CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE

“The choices of a VP aren’t that difficult when it comes to her.” – Hawk

 

“I’m tired of faking it, Ri. Bone fucking tired of pretending I haven’t wanted Gia all these years. And more fucked up she somehow wants me back. You know how goddamn sickening it is to realize just who my gut was wanting and to know I’d be betraying you somehow ‘cause of it?”

Gia wasn’t coming any time soon, she hadn’t been surprised by the news, she even laughed and said Rider would get over it. But she had work to do so she’d blown him a fucking kiss down the phone and said she’d see him at lunch time.

His stomach tightened with eagerness of seeing her hours from now and that first smile she’d offer to him like she’d missed him too. He had a mind to ride over to her new little office space she’d rented and fuck her over the desk he’d hauled up two flights of stairs and see how ridiculously happy she was then.

“I gotta weigh in that you bein’ you, didn’t factor in the club in all this when you thought you could fuck my family and wonder that it wouldn’t fuckin’ matter to me.”

Hawk gusted a sigh. Not anger per say, but it wasn’t far off because Rider was right in a way. He’d crossed lines. Lines he didn’t fucking care about. “You wanna quit fucking talking about her in that tone? It’s not like that, she’s not a damn groupie. She’s not one of the bitches who spread for anyone in hopes of catching an old lady patch. She’s not someone to unload in and discard.”

“Don’t tell me you’re serious.” Scoffed Rider and then changed his tone to kiss his kid’s head and whisper something to her to make her bat her tiny fists at him. “You forget I know you.”

Their boys started gathering like nosy vultures an hour ago when Hawk got sick of working on an engine outside and came to find the boss again to sort this shit out.

Hawk’s eyes narrowed. His reputation may be monstrously shit but even Rider must know he wouldn’t mess with Gia for a fast fuck. “You think I’m not?”

“I thought you were someone who wouldn’t screw with my sister, so what do I know.” And then Rider hit home hard, as only his best friend could, because no fucker on earth knew more about Hawk then Rider did. “You fail to recall I know the shit you’ve pulled with chicks over the years, the amount you’ve had. You really think I want that for my goddamn baby sister? Fuck you for assuming I’d be good about this no matter if you told me now, three weeks ago or ten fuckin’ years ago.” Bile gathered in his lower intestines and made nausea strike at all Hawk’s weak points. “Does Gia know how you are with women? How many you’ve had? What the fuck you do with ‘em?”

A tick worked Hawk’s jaw and for a split dark second, he could see himself really hurting the only man to have ever stood at his side knowing everything about him.

He knew that would be next, wouldn’t it? Rider would bring her up next…

“You divulged your fucking history to the girl? You were right there with me having your own fucking bitches on their backs. We’re not fucking perfect. Gia knows that, so don’t spout your hypocrite bullshit to me, Rider.”

Rider made a noise in the back of his throat. It seemed a ridiculous conversation to have, what with him holding a something-month-old kid in his arms at the time.

Now the clubhouse main room looked like a damn circus, what with Preacher supping on soda and throwing back chips and Grinder sharing candy with Capone and Arson who had his feet kicked up on one of the tables.

The fuck did they think his life was, a day time soap opera? Assholes.

It was only Tag who wandered in from the shop, oil stained hands and clothes, heard the shit Rider was yelling at him, and turned to head back outside. At least Prince Charming had some respect.

He faced his president. “If you’re asking me to make a choice between being in the club or having a life with her because you can’t accept it. I’ll give you my cut back right now. It’s not a choice for me. It’ll kill me to give this back to you, you know what the club means to me. She means more.”

That seemed to settle in the air, breaths sucked in with shock, his words rang in his own ears but rather than regret, they gave Hawk some peace.

She meant more.

It was that fucking simple.

 

 

******

 

With everyone’s backs turned, Gia was able to slip into the massive clubhouse undetected except for Uncle Jed who winked at her.

“You’ll watch your fuckin’ mouth.” She was in time to hear growled by her brother. She didn’t know in what context, but it was more than obvious things were heated between him and Hawk and had been for some time. Rider was leaning against a wall, Hawk was by the bar. And every biker who’d ever come through those doors appeared to be around all at the same time. No doubt to watch the Prez and VP bickering show.

Men. They never truly grew up.

