Chapter 6
CHAPTER 6
Men and bulls, the two toughest and most stubborn creatures on earth, can’t resist a challenge. ~ The Lady Elks Secret Archives.
Hawk drew on his jeans as the most beautiful girl he’d ever seen slept quietly behind him. He should be pissed at himself, but he couldn’t find the energy to draw up anger. He’d awoken Dawn a few times during the night, just to check her injuries. Man, it had been fun waking her up.
Her head was just fine…as was the rest of her.
Dawn Freeze, the girl he’d wanted for a decade, had just taken his heart and made it hers. Turning, he spent a moment enjoying the sight of her. She lay on her stomach, dark hair splayed down her smooth back. The sheet covered her legs enough that only the tops of the perfect twin globes of her butt were visible.
Yeah. The woman’s ass was better than he had imagined, and he had a heck of an imagination.
He glanced around her bedroom. It was all feminine, with mint greens and whites, and the antique furniture looked familiar. It had probably been in Loni’s house at some point. Wind buffeted against the closed windows, and he made a mental note to stoke the fire in the main room before he left.
Dawn’s face was turned to the side and half visible. Angled features, definitely Freeze features, but delicate to the point of being fragile. Sweetness surrounded her in her abandonment to sleep.
What now?
After the previous night, he would never get her out of his system. Taking the week with her was a colossal mistake, for both of them, but he couldn’t turn back now. He wouldn’t. So the only practical move was to finish the job and get his life together to be good enough, strong enough, to take care of her if he survived.
Padding barefoot out of the bedroom, he shut the door and crossed the cozy living room with the pretty Christmas tree, making for the wide open kitchen. Dawn had painted the walls a cheery yellow that brought out sparkles in the dark green granite countertops. A plate of homemade cookies sat on the counter. He ate three before he found the ground coffee in the correct cupboard. His phone buzzed, and he yanked it from his pocket to answer. “Yeah?”
“Hawk? It’s Reese.”
Hawk stilled. “I’m taking a week off, Reese. I caught Meyer and will take down the rest of the organization after one week off.” While he liked the ex-DEA guy, Hawk was only temporarily going back to hunting people. If he survived, he owned a demanding ranch and a couple of martial arts gyms, and that was going to be a good life. “Unless you’re calling because you wanna visit Mineral Lake, I’m hanging up.”
“Meyer escaped our transport to the federal authorities this morning,” Reese returned evenly.
Hawk sagged against the counter, and lava lashed through his head, burning the back of his eyeballs. “Say that again.” His voice rolled from a lazy rumble to primal hardness as he let go of the peaceful morning.
“Apparently Meyer had more friends on the outside than we knew. They used road bombs and blew the van wide open before knocking out three of my men. We’ve tracked him as far as Mexico,” Reese said.
Forget Mexico. Meyer was smart enough to run for a country that would refuse to hand him over. “Are your men all right?”
“They were just fine until I got a hold of them.” Reese’s voice hardened.
“Damn it, Reese. I kept my promise to Chancy when I put Meyer away, and now I have to do it again?” Hawk snapped. If the escape had happened once Meyer had been in federal custody, it wouldn’t be his problem.
One week. One week of trying to live normal before he finished the job of dismantling Meyer’s little drug cartel. Normal with the girl who’d had his heart for so long. Was it really too much to ask?
As if on cue, she slipped into the room, her hair mussed, her cheeks rosy, looking like a woman who’d been well loved the night before. Several times.
Hawk froze, and an iron fist gripped his heart.
What had he done, sleeping with her before he’d been free of his promises?
Papers shuffled over the line. “I have a series of videos and some intel I want to run by you, and I’d prefer to do it in person. Give me a short time to get ready, and I’ll head your way,” Reese muttered.
“I want a detailed update in thirty minutes,” Hawk growled into the phone before disconnecting the call. Nausea spiraled in his belly.
“Morning,” Dawn whispered, her gaze roving to the too quiet coffeemaker. She’d pulled on a girly, flowered robe and belted it tight, showcasing her phenomenal body.
