Chapter 13 #2
Gage may offer the Hawkes another line of protection—an asset to our defenses against the kind of ruthlessness Satriano loves to direct toward us—but I’m more confident than ever that I’m going to need protecting from him—and from what he does to my heart.
* * *
GAGE
The elevator dings and the doors glide open, granting me access to the second floor of The Hawkeye Club.
I thought entering Cass and Kennedy’s house for that meeting last night was like being permitted into the holy of holies, but this is the true inner sanctum. This is where they run the entire Hawke Enterprises empire from. Where the decisions are made. Where their most guarded secrets are held.
Few people are privy to what happens up here.
For good reason.
This type of money and power brings with it lots of jealousy and creates enemies—like Satriano.
The information they provided during that meeting was mind-boggling.
All the threats, the harm that has come to them either at his hand or indirectly because of his actions.
It’s no wonder Bishop takes her job so seriously and is willing to go to such great lengths to do it.
If she doesn’t, these people she loves so much might suffer the consequences.
She would never be able to live with herself if anything happened to any of them on her watch, which is why she’s always on-guard, why she refuses to take time to care for herself or her own needs.
But now, it’s my job to help her ensure their safety.
And to ensure she doesn’t burn herself out in the process.
It all starts today.
I suck in a sharp breath and step out of the elevator, my boots moving almost silently across the polished floor.
A practiced skill that has saved my life many times in the past. Voices carry down the hall, and I follow them, well aware that one of the owners of those might not be so happy to see me this morning.
She ran.
Waking up in the middle of the night to a cold, empty bed where her warm body should have been shouldn’t have come as such a surprise, given her history, but it still stung more than I’d like to admit.
For some reason, I had held out the stupid hope that she would be in my arms when I opened my eyes.
I thought I had finally broken down that wall and left it so shattered that she couldn’t rebuild it.
But apparently, I was wrong.
My chest still stings with that realization, and I rub at it absently as I advance down the corridor.
Saint’s deep voice reverberates down to me. “Where do you think we should put him?”
I freeze mid-step before I reach an open doorway on the right and press my back against the wall. A familiar annoyed sigh follows Saint’s question. I’ve heard that from Bishop so many times in the short period that we’ve known each other that I’d know it anywhere.
“I don’t know, Dad. He’s too skilled not to utilize, but…”
Bishop’s hesitation makes me hold my breath.
But?
Last night should have eradicated any buts from her mind. It should have cemented for her that I am here to help her. That I would do just about anything to make all of this easier on her.
“But what?”
Her father’s question hangs in the air, and my lungs burn waiting for her response.
“But I’m not sure we can trust him completely.”
A beat of silence lingers, then two, before the sound of chair legs scraping against the floor echoes out into the hallway and I use the noise to release my breath in a rush filled with more pain than I ever expected.
She still doesn’t trust me.
Visions of her spread out under me, her body trembling and pulsing around mine, the way she completely came apart in my arms flash through my head.
“We ran a check on him after the meeting last night. Gabe called a bunch of his military contacts, and he checks out, kiddo. He’s got half a dozen service medals, an impeccable record and honorable discharge. There’s no reason to think he isn’t exactly who and what he appears to be.”
I inch closer to the door, waiting for her response again like a damn middle schooler straining to hear if the girl he’s crushing on likes him, too.
Finally, she releases another deep sigh. “You’re right. I’m just being overly cautious.”
“That’s your job, right?”
His words carry so much affection and pride, it reminds me of the way I used to hear similar words. How much they meant to me at times when it felt like I was drifting.
I hope Bishop can take them for what they are and accept his sentiment.
“It is my job, Dad. And after what Satriano pulled last night? I just can’t shake this deep, foreboding sense of dread.”
I freeze, my shoulders tensing and my spine going ramrod straight.
What Satriano did?
Something must’ve happened after she left my place…
I assumed she snuck out because she wanted to avoid having to face me after what happened between us, because she loves to run, but maybe there was actually a reason for her absence when I woke.
“Let’s put him with you today. I want you to take him to all the properties. Everywhere. Show him what security does at each location. Take him to all the residences. I want to be able to use him anywhere we might need to at any given time, and he needs to know how to get anywhere fast.”
“Agreed.”
The slight hesitation in her voice suggests she isn’t fully on board, but my bet is it has to do with her being assigned as my guide rather than what he actually wants me to be shown.
And it sounds like their conversation is wrapping up, which means I can’t continue to lurk in the hallway.
I step out, intentionally slamming my boot down harder than I normally would to announce my presence. “Hello?” I take the few steps toward the door, pretending to only notice them as I almost pass by. “Oh, hey. The guy down at the bar sent me up. Said you were here and expecting me.”