Okay, she could give Rider the act of surprise, but it was more than three hours since Hawk called her, and they were still glowering at each other? Seriously.

Hawk glared in equal hard-edged measure.

It was like witnessing modern day gladiators squaring off with each other.

Gia caught Zara’s smile and shoulder shrug.

Hawk spat back. “If you wanted a yes man to bow and scrape to the high and mighty Rider Marinos then whistle for a fucking prospect. I’ve always spoken my mind to you. I’m not gonna change it now. I get it, I overstepped a buncha fucking brother rules. You want my fucking cut back? You wanna make this a club situation instead of something personal? Then be a fucking man and say so, Prez, stop little bitch pouting over something that isn’t your fucking business.”

“Fuck you. You know what? Go fuck yourself if you can’t see how fuckin’ fucked up this is. My sister, man! My goddamn sister and you couldn’t tell me.”

“What would you have said if I’d told you I wanted her?”

“I would have told you to climb on one of your many fuckin’ bitches and get over it.”

Gia sucked in a breath, feeling the pain of that in her chest.

Rider stared him dead in the eye, serious as a tumor and twice as mad, fury in his unblinking stare. In all honesty she’d figured Rider would have a problem with them, but to act like their dad … now that came as a surprise. She wasn’t a damn kid, and neither was Hawk. She could take care of her own emotions, thank you.

Gia felt like she needed to chime in here before their war with words escalated between the two friends. A twinge of guilt hit her belly knowing she caused this. “Yeah, your sister. Your very grown up capable of her own decisions sister so if this chest pounding is for my sake it’s unwarranted. If you’re butthurt I’m taking your best friend away, then get over it.”

She placed her purse on the bar and sidled up to Hawk, sliding her hand on his waist letting him know she was there. He turned and nearly smiled.

A nearly-smile from Hawk was magic and heaven and she beamed at him.

“Hi.”

“Hey,” he croaked and canted his head as if he was going to kiss her but changed his mind mid descent. Dammit.

Just like that her brother’s gaze turned towards her and for the first time probably in her life she felt a shiver of the coldness he gave off to other people.

The biker president glare to convey everyone to stay the fuck away from him if they knew what was good for them.

She’d never witnessed it before, and for a second, tears stung the back of her eyelids. This was her big brother Ambrosio who would walk her home from after school clubs, who took her to college and made sure everyone knew what would happen if a hair was touched on her head. He was the one she’d call when she was so damn homesick, and he’d tell her she could conquer college, but he’d come and get her no matter what the time if she wanted him to. He was the brother who never got sick of her trailing after him when she was a kid. The same big brother who would take her all over the island of Syros every family summer vacation and never complained.

The same brother with anger and disgust in his cold deep-set eyes.

Rather than her own anger calcifying her bones she chose to glance at the second man in this ridiculous standoff. Though he hadn’t moved an inch she still felt Hawk at her back for solidarity and protection.

It radiated like a furnace and it was that which settled her.

“Okay, you can both stop peacocking now and calm your feathers. We should have told you, Ambrosio, now you know. That’s the only crime here. Hawk hasn’t don’t anything wrong. I haven’t done anything wrong and I’m not going to give you a list of reasons why this is about us not you.”

Ears flapped like bird’s wings. The bikers so damn interested in the drama. Even her uncle Jed had an elbow resting on the bar listening in.

“He’s too damn old for you, Gia.” Said Rider.

“Zara is ten years younger than you, big mouth, your argument is worthless. Next.” She shot back making a few rough men chuckle. “I’ll remind you I didn’t bitch when you forgot to mention you even had a girlfriend. Uncle Jed told me.”

“That has no baring here, Gia, for fucks sake.”

“I thought we weren’t cursing around the biker princess?” Snake could be heard from the back somewhere and someone wisely told him to shut his fucking mouth.

Gia sighed and rubbed Hawk’s arm before stepping forward towards her brother. “Is this really a problem for you? I understand it’s come as a surprise. It did to us, but, Ambrosio, it’s been a long time coming. We didn’t go into this lightly.”

“Between him and me? There’s a damn problem. Fucking A. So, you can run along with Zara while we talk.”

She huffed. “Not likely. What? Going to offer him my dowry? Or smash his face in? You sound just like dad.”