Hawk exhaled slowly. “Morning.”
His tone must’ve alerted her, because her blue gaze slashed back to him. “Hawk?”
First things first. “How’s your wrist?” he asked.
She extended her arm and twisted back and forth. “A little sore, but not too bad.”
Good. “Your head?” he asked, keeping his tone level.
“Perfectly fine.” She tilted her head in clear question.
His mind spun with possible scenarios. They couldn’t be together for an entire week. They’d never be able to keep it a secret—not in Mineral Lake or even in Maverick County. If anybody found out, they’d know he loved her and deserted her, and she’d be left behind to face the gossip. There was no way to know when he’d be back, and he didn’t want to subject Dawn to that. “This was a mistake,” he said, trying for honesty.
One of her dark eyebrows arched, and her small hands went to her hips. “You have got to be kidding me.”
“I’m not,” he whispered. “Last night meant the world to me, Dawnie, but it can’t happen again.” Not until he caught Chuck Meyer— again —and made sure the sociopath stood trial for running drugs while working as a soldier in the military. Hawk had trusted the justice system to deal with Meyer once, and it had screwed him. Time for him to do what Hawk did best—track, hunt, and drop the bastard in a cell himself.
Dawn rolled her eyes and exhaled heavily. “Why can’t last night happen again?”
Now that was the question, wasn’t it? “I can’t tell you.” Steeling his back, leaning back against the granite counter, Hawk prepared for an explosive display of temper.
Slowly, deliberately, Dawn lifted one toned shoulder. “Okay.”
He blinked and half shook his head. “Okay? Really?”
“Yep.” She pushed unruly hair out of her eyes. “I stopped chasing you a long time ago, Hawk. You want to be here? Then be here. You want to run away, feel free to get those legs pumping. But know this—I’m not waiting for you to figure out what you want.”
His temper stirred, because what he wanted stood in front of him, full of defiance, irritation, and a hurt she was trying to mask. “You don’t understand,” he murmured.
“Don’t care to.” She turned to leave the room. “See you later.”
Two strides across the kitchen had him grabbing her arm and twirling her around. “See you later? That’s it? Last night didn’t do a thing for you?” he asked.
The smile lifting her lips held enough mockery to boil his blood. “Sure. I’ve been curious for years, and you’re a great fuck. I figured you would be. If that’s all you wanted, then congrats…you got it. But hey, I did enjoy myself.” Eyes sparking, she stood on her tiptoes to get closer to his fa ce. “Don’t let the door hit your ass on the way out. Especially since I believe my bite marks are still there.”
A great fuck? He reacted without an ounce of thought, pushing her up against the kitchen wall. Going on total instinct, he crushed his mouth against hers, trying to drive those words back down her throat.
The night before, he’d taken her with more gentleness than he’d thought he had inside him, but in that moment, he forgot kindness.
Now, pissed off beyond belief, he kissed her so hard she’d taste him for a week—branding her, claiming her, showing her that one little shoulder shrug and dismissal wouldn’t work. She tasted like huckleberries and woman, and in two seconds, he was lost.
She kissed him back, her body pressed against his, a low murmur of need whispering up from her throat and into his mouth.
His mind fuzzed, and his body blazed with more than mere lust. More than desire or need…with a sense so primal he could almost hear the battle cries of his ancestors. That bellow echoed within his very cells.
Tangling his fingers in her thick hair, he tightened his hold and angled her face so he could go deeper. Pulling her tighter into him, he held her easily up and off the floor. He felt more powerful than gravity.
His other hand moved down her back and flanks to encircle her waist. She wrapped her legs around his hips.
Heat surrounded him, and he pushed his groin hard against hers. His cock pulsed in perfect agreement—get in and now.
“Yoo-hoo,” a cheery voice chirped as the kitchen door opened.
Hawk dropped Dawn to her feet and whirled around, reaching for the knife he’d forgotten to place at his hip. His gun was on the nightstand. His heart thundered, and the room narrowed into sharp focus as he moved to defend.
