“She stays here,” I grind out through my locked jaw. “You and me though.” I lower my hands. “We can work this out.”
He’s packing with one hand and holding the gun on me with the other. “There’s nothing to work out with you. Lo has agreed to come back home. Her mother needs her.”
Fuck. My gaze moves from him to Lo. She’s still pleading. Her mouth is moving but nothing is coming out.
“Lo,” I say. “Are you going with this guy?”
She leans forward like she’s reaching for me, then she places one trembling hand over her heart. “I need to, Hawk. He has my mother.” She’s almost in tears again, but she’s holding them back. She’s being strong.
“So this is what you want?”
She sobs before she answers. “Yes.”
I start crossing the room to her. “I’m not accepting that.”
“No.” Lo holds up one hand to stop me. “Please, Hawk. I’ve made my choice. Just go.”
I’m not sure what this jackass has done to my Lo, but the longer I stay, the harder it seems to hit her. I can’t stand by and watch her hurt, but I can’t walk away either. My throat is closing in and I swallow a ball of doubt before I can speak again. “Lo, if he’s holding you against your will.”
She stops me again. She’s up on her feet, and she crosses the room to me. Jackass trains the barrel on us both. “This is what I want, Hawk. Darren isn’t making me say anything I don’t want to.” Her voice cracks and she catches her breath. “I want to go home. Please just understand that.”
A sharpness pierces through my chest at the pain in her eyes. She’s suffering, and I can’t stand that I’m the one bringing it on her. “Fine.” I throw my hands up and wave her off. “If that’s what you want, I’ll leave.”
“Please.” The word is barely more than a whisper to my back.
I turn to Darren. “You can take that gun out of my face now. She’s yours. She doesn't want me anymore.”
He smirks and lowers the weapon. “She was always