Chapter 24 #2
Hawk chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of it.”
“Good.” I smiled at him. “Because your reward starts right now with a kiss.”
“Well, if you would’ve told me that was my prize from the beginning, I wouldn’t have said anything.”
“Hawk?”
“Yes?”
“Shut up and kiss me.”
My guy wasted no more time. He dropped his mouth to mine and kissed me, his tongue sweeping inside. Within seconds, I was lost. In Hawk. In his scent. In his taste. In the way he held me.
I hadn’t quite gotten anywhere close to enough of him when he tugged on my braid and separated his mouth from mine. “So, I’ve been thinking ever since we went out to Big Lou’s for Kingston’s birthday.”
“What have you been thinking about?”
“Well, that night felt like a huge success. And it got me thinking that perhaps we could try something else. I thought, if you were okay with it, I could try taking you to Enzo’s for lunch today.”
Every muscle in my body tensed. “Really?”
He nodded. “Yeah. We had a good experience that night. I realized it might not always be bad, and since I want to be able to do something as simple as having lunch or dinner out with you, I thought today might be a good time to try.”
“I’d love to. Oh, I’m so excited. And proud. I’m so proud of you for being willing to try.”
His features softened. “I’ve learned that I’ll do anything for you, sweetness.”
I touched my lips to his in a chaste kiss. “Thank you, Hawk.”
“You’re welcome. But fair warning,” he said.
“It’s possible they might ask us to leave.
Me, specifically. If that’s the case, I don’t want you to get worked up on my behalf.
It’s not needed. I’ve got you in my life, so I’ve got all I need.
Then, a few weeks ago, you gave me your friends and family.
You were already more than I thought I’d ever have.
Getting them was icing on top of a cake that was already so very sweet. ”
Nodding slowly, I said, “Okay. If they want us to leave, I’ll go quietly. But I want it known that I won’t be happy about it. Because I like Enzo’s, and I’d hate to have to give up their food.”
Hawk laughed again. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. Are you ready to go?”
I shook my head. “Not yet. I have to wait for either Kara to get back here or my customer to show up. I have someone coming to pick up a cake, and they should be here any minute. Which reminds me… I need to box that cake up.”
“Is there anything I can do to help?”
“Stand here and try not to look too handsome,” I teased. “I’ll get distracted and might wind up dropping the cake.”
He held his hands up in surrender. “I’ll do my best to look hideous.”
Laughter spilled out of me as I stepped out of his hold and grabbed the cake box.
Working quickly, I got it inside the box and closed the lid.
Then I snatched up the order form, taped it to the lid, and double checked to confirm I’d done everything as it had been ordered.
Once I’d done that, I looked over at Hawk and said, “I’m all done now. You can start looking handsome again.”
He moved toward me and leaned his hips against the counter, his eyes dropping to the lid of the box. I was just about to move it, so I could put it in one of the cooler cases in the front of my shop when his hand snatched up the order form.
“Hey. What are you doing?”
His expression was horrified. “Who is this cake for?”
“What?”
“The cake, Chloe. Who ordered it?” The irritation in his tone was mixed with an edge of impatience.
“Why?”
“Just answer the question.”
“It was a woman named June. She came in a few weeks ago to order it. But she said she probably wouldn’t be the one to pick it up.”
“And it was ordered under the name Hicks?”
This was the strangest line of questioning. “Yes. Will you tell me what’s going on?”
Hawk’s eyes darted between me and the order form, then shifted to the front door. “What’s the cake for?”
“What?”
“What’s the occasion?”
Between the way he was questioning me and the touch of panic I sensed in him, I grew more and more concerned. “It’s for a retirement party. Now, will you tell me why you’re acting so strange?”
Before Hawk could respond, the door to the cake shop opened. I spun around, thinking it might be Kara, but it wasn’t. A customer had walked in.
“Hello. How can I help you?”
“I’m here to pick up an order.”
My chin tipped higher, a smile spreading across my face. “Yes. Of course. And is this for Hicks?”
“It is.”
“I’ve got it right here.” I turned around to get the cake, but I barely got my hands on the box, when Hawk shifted his body between mine and the customer on the opposite side of the counter. “What on earth?”
When I looked back, I saw what had Hawk reacting like he did. The customer had his focus solely on my guy, and I thought that was a very bad thing, considering he was also pointing a gun at him.
I gasped at the sight. “Hawk?”
“Chloe, stay back. Stay down.”