If it were possible under his natural sun golden tan Rider’s face turned purple and his jaw worked a vicious tick. She’d overstepped knowing how he felt about their domineering father. Never had she uttered those words to him before and she wanted to bite her tongue off. “I didn’t mean—”

“And I thought you had more fucking sense.” He bit out.

Behind her Hawk emitted a growl from the animal family and she turned in time to see him thunder-staring at his boss and friend.

This was getting so fucking out of hand.

Hawk pointed a long finger over her head. “I will start a fucking war over her if you keep throwing out shit she doesn’t deserve, so choose the hill you want to die on wisely, Rider.” Hawk said calmly. It was like that eerily calm before a storm hit and destroyed a whole town in minutes.

“This is my kin. My blood. If anyone starts a war, it’ll be me, you, arrogant fuck.”

“She’s my woman now. Gia is no longer your duty. She fucking means something to me even if we all know I’m a piece of shit who doesn’t deserve her.”

She saw Rider’s brows fold in as if he realized what truth he was putting on Hawk.

Zara sidled up to her man and curled an arm around his waist. The gesture brought her brother down from whatever lofty throne he’d put himself on where he thought he ruled the whole damn world. Heads together they spoke quietly.

Facing away from the room, she took her hands up Hawk’s chest slowly, felt how his breathing slowed.

“Hawk. Stop glaring at my brother and look at me, please.”

He did immediately. A frown bunched in the middle of his forehead.

“I’m your woman? That’s what you said.”

He frowned deeper than ever before but didn’t say a word.

“Colton Hawk, answer me, please. If you’re gonna declare something like that to a room full of your boys, then it would be nice if you’d told me it first.”

Behind her Rider muttered and she heard Zara shush him. Gia would scowl at her dumbass brother in a moment but for now, she held Hawk’s eyes and waited.

“It came out wrong.” His frown marred more of his face.

He was a hound dog.

“So, I’m not your woman? All this arguing with your best friend is for nothing? You’d make a war over something that came out wrong? Is that what you meant to say? We’re standing fighting my brother and I’m not your woman...”

She heard and ignored Rider sucking on his teeth.

“Gia…listen.”

She pressed him. “Am I?”

“I’ll take her, if not.” Piped in Snake so helpful. Hawk hissed savagely, swiping a dark stare at the guy. “I will break your fucking arms off and use them for coffee stirrers.”

Gia swooned.

He was just so swoon-worthy when he was possessive.

“Gia. This is club business, go back there with Zara and let me talk to my fuckin’ VP.” Said Rider.

Her hands remained on Hawk’s impossibly hard chest, he was pushing against it almost as if he liked her touch there, she turned to look at her brother. Irritation stole through her voice. “This is your MC, Ambrosio, but this here with him is my business. Butt out. I’m not some silly little girl having an emotional outburst. If you didn’t know I’m all grown up and can and do, make decisions for myself without you doing my thinking for me.” The absurdity of the situation made steam pool out of her ears almost like a cartoon character at the end of their tether.

This was one of the reasons she’d never gotten herself entangled with a biker, not even casual dates. The hierarchy of any MC and being in a relationship with one of them was fucking preposterous. Oh, the bikers could fuck anything on two legs, the more pussy the better, but god forbid a female associated to those bikers could act the same way and they all turned into pearl clutching hypocrites. Taking Hawk out of the equation she would have avoided them altogether, because her brother was this side of being old fashioned and fucking annoying to ever assume him and his club had a say in her love life.  

She put a stop to that right now.

“He’s my man, he’s been mine since I was seventeen and if you must know, I’ll say it in small words, so you boys can understand, since you’re all standing around rubbernecking like gossiping hens.” Grown men chuckled unapologetic. “I would have been his when I was fifteen.” Ambrosio hissed like a pained cobra, firing a hard stare at Hawk. Gia talked over him “Stay quiet before you say something you later regret, you’ve had your unsolicited input.” She felt a hand slide up to the nape of her neck, holding her gently. Shards of electricity curled around her encouragingly. “I would have been his when I was fifteen, but he didn’t notice me until two years later and even then, he was too damn proud and ethical and loyal to you to do anything about it. We’ve wasted ten years and I refuse to waste anymore because you can’t see past him being your friend and biker VP and to acknowledge your sister can date anyone she damn well pleases. Tough shit, Rider, if you have a problem. Mind your own damn business while I talk to my man.” It was more than evident she was talking to Rider the MC president and not her brother Ambrosio. So be it.

