46. Hawke
Hawke
“ W ill you stop fucking moving?” Ford grumbles as he adds another tattoo to my chest.
“What? I’m not moving; you just suck today.” I curse him in his own tattoo room.
He punches me in the stomach hard, and I roll my eyes and put my hands behind my head as I let him get back to work. I’ve always loved letting him tattoo me, but I’m not a patient fucker, and I can’t sit for long periods of time, which only annoys my brother. Lucky, the son of a bitch loves me.
“Mother asked me about you and Ivy last night,” Ford says as he dabs more ink.
“Did she?” I reply with a shit-eating grin. I’m glad my mother has become so interested in the woman who was so perfectly carved for me. My mother has always had good taste.
“Yes. She wanted to know if it’s serious between you two.”
“It’s a thing,” I tell him, waggling my brows.
“Fucking hell, you annoy me.”
“Love you too.” I blow him a kiss.
“Do you love her?” he asks, glancing up at me as he pauses the tattoo.
“Yep,” I say without a doubt.
His brow furrows as if he’s surprised to hear me say that. I suppose I’ve never said that about a woman before. No one was like her.
“How do you even know that? Are you sure?”
“Oh yes, I’m sure.” I nod my head.
“How?” he asks, running his gaze over the design he’s inking onto me. “You’ve never been in a relationship, let alone been curious about monogamy.”
I only think about that for a few seconds because I know my truth.
It’s not rocket science to figure out how I feel about her.
“I think I’ve always loved her in some way, but now that I have her, I know I’ll never let her go.
She’s it for me. I look at other women now, and it does nothing for me.
I just want to see her. I wake up, and I want to see her.
I go to sleep, and I want to hold her. And I get this weird feeling in my chest and stomach when she’s near, like I have to touch her. I can’t contain myself.”
“Hmmm,” Ford hums as he concentrates on my tat.
“What? You think it’s fascination?” I ask, twisting to see him, and he glares at me. Fuck . I go back into my original spot.
“No. I always thought you two might end up together. You both are just slow as fuck.” He laughs then as he wipes excess ink and blood from my skin.
Ford always made comments when I was with a woman, saying it wouldn’t last, and I never really questioned it or cared about it.
Hell, I didn’t want any of them to last. But now, when I think back, it’s like he always knew who I was going to end up with.
I guess to end up with the right person, you have to go through the trenches first. Though I’m not going to lie and say it wasn’t fun.
I always have fun, no matter what. The only time I’m not having a good time is when it involves Ivy getting hurt or upset with me.
I hate having her mad at me.
“Hello!” Ivy calls out as she enters Ford’s house.
His eyebrows knit together, and I quickly explain, “I gave her a key and told her I’d be here.”
“Jesus. You just letting all the strays in my house now. Billie could’ve let her in.”
“In here!” I shout as Ford shakes his head and continues the finishing touches of my tattoo. I hear her heels click down the hallway. Then she opens the door and peeks in.
“I found a location on that guy, Dallas Rigger, your biker friend told us about. He actually lives in Springfield and—” Her words cut off when she looks up, and it takes her a second to figure out what’s happening.
“What are you…? Oh, a tattoo?” She approaches and looks down at my chest. “Is that…?”
“Ivy,” I say, glancing down at the plant he’s tattooing on me.
“You’re crazy, you know that, right?” She shakes her head and takes a seat across from us.
“Billie is in the shower. Continue telling us what you’ve got on this guy,” Ford says, all business and it snaps me to attention as well.
“Right,” she murmurs, unable to stop staring at the tattoo.
I catch a small smile as she glances down at her phone.
“I’ve sent the information to Eli as well.
I dug up some interesting stuff about this guy.
He’s used to cleaning up after his messes; it’s just too bad that flying under the radar doesn’t work when he crossed me. ”
My chest puffs up proudly as she says that. This asshole might’ve never been caught, or not anytime soon, at least if he hadn’t been unlucky enough to cross paths with my fierce goddess. She’s the brains behind the operation, and I’ll happily dole out the dirty punishments needed to bury them.
