don’t know. But they do.”
Hawk laughed and hugged him. Isa handed him a yellow ball and Hawk put it in one of the spaces in the tin. Cara still sat mutely, pulling at the carpet.
“Why didn’t you come to Nana and Noni’s with us?” Braxton pushed a puzzle piece into a space. “I did it, Mommy. See?”
“I was busy. Did you have fun?” Again he looked at Cara, and again she avoided him.
“Uh-huh. But I missed my bed.” He yawned. “I finished.” He clapped, then covered his mouth.
“Who was hanging out in the fifth car?” Hawk ran his fingers over Isa’s hair as she lay on her side with her head on her arm, her eyelids drooping.
“Seals,” Braxton laughed, rolling around the floor.
For a few seconds, it was quiet, and a strained tension crackled between Hawk and Cara. Braxton yawed again.
“Are you getting sleepy?” Cara said, uncrossing her legs.
“Yeah. I think Isa already fell asleep.” Braxton kept rolling.
Hawk stood up and shrugged off his jacket as Cara picked Isa up and extended her hand.
“Come on,” she said to Braxton, reaching for him. “Let’s go to your room for your nap.” Braxton held her hand and she climbed the stairs. Not once had she looked at him.
“Come down afterward, Cara. I wanna talk to you.”
Without looking at him, she continued climbing the stairs, then headed down the hallway.
Hawk narrowed his eyes, knowing there was no way in hell she was going to listen to him. Shaking his head, he went upstairs and into their bedroom. I’m not dealing with this shit anymore. Standing by the window, he looked out at the falling snow clinging to the bare branches of the oak and maple trees. A group of neighborhood kids went by, dragging sleds behind them. Across the street, a few children threw snowballs at each other.
Warm, sweet vanilla drifted over to him. Cara.
“Oh,” she muttered.
He turned around just as she started walking out of the room. Sparks of anger sizzled in his blood and he stalked over to her. Grabbing her arm, he yanked her to him as he pushed the door closed with his foot.
“Let me go,” she said breathlessly, struggling in his arms.
“Don’t you ever fuckin’ take my kids away from me again.”
She stopped struggling and looked at him. “What did you expect?”
“For you to act like a goddamn adult and talk about what the fuck’s bothering you. We’re together. This is our life, and if you’re pissed at me, you need to talk to me about it, not run home to your mom and dad like you’re a damn child. And you take my kids away from me? That fuckin’ shit doesn’t ever happen again.”
“You cheated on me. How could you?” Her voice quivered and she looked down.
“Who told you that? That’s right Doris, the club gossip, called you early Sunday morning to give you the fuckin’ news.”
“How could you do that to me… to us?”
“I didn’t do shit.”
“Ha! You’re telling me you’re the victim?”
They were standing so close he could feel the anger emanating from her. Her face was flushed, her eyes glimmered, and her nipples were hardening under her tight T-shirt.
“I’m telling you it was a setup. And if Doris would keep her goddamn mouth shut long enough to think with her brain, she would’ve known that. I was fuckin’ wasted, went to my room and forgot to lock the door. One of the club whores concocted this shit, and when I found out, I threw her ass out.”
“You didn’t do anything with her? Not even touching?” Her bottom lip trembled slightly, and he wanted to slip it into his mouth and suck it gently.
“Nothing. When I woke up, I was shocked she was there, and then I got pissed.”
For a long while, she was silent, but then she whispered, “You should’ve still called me and told me you weren’t coming home. I was so worried.”
“I fucked up. I own it. But you fucked up too by running away instead of hashing it out with me.”
She lifted her chin and looked him right in the eyes. “Honestly, I couldn’t stomach being in the same house with you.”
“Doesn’t fuckin’ matter. We’re a family and we deal with shit together. And you didn’t even return my calls or texts. If your dad hadn’t called me and told me you and the kids were at his house, I wouldn’t have known where you were.”
“Doesn’t feel so good, does it? You didn’t bother to answer my calls or texts either, and you didn’t have the courtesy to tell me you were crashing at the clubhouse. It’s okay for you to do that, but you don’t like it when I do the same thing to you.”
“I didn’t come home for one night, and I came over the next morning ready to eat crow. You ran off for two days with my kids for fuckin’ spite.”
“I couldn’t stand to see you. I was hurting and so angry.”
“You could’ve left for a while to cool down and left the kids with me.” They stood staring at each other, her body stiff, his neck aching. He leaned back on his boots. “How do you feel about seeing me now?”
She shrugged while glaring at him.
“You know something? Your skin glows when you’re angry.”