“Hawk,” Dawn hissed, shoving at his waist. “Relax.” Her voice was low and throaty, and so sexy a shiver dashed down his torso. “It’s Mrs. Hudson.”
Hawk took in the scene, forcing his body to relax. “Hi, Mrs. H.”
Mrs. Hudson, wearing a bright purple down jacket with “Hot Mama” bedazzled across the front, led Mrs. Poppins into the room.
Mrs. Poppins sighed. “Oh my.”
Mrs. Hudson whacked Mrs. P. with a humongous purse. “Look what you did, Bernie. Just look what you did.”
Hawk cleared his throat and fought the urge to shuffle his feet. Dawn stepped up next to him, her face a blazing scarlet.
Mrs. Hudson, oddly enough, looked more regretful than righteous or judgmental. “The cow, Dawnie. Come on. Surely you understood about the cow, sweetie.”
Dawn swallowed audibly. “Yes, ma’am.”
Hawk frowned, turning from Mrs. Hudson to Dawn to Mrs. Poppins. “Is there a problem with the herd, ladies?”
Mrs. Poppins coughed. “No, young man. It’s more of a milk issue and making it too readily available.”
Mrs. Hudson sighed. “Well, that’s two down. There are still three rules we could employ. I mean, he didn’t really rescue her last night, you know? You should’ve called him before she changed the tire.” Then, catching herself up short, she peered through bright red glasses at Hawk. “Don’t you have somewhere to be today, Hawk Rain?”
When she used that voice and gave him that look, he felt eight years old again. “Actually, I do.” He had to get back to work, which meant he had to stop thinking about sweet Dawn Freeze and concentrate.
Dawn gave him a pleading “don’t leave me” look, and he couldn’t help a quick grin. Yeah. The darlin’ was on her own. He turned toward her bedroom so he could fetch his clothing. “Dawn? I’d like to speak to you for a moment.” He didn’t wait to make sure she followed, knowing full well she’d want to escape the two biddies.
“We’ll make you some coffee, dear,” Mrs. Hudson piped up.
“Thanks,” Dawn said weakly from behind him. Seconds later, she swished into the bedroom and shut the door quietly. “Oh my God. Seriously. Oh my God.”
Hawk chuckled and yanked on his shirt. “What’s going on with the Poppins’ cows? I thought the dairy was doing well.”
Dawn made a sound like a cross between a garbled drunk and a wet cat. “I’m not sure, but don’t worry about it. I’m sure the ladies are way off base and just looking for some company.”
Lie. Total, evasive lie. Interesting. Hawk narrowed his focus on her stoic face and cocked his head. He could push for an answer, but when it came to cows, he really didn’t care. “If you need my help, you’ll let me know, right?”
She coughed. “Ah, yeah. You’ve done enough already, believe me.”
As much as he’d love to stick around to figure out the subtext of that statement, he now had a job to do. “When I said it was a mistake, I meant more in a timing aspect than anything else.”
Her eyebrow rose. Totally a Lodge-Freeze move. “What does that mean?”
How much should he tell her? “We just need to pick this up in a month or so and not now.”
“Why?” she asked.
“I can’t tell you,” he admitted. The less she knew about Meyer, the better. She’d let her family know, and then he’d have his best friends in danger. Or worse, she’d try to help him, and then he’d have to worry about her. She shouldn’t be anywhere near a drug cartel. Plus, though he’d go to the grave before admitting it, he felt guilty Meyer was on the loose, as if he’d failed. He didn’t want Dawn to know about that, even if she was supportive. “I’m sorry. You can’t know.”
“Bullshit.” She lifted her chin in the way that all but provoked him to kiss her again. “Stop being an asshole.”
He actually hated it when she swore. Odd, but true. Such a pretty mouth shouldn’t say such things. “I’m done with that language, Dawnie.”
She blinked, and her head went back. “Excuse me?”
“I know I swear, and I promise I won’t do it around you any longer. I shouldn’t have last night. But it isn’t right coming from you,” he said, feeling like a jackass.
