Chapter 42
Hawk
The door opened and I flicked my cigarette away. The ladies filed out and went to their men. Sugar hugged herself as she came out, and Mama Hen was right behind her, quick to grab her shoulders and pull her close.
Finally, Kitty Kat emerged. She was a sight.
Blood covered her hands, and was splattered over her face and clothes. As she came closer, I reached for her. “Damn, woman. You already got a stain on your new patches.” I pulled the hem of my shirt up and wiped some blood from her face.
“I need to go clean up. But Shiv–”
“On it. Let’s go to the infirmary you two,” she said to Sugar and Ma.
“Do you need to go with Shiv?”
“No.”
Shiv called back, “Yes. I want a look at that shoulder before I go to bed. Doctor’s orders.”
“She’s very bossy,” Kat said with a smile.
“Jackal loves it,” I told her. “C’mon. Let’s clean you up then go grab a drink.”
“Hey, thank you for that,” Kat said as we headed to our house. “I got a little carried away. I hope I didn’t steal too much of it from Mama Hen.”
“I know Ma. She did what she wanted, but she likely saved the best for you. Passing the torch.”
“She’s done so much for me. It’s nice to have a mother again,” Kat said. She tightened her grip on my arm as we walked across the courtyard. “Maybe since this is all behind us, you can think about letting her go back to work.”
“Did she put you up to this?” I asked, slowing my stride.
“No. But she misses it. I know she couldn’t go before. I get it. But now, the threat is gone. You’re letting me open a business. Let her go back to work.”
I considered how I could make that work.
Having to run it was a pain in my ass, but Ma loved it.
Thanks to Kat’s brother, we would have to rely more on the other chapters for a while to move product, so we wouldn’t be making as many runs, at least for a while.
“Maybe we can ease back to that. If she’s willing to have escorts.
And we’ll need more guys at the club. Hopefully it’ll be quiet around here for a bit.
” Squeezing her hand, I said, “You’re very hard to say no to, you know that? ”
“In that case, Penny wants to leave. And I think you should let her.”
I stopped that time. “What? Why?”
“Hawk. I’ve been in her shoes. Except my brother at least wanted me to be married off.
She has no life, and you told me once you didn’t want her to end up with any of these guys,” she said, turning to face me head on.
“Which is honestly ridiculous. They’re your family by choice.
Why would you not want one of them to be by her side? ”
“She’s my baby sister. I’ll let you have a lot of say, but that’s not a line I want you to cross, okay? It’s just not happening. Plus, she’s said since she was in middle school she would not be part of this life. She can’t be with one of them if she doesn’t want that.”
Kat nodded. “True. And she did express wanting out to me. Sugar plans to leave soon. I think if Penny really wants to go with her, you should give your blessing.”
Rubbing my hand down my face, I asked, “How can I protect her, then?”
Kat said, “Maybe you can’t. But she deserves a real life, too.”
“You grew up in a similar situation. Did you ever want out?”
“No. Although, I didn’t know I’d end up here.” She stepped closer, grabbing my cut. “But it’s the best thing that ever happened to me. Don’t you want that for her, too?”
“Maybe.” I said, staring over at Ma’s house.
“Maybeeee… I can help persuade you once we get to the house.”
A growl escaped my throat. “Mmm, you all worked up now are ya?”
“Is it bad that I am and not… I don’t know? Guilty? Sad?” Kat started walking backwards, motioning for me with her index finger.
I took long strides to catch up and she turned, starting to run.
“Oh, you’re gonna get it,” I said as I easily caught up to her.
I scooped her from the ground and she squealed. “Hawk!”
Laughing, I put her down, turned her, then wrapped my arms around her. My chest swelled as I stared down at the most perfect woman that was all mine. “I love you, Kitty Kat.”
Her brown eyes sparkled up at me from the moonlight above. “I love you, Hawk.”
Thank you for reading!