“I’ve narrowed it down to two locations where he most likely produces and filters his drugs, both in Springfield. He doesn’t move around much himself. He sends his little minions like Lester and Jared out. When I looked further into it, I suspect he might be starting a sex ring, too.”
Ford and I look at one another. We’re not good men, but we draw the line when it comes to women and children. These assholes are the worst kind. Ford and I both receive a text at the same time. We lift our phones in unison, and my smile curves as I’m guaranteed a blood bath tomorrow.
“Looks like we’ll be dealing with it tomorrow, lover,” I inform her.
“Eli doesn’t fuck around, does he?” she comments.
Ford continues with my tattoo, so I challenge Ivy, “Why don’t you get one, lover?”
She rolls her eyes. “I am not getting matching tattoos with you.”
“Come on. When have you ever backed down from a challenge?” I antagonize her, and she bites her bottom lip, shaking her head.
I know she can’t resist it. I enjoy the subtle burn of the new tattoo of ivy all over my chest, gratified at the way she can’t keep her gaze from roaming my bare chest and stomach.
“Fine,” she chirps, then asks Ford, “Do you have time for me?”
“You two are fucking crazy,” he grumbles. “Where do you want it?”
She looks over her body thoughtfully, then lowers her pants slightly to expose her hip, and I’m out of my seat in a shot, blocking Ford’s view.
“Hey! You’re lucky you didn’t fuck up that line, asshole,” Ford curses at the same time she says, “Maybe on my hip?”
“No,” I immediately tell her removing her hand and pulling her pants back into place so he can’t see any more skin. “Nothing below the waist or near the tits.” I glare at my brother. “I don’t want you looking at my woman.”
Ivy laughs, then shoves me back toward the chair. “You have a screw loose, you know that?”
“It’s why you love me.” I wink as I sit back down. I can tell when her body locks up, and she shifts uncomfortably. Ah, the big L word. Whatever. I don’t care. I’ll wait. I’ve waited this long already.
Ford rolls his eyes as he continues tattooing my chest. “He loves you, just so you’re aware.”
“Hey!” I shout, slapping him because it clearly makes my woman uncomfortable.
“I know,” Ivy quietly says, and I whip my gaze over to her, surprised.
“You do?”
“I do. You say it to me every night when you think I’m sleeping,” she says matter-of-factly. Shit . I’ve been saying that for almost a month now. I thought she had no fucking idea, but I couldn’t keep it to myself.
“Okay, that’s good and all, but, woman, you gotta tell me you love me too. We’re a thing after all,” I tell her. This woman really knows how to bust my balls.
Ford groans at my words, and I swear he pushes the needle even deeper into my skin as if irritated by our passionate love. Jealous much? I think while I smirk at him. And I’m certain he knows. We’ve always understood one another in ways we can’t entirely explain.
“Just tell him and put us all out of our misery,” Ford grouses, focusing on the tattoo.
“We’re broken, we need words. It’s why he always uses his,” he explains, and it feels nice being acknowledged by him.
Everyone gives me so much shit for having such a big mouth, but at least they know where they stand with me.
He, Eli, and Dutton are all ice cubes who like to play “Guess what mood I’m in.
” Even if they are in a good mood, they look like they’ve just bitten into a sour lemon.
“I’m falling for you. Does that count?” Ivy says, tucking a piece of her hair behind her ear, and I swear my fucking heart stops. I don’t know what could make her any more perfect.
“Damn right, it does. I knew you couldn’t resist my good looks and charm. I’m a catch.” I wink at her.
“Damn, now his ego is going to be bigger than his fucking house,” Ford says, wiping at the tattoo and checking his handiwork.
“Too late,” I grumble as he pulls away, finally finished.