She smiled. “Fuck you to hell and back, you fuckturd of a shithead misogynist bastard of a dickheaded idiot.”
He couldn’t help it. He threw back his head and laughed his ass off, temporarily releasing the tension gripping his guts. “If you were mine, you’d be over my knee right now.” Which he’d love to see anyway.
She rolled her eyes. “Good thing I’m not yours, and if you ever tried it, I guarantee you’d lose a testicle.”
That was Dawnie. She’d fight dirty and go right for the balls. “So long as we understand each other,” he said dryly.
She glanced at the bed. “I don’t understand the timing problem.”
“Okay.” He owed her the truth. “You’re right, and my holding it a secret is more about pride than anything else. So here are the full facts, and I’m asking you to keep them to yourself. I don’t need Colton on my six for this one, considering he has twins coming any day. My last mission involved putting away a real bastard, one who betrayed not only my unit but our country, and now he’s escaped.”
Dawn’s gaze sharpened. “And?”
“I made a promise to my unit, as well as to Reese, that I’d put him away for good and destroy his entire organization. It looks like he’s fled south, and I need to start tracking him before he completely disappears.”
Her pretty face paled. “How dangerous is he?”
“He’s a moron interested in money and nothing else. Right now, I assume, he’s hiding under a rock,” Hawk said.
“Sounds like a job for the police or DEA,” she retorted.
Hawk nodded. “Yeah, I know. It’s a military issue, and the military is after him, too. But the DOD is covering all its bases, so they’ve also contracted Reese’s company. Right now, nobody cares who brings in Meyer, but I know it’d be a big deal for Reese to accomplish the job.”
“What does any of this have to do with me?”
“Nothing, but I don’t want you dealing with the gossips after I’m gone, and even though Meyer is a twit, he’s involved in the drug trade, and who knows what his allies are like. The safest course for you, on so many fronts, is just to stay away from me for now,” he said.
She swallowed. “No.”
His head jerked back. “Excuse me?”
“I said no. No bad guy is going to dictate my life or keep you away from family and friends. Think, Hawk,” she said.
He shook his head. “Think?”
“Yeah. Look at the backup you have here. Quinn and Jake were dangerous in the military, although I don’t know the half of it. Colton is an MMA champion and can be mean as a bull if he wants. My dad was in the service and can fight and shoot. Frankly, testosterone isn’t necessary to protect and defend. My mom and sisters-in-law all know how to grapple and shoot, as do I. Nobody messes with family. We’re your people, and on the off chance you need backup, you have it,” she said, meeting his gaze evenly.
What a sweetheart. If she hadn’t owned his heart before, she sure did now. “Quinn, Jake, Colton, and your dad have families.” And thus weaknesses. “You women are tough, but you have no clue what I’m dealing with. I can’t involve any of you.” Plus, this would take time, and he couldn’t take them away from their kids. Not to mention that his particular brand of hunting was a specific skill set. No doubt the Lodge-Freeze men and women could hold their own, but they hadn’t signed on with Reese’s company, which specialized in tracking criminals. That was his job.
Sadness darkened her eyes. “That’s your choice, Hawk. But I liked what we started here and don’t really feel like putting us on hold. We can be discreet.”
She didn’t get it. The woman truly didn’t understand, and part of him was thankful for that. To do what he needed to do, he couldn’t be the guy holding her at night. He didn’t even want her to suspect, much less glimpse, the man he had to become right now. “Sorry, baby. This is my way. Period.”
“Fine.” Her eyes blazed ten kinds of fire, chased by sorrow. “Do your thing. I may be here, I may not.”
Oh, she’d be there. “Fair enough.” He yanked on his boots and strode toward the kitchen, where the elderly ladies were filling coffee cups. “Have a nice day, ladies.”
Mrs. Hudson sighed. “We’ll try. Peter, Paul, and Mary. There’s so much more work to do now.”
Mrs. Poppins nodded sagely.
Hawk frowned as he shoved open the door. Didn’t matter if a woman was in her twenties or her seventies…he didn’t understand a damn one of them.
For now, it was time to hunt.