“Here, here.” A soft cheering voice Gia recognized as her brother’s girlfriend.

“Well?” She was beginning to lose her patience with Hawk.

But the moment she looked up into his impossibly ice blue eyes she felt her heart stumble and roll over languidly. That look… oh… like he’d been told Jesus existed and he was buying the beers and hookers from now on.

It was worship and acceptance and complete adoration.

“Hawk…” her voice disappeared into her lungs.

“Yes.” He gruffed.

“Yes?”

“You’re my woman.”

Oh, god. Hallelujah.

Rider muttered. “Jesus fucking H Christ.”

But Hawk didn’t break their gaze.

He just went on looking at her. And looking at her.

 

 

******
 

Much later, with thankfully less drama, Gia cuddled with her niece while Zara did … whatever she was doing in the bedroom back there to calm her man down. When they’d emerged, Rider strode out to the bike shop after kissing Zara hard and fast. They’d switched off the baby so her sister in law could head home.

“You and the VP, huh?”

“Yep.” Gia smiled dunking her teabag in the cup of hot water.

“I got shit timing,” half-laughed Tag rubbing his face that appeared a little flushed. She sipped the tea, grimaced at the taste, wishing it was coffee and asked him why. “‘Cause I had an idea I’d ask you for a date the next time you were in town.” Her eyes went cartoon large. Ohh. “Had a mind to do it the other day but too many people were around, and I got stage fright. What with you being the prez’s sister and off limits.”

Gia scoffed. “I’m not off limits.” Quickly followed by a laugh, embarrassed at the conversation. “Well, I am. But not because of your boss. He just thinks he’s in charge of me.”

“It’s the rule we got, babe. All female relatives are off limits.”

“That’s stupid.”

He grinned his white tooth smile and she didn’t feel a tiny flicker of interest for the handsome face with his sweep of dirty blond hair and vivid eyes the color of the bottom of a Mediterranean pool. So, if he had asked her out her answer would have still been a polite thank you but no.

“Lucky for me I suppose since I didn’t get around to asking you out…” he tried for a smile, but Gia saw he was uncomfortable rubbing a hand around the back of his neck.

She didn’t have a chance to reassure him it was fine because Hawk standing in the doorway glaring at Tag began to roar a chest noise. A great big pissed off rattle.

“The fuck did you just say?”

“Jesus.” Tag exclaimed with choked laugh.

“Hawk will do. Better still, your fucking VP. What the fuck did you just say to my girl?”

His girl. Oh, boy. The burst of happiness in her chest made up for the shitty argument earlier.

She put down the cup and went to him immediately, placing her hand on his wide chest and another to his belly.

“I was just talking to Tag and you can stop that growling please, baby.”

“I’m gonna leave you to it…” Tag wisely decided but had to push by Hawk still blocking the doorway. He sent Gia his eyes for a second and she saw regret there. He mouthed sorry to her.

“Out.” Hawk barked low to his buddy and grabbed her in by the waist.

She went willingly, kissing his jaw.

Once they were alone she let go of a sigh.

“So, that was a day, huh?”

He grunted, spanning her waist and he dropped his head, taking her lips.

The faint taste of scotch on his tongue intoxicated her as he lashed into her mouth, claiming and owning. She ran her hands up the span of his chest, his every exhale showing how tortured he was by this. “Let’s go grab some dinner, little bit.”

And that’s all she wanted at the end of every day.

Even if every person in her life didn’t approve of her choices.

She just wanted to go grab food with the biker love of her life.

 

******

 

It was much later that night when he left Gia sated in her bed after she’d ridden hell out of him and he thought his balls might die when he climbed back on to his Harley and took the ride back to the club.

With one specific task in mind.

Not to find Rider and air out their differences. Shit with him would work out on its own time, he didn’t need to push it.

Nah. He was here for someone else.

He strode through the club, ignoring the drinking and brothers pulling on blunts and the half-naked women sprawled on laps.

Hawk found who he was looking for in a back room drinking neat bourbon and playing pool by himself. He closed over the door with a quick click and faced Tag.