“I’m checking up on Billie. I have no interest in watching you two fuck or listening to your fucked-up words. You have ten minutes before I start on your tattoo, Ivy, so think about what you want. And don’t break my shit,” Ford says.
“So, seems like I have your family’s approval?
” she asks when he leaves, and I inwardly die as I realize she’s not going to attend to Hawke Junior’s needs.
I guess so easily telling her that I love her might be shocking for her if she’s not on the same page.
Even though I know she is. But I’m happy to wait.
“Why wouldn’t you?” I ask as I pull her to me.
“We haven’t told my parents yet,” she says quietly, and I know how close she is to her family and how much they mean to her.
The obstacle is her father. That asshole has been cock blocking me from his daughter for years.
And we both know that by now, they’re most likely aware of our relationship.
Getting Will Walker’s approval is going to be difficult, but I’ve made it my life’s mission to have him call me son. It’s going to fucking happen.
“Then we’ll organize a meal with them after tomorrow,” I state, sensing the tension bundled in her.
She slides her fingernails over my chest, careful when she gets to the new tattoo, and I see her lips twitch with the start of a smile before she lifts her head and admits, “I like it.”
“Good. I like you.”
“My mother likes you.”
“That, I already knew,” I reply smugly.
“ I like you,” she says.
“Yeah? Well, how about I show you how much I like you?”
“Hawke, be serious for a moment,” she chides, her blue eyes pinned to mine. “Thinking about tomorrow is scary for me. Do you guys just go in, kick down doors, and kill them? Is there something I can do to help?”
I press a kiss to her lips to silence her worrying thoughts. I curl her fingers above my heart, right where the new tattoo is. “Kicking down doors is fun. But killing is my favorite part. But you don’t ever have to worry about me not coming back to you.”
“You can’t promise that,” she says quietly. It’s strange to see this powerful woman lose her confidence, and I realize it’s up to me to fill her with that reassurance.
“I can promise you that I love you. And you don’t have to say it back right now.
I’ve waited long enough for you; I can wait more.
But what I can tell you is that no one’s kicked my ass yet.
Except Ford on the odd occasion when I felt bad for him.
But I will come back to you. This is a part of me you’ll have to accept.
My spiked gloves, and I can literally take on the world.
It might be drenched in blood afterward, but that’s who I am.
But if that’s not what you want…” I think about what I might have to change about myself to appease her. For her to understand this part of me.
Her hand cups my jaw. “I don’t want you to change, Hawke. I know you enjoy killing. Just be safe. Please. And don’t leave me waiting for long.”
I kiss the inside of her wrist. A silent promise. “Move in with me?”
She chuckles, shaking her head. “You are such an opportunist.”
I squeeze her hand and kiss her lips. “I’m very persistent as well,” I growl. “And stop avoiding the question.”
“Ask me when you come back in one piece. Every scratch, bruise, or wound on you equals one day without sex.”
I stare at her in disbelief. “What? You can’t be serious.”
“Deadly serious.” She nods.
I’m so fucked. I always come back battered and bruised, but that’s because I live for the thrill. But I also love sex. With her. Fuck .
She’s laughing at my inner turmoil, and I dive in to tickle her, the only form of attack I can torture this woman with. Ivy kicks and screams, trying to wriggle out of my grip.
Who would’ve thought that I, playboy of the year, would settle down with the hottie of the year?
I guess it was always meant to be. Luckily for her, she likes my sense of humor.
But I think she likes what’s between my legs even more, and I can’t say I blame her.
I have a very beautiful cock. That likes to do very beautiful things to her very beautiful pussy.
And I’m always starving, parched, and needing my fill of her.
I don’t give a fuck what my brother says.
Ten minutes, my ass. I won’t be timed making love to my woman.
Even when I always feel like we don’t have enough time.
The thought of kidnapping her and never letting her escape comes to mind.
I’d never be able to clip her wings, though. I can only bask in what she’s willing to give me.