Bishop doesn’t even glance at me, just keeps her eyes locked on something in the corner of the room that’s suddenly very interesting.
Her dad rises from where he was leaning against the front of his desk and smiles, extending a hand to me as he approaches. “Good to see you this morning. Welcome to the team, officially.”
I return Saint’s strong handshake. “Thank you. I’m glad to be here and ready to help in any way I can.”
He sighs. “We definitely need it. Bishop will fill you in. I have to go meet with Savage, Gabe, and Kennedy, but I’ll catch you guys later.”
His heavy footsteps trail out of the room, and Bishop climbs to her feet, rubbing the back of her neck and keeping her eyes anywhere but on me.
She’s still wearing the same clothes she had on at my place last night…
My hand twitches, so desperately wanting to reach out and touch her, to pull her up against me the way she should have been this morning.
She clears her throat and attempts to step around me, but I wrap my arm around her waist, halting her progress. Her entire body instantly tenses, and she keeps her gaze on the open door only a few feet in front of her.
Her escape route.
But I am not letting her get away that easily.
I dip my head, brushing my lips against her ear. “You’re running from me again.”
She swallows thickly and shakes her head, still refusing to look at me. “No. I’m not.”
“Then what do you call sneaking out of my place while I was asleep?” I press my body tighter into hers, purposely reminding her of the position we were in only hours ago. “Did you really think I was done with you?”
A little shiver rolls through her, and I can’t help but grin against her warm skin that still smells like me.
Like sex.
Like everything we did together last night.
Finally, she glances up, and the uneasiness and reservation in her gaze makes my shoulders tighten. “I had to leave. Isaac called. Satriano made a move.”
I tighten my grip on her. “Then why the hell didn’t you wake me up and bring me with you?”
If she thinks I’m going to believe for one second that she left because of the phone call and it wasn’t just coincidental timing, then she’s greatly underestimating how well I can read her.
She presses her lips together, struggling with a way to justify leaving without letting me know what was going on, but we both know she doesn’t have a good reason.
Other than her fear.
Not of him.
Of me.
And I know I won’t get a straight answer from her if I push her here and now, not when bigger things are at play.
I release a heavy sigh. “What happened with Satriano?”
She glances toward the open door, probably terrified that someone could walk down the hall and see me with my arm on her, but I refuse to relinquish my hold and let her run.
Again.
“He called on my brother last night.”
“What do you mean?”
Her eyes meet mine again, the anger and tension there darkening them.
“Pope made a deal with him a while back, after he helped us rescue Atlas, Astrid, Kennedy, Allie, and Benjamin from Dan Roselli, that he would treat any of Satriano’s men who needed medical care and do it at our clinic so there wouldn’t be any records at the hospital.
Aunt Nora agreed to assist if needed, too. ”
“Jesus…”
She gives me a little nod. “Yeah. So, he’s forcing Pope to be a mob doctor, and last night, one of his men took a bullet to the shoulder, and he called Pope into action.”
“Does that happen a lot?”
“Not particularly, thankfully.” She sighs. “But enough that it makes all of us uneasy. Not just because Pope could lose his license for what he’s doing, but because every time Satriano does it, it’s a reminder that he has that power over us. Over my brother.”
I nod slowly. “Did your brother speak to him?”
She shakes her head. “Of course, Satriano doesn’t personally deal with any of this shit. He just texted him and said a car would pick him up. Pope got there and the guy was practically dead on the table from blood loss. He was barely able to save him.”
“But he did.” I raise a brow. “What would happen if he hadn’t?”
Her jaw tightens. “I don’t ever want to find out.”
I relax my hold on her slightly, and she starts to slip away, but I catch her wrist, sliding my thumb across her thrumming pulse. This may not be the place or time to say this, but if she has her way, she’s going to ensure she isn’t alone in a room with me ever again.
“You can’t run from me or hide forever, Bishop. What happened last night wasn’t the end of this. It was just the beginning.”
If she only stopped fighting it.
Bishop locks her gaze with mine, heat flaring there as I tighten my grip, a very visceral reminder of the way I had her restrained. “You sure have a lot of confidence.”
I shake my head. “I just know what I want, and I know you want it, too.”
She showed me that last night. By giving herself to me. By allowing me to take control over her pleasure. By gifting me that trust.
Bishop doesn’t immediately deny it, either.
I’ll take that as another win.
“What I want is to get going, Gage. We have a lot to cover today. I need to introduce you to the Hawke Enterprises empire.”
I nod and dip my head again, my lips brushing her ear. “Do you know how fucking hot it is to know that you’re going to be walking around all day with my cum still inside you?”
“Fuck…”
She shivers, then tugs to try to get her hand free, and I release it one finger at a time.
A scowl twists her lips. “Let’s go, Romeo. It’s time you got a crash course on the Hawkes.”