She placed two hands on his chest and pushed him away. Grinding his teeth, he put his hand on the small of her back and drew her firmly to him. Tangling his fingers in her hair, he pulled her head back and crushed his mouth against hers. She kissed back, biting his bottom lip hard and drawing blood. The taste of metal in his mouth was like a hot poker to his cock. Her nails clawed at his back and he slammed her against the wall, their kisses wild, erratic, and desperate.
Yanking at the hem of his shirt, she pushed it up and scratched his chest hard, drawing blood. He tugged her T-shirt up and pulled down her bra, grabbing her tits and twisting her nipples. She moaned in pain, but he felt her shiver beneath his touch. With one hand he unzipped his jeans, and her hot fingers curled around his cock. He roughly shoved up her skirt, then ripped off her panties and whirled her around so she faced the wall, bent at the waist, legs spread open. Craning her neck, she caught his gaze, and the intensity of desire brimming in hers made him wild with lust. With one fast movement, his hands smacked down on her sweet, rounded ass, and she groaned and squirmed under the attack. Burying his fingers between her swollen folds, satisfaction coursed through him when her juices covered them. She was dripping wet. Fire roared through his veins.
Primal desire overwhelmed and consumed him, and he slammed into her balls-deep. Cara cried out and then pushed back against him as if her pussy craved his dick to go even deeper. He pummeled into her, loving the way her heat pulsed on his cock, her juices covering him and dripping down his inner thighs. The sound of her wetness mixed with the slapping of his balls with each thrust filled the room, and sweat misted over their bodies.
“How the fuck could you even think I’d cheat on you?” he rasped as he pounded into her. “You’re my everything.”
“How the fuck could you not call me or return my texts?” she answered between pants. “I felt ignored and that hurt a lot. You treated me cruelly.”
“I was so pissed at you. I might have let my anger take over my actions.” Another hard, long thrust.
“Might have?” Her tits swayed with the force of his pounding, and he molded his hand around one of them, loving the weight of it.
“Fuck, babe. I’m gonna explode.” He trailed his finger down to her engorged nub and flicked it as the back of his legs stiffened.
“Oh, Hawk.” Her legs trembled against him and he knew she’d soon shatter into a million pieces.
He shoved his cock in and out a few more times, and then a rush of intense pleasure burst through, his hot seed filling her quivering pussy. He leaned down and covered her back with his chest, his arms wrapped snuggly around her waist to keep her up. She straightened and he walked her to their bed to lie down. They clung to each other, fused together by their raw passion and lust, never wanting to let go. Their breaths were still shallow and fast, and he could feel her heart beating rapidly against his skin.
“You know, I didn’t really believe you cheated on me,” Cara whispered as she placed her leg across his. “It’s just that Doris sounded so smug and satisfied as if she were saying, ‘See, your man is just as bad as all the others.’ It pissed me off, and I took it out on you.”
“Doris likes to make trouble. Banger’s called her on it many times over the years. He’s told Ruben numerous times that he needs to control his woman better.” He felt her bristle under his touch. “Let’s don’t start a discussion about the ‘control his woman’ comment. Okay, babe?” He kissed the top of her head.
“We’ll talk about that another time,” she said.
He laughed. “Being married to a lawyer can be challenging sometimes.”
“What does that mean?”
“It just means you have to always have the last word, and I think’s it’s fuckin’ cute.”
She tilted her head back and her gaze bore into his. “I love you so much. Even when you piss the hell out of me, I love you.”
He dipped his head down and kissed her deeply. “I love you too. When you were gone, a piece of my heart was missing. Fuck, babe, you’re the only one in my life and don’t ever think for one second you’re not. I should’ve called. That shit won’t happen again.” He wanted to tell her that he acted like a damn jerk and he was sorry he worried her, but it wasn’t his style.
“Tomorrow night I’m going out with some of the women for our ladies’ night. You and the kids will be on your own.”
“Sounds good. I’ll see if Banger, Jax, and Chas wanna come over for pizza and beer. The kids can play together, and Isa can hang out with us.”
She chuckled. “I don’t know if I want you guys corrupting her.”
He ruffled her hair. “Fuck. It’s gonna be hard when she gets to be a teenager and guys start wanting to go out with her.”
“I feel so sorry for Isa. You’re going to be impossible.”
“Actually, babe, you should feel sorry for the boys who are gonna want to go out with her.”
“Oh, I’m sure I will. They’re going to be petrified of you.” She giggled.
He chuckled and warmth spread through him as he pressed her closer to him. Everything was good now. He had his sexy wildcat in his arms again and his two kids back home.
He smiled when he heard her breathing deeply, and he pulled the blanket tighter around them. Staring out the window, he watched the ragged edges of stony gray clouds race across the leaden sky as a silvery mist licked at the treetops and neighboring roofs. Ice drops pelted against the window, and he was glad he was inside with the love of his life snug in his arms.