Any other time Tag would have been one of the patched in club members out in the main room high with a score of bitches on his body.

There was a reason he was in here alone.

It only fueled Hawk’s irritation.

Though the face showed alarm, his eyebrows winging up into his perfect as usual just fucked blond hair he offered a smile. One Hawk didn’t return. “You wanna grab a game, brother?”

“Not here to play.”

“Figured. You wanna take a swing at me?” He put down the pool cue and rested a hip against the large green velvet covered table.

Hawk couldn’t say he knew much about Tag. Not where he came from, who were his kin or what the fuck he did in his spare time. That could go for any of his club brothers. What he knew was; who he could rely on. Who would be at his back in a situation and who could throw down and make their MC world the best it could be.

He considered Tag one of those men.

That wouldn’t change.

But the boil of fury in his gut wouldn’t go away.

“We’ll see.” He stayed by the door. Any closer and he was likely to choke the fucker. “You hear I’m with Gia and still you felt you had to throw your hat in the ring. Just in case.”

The brother’s face fell. “It wasn’t like that, H.—”

“It was exactly fucking like that.” He spat out and ignored the other man frowning. “You were trying to give her options. Didn’t matter you’d just heard I was with her now. There was no other reason to tell her you were gonna ask her for a date other than to give her fucking options, brother.”

Any other man would have been standing there dead. What with the slice of fire going up Hawk’s stomach, any other fucker trying to get in between him, and Gia would be a walking corpse. Save for the fact this was Tag and usually he wouldn’t hurt a fucking flea unless that flea was inside a metal cage and throwing about fists.

“I get it. I mean, even if she wasn’t taken and you asked her out, I still woulda ripped your head from your shoulders, but I would have had more respect for you than to do it when you knew she wasn’t fucking taken.”

Tag snorted and rubbed a hand over his hair messing it up.

“But you didn’t, you did it not ten seconds after you knew she was mine.”

“Hawk, man. It wasn’t like that, I swear.”

“Don’t feed me bullshit, Tag. I don’t eat that slop. She was who you were telling me about, wasn’t it? Something real, you said. You missed your shot, only, you didn’t have a fucking shot at all, cause as I said, I woulda ripped your head off had I found out you ever made a play. Don’t even care we’re club brothers, or we’ve been in scrapes together and you’ve had my back and I had yours in the club war. Don’t fucking care,” his teeth at the back felt like dust from grinding them together. “So, this is what I’m gonna tell you; you stay away from Gia until you can look at her and not wanna stick your dick in her. ‘Cause, Tag, I catch even a fucking whiff of you flirting or making another play for what’s mine, and even your mama won’t recognize you in your coffin.” He pulled open the door. He was trying to be a better man, better all-around for Gia. So, walking out of that room and no bloodshed was fucking hard for him. He got his point across with violence, usually.

“Fuck. You can’t fucking blame me for something I didn’t fucking know. No one knew you wanted her.”

“You see her in the club you walk the fuck away, Tag. I mean it.”

“I’m not fucking in love with her, Jesus, you’re talking like I’m gonna hump her leg. She’s a nice girl, I thought I might have dated her or something.” He exhaled, and Hawk swung around.

“There’s one thing I can recognize and that’s when someone is in love with my Gia. I’ve been there. Ten fucking years. I get it. It’s why I’m letting you keep breathing. Until you can look at her and not want her, stay the fuck away. And keep a wide berth from me for a while until I forget I want to bury you.”

“Ten years. Fuck. I didn’t know…”

He left and took the ride to Gia’s place to climb into bed with her.

Only, he pulled into the garage port to see her coming through the connecting door in her sleep shorts and top that didn’t disguise her nipples, her hair mused and a pillow mark on her face.

His heart ramped up.

“I heard the bike, I’m glad you came back,” she smiled sleepily and cozied up to his shoulder with her hands on his belly even before he switched off the engine.

A possessive surge overcame Hawk.

It stung and made him grab her roughly around the waist amid her squeal of surprise, depositing her on the front of his bike facing him so her sweet covered pussy brushed against his cock.

“Need you.” He growled, and he watched her face soften. “Guide me inside you.”

And then in the closeted garage, on top of his bike he fucked his little bit of a thing. Her cries soothed his angry soul and tamed the monster.

She was his.

She belonged only to him.