“Hawk—”
“Chloe, damn it. Do what I said.”
How he thought I could do any of that when there was a gun pointed at him was beyond me.
Since Hawk didn’t seem interested in explaining anything, the man with the gun did. “I never thought I’d get the chance.”
“You need to think about what you’re planning to do,” Hawk warned him.
“Oh, I’ve thought about it. I’ve thought long and hard for twelve years about it.
It’s weighed on my mind heavily for the last two.
And after hearing about your involvement with the owner of the cake shop weeks ago from a friend who had an altercation with you, I knew it was time to finally put my plan into action. ”
I got the sense, based on the time frame, what this was about. But I figured it’d be best to pretend I didn’t and keep the guy talking. “What plan?” I asked, stepping next to Hawk.
“Chloe,” Hawk warned, his arm shooting out and shoving me backward.
The man ignored him and looked at me. “The one that involves killing him. Just like he killed my brother.”
My stomach plummeted. My heart was in my throat.
I knew it. Even if I didn’t know how the guy was related, I suspected this was about what Hawk had done to defend his sister.
This was awful. The worst possible thing that could happen.
I stepped forward again, my eyes darting to Hawk’s face. I knew he could sense me there, but he didn’t dare look at me.
His arm reached for me again. “I told you to stay back, Chloe.”
“Now that I’m thinking about it, maybe we should change the plan,” the man said.
“I’ve been living with this hole carved out of my chest. Maybe you need to know what that feels like.
It would certainly make things much more interesting—and rewarding—for me.
At least I’d wake up every day knowing that I might not have my brother, but you don’t have your girlfriend, either. ”
Uh oh.
This had gone from bad to worse.
Because I didn’t think Hawk would take kindly to that threat. And I was right.
“She’s got nothing to do with this,” he clipped. “You want vengeance, you shoot me.”
Insides trembling, tears filled my eyes. “Hawk?” I cried, my voice shaky.
“Sounds to me like she wants to be in it.”
I absolutely did not want that. But I didn’t want Hawk in it, either.
“Please,” I begged, not caring that I sounded weak. This was my life. This was Hawk’s life. “Please, just leave us alone. We won’t call the police or report this or anything. Just leave, please.”
“I’m afraid I can’t do that. Someone has to pay. But I just can’t decide which one of you I’ll feel better killing.” His eyes were focused solely on Hawk. “Should I kill her and make you live the rest of your miserable life knowing what it feels like, or should I kill you?”
“Me.” Hawk didn’t hesitate.
“This isn’t a game. Stop it!” I pleaded.
Bringing his gaze to me, the man pointed his gun in my direction. “A game. Oh, that’s a good idea. Eeny,” he shifted the gun back and forth between Hawk and me. “Meeny, miny, moe.”
The gun landed on Hawk, and the hate that settled on the man’s face was enough for me to know he’d made his decision.
I couldn’t allow it to happen.
Something else took over, and without thinking twice, I flung my body in front of Hawk’s, my arms going over his shoulders.
I heard the first shot, felt the burning sensation in my arm as my body jerked, and heard the second shot. Terror and pain moved through me as Hawk’s horrified eyes locked on mine.
The next thing I knew, Hawk had spun, and we were going down. He covered my body with his, holding tight, until the sound of the front door opening and closing filled the air.
Then he pulled back, looked at me, and cursed. “Shit. Shit. Chloe, talk to me.”
“Are you okay?” I asked.
Hawk was frantic, looking for something. I remained still as he reached for something on the back counter. Then I felt the cloth at the side of my throat at the same time he applied tremendous pressure to my arm.
“Hawk,” I called quietly.
He’d been concentrating on what he was doing, so it wasn’t until he heard his name that he looked at me.
“I told you to stay back.”
The pain in his eyes brought tears to mine.
“Hawk.” I lifted my good arm to touch his face, and I smiled. If this was how I was going to die, the thought that it was his face I saw last was a nice one. “You’re a good man. I—”
“You didn’t listen to me,” Hawk said, his voice in pure agony. “You stupid girl. Why would you do that?”
I was vaguely aware of the door opening, but I couldn’t pay attention to that.
I was fading. I could feel it happening.
And I didn’t want to leave this world without him knowing the truth.
“I did it because I couldn’t bear the thought of you being hurt.
I did it because you sacrificed enough already. I did it because I love you.”
The tears had filled his eyes. “Sweetness…”
I didn’t hear anything else because I closed my eyes, and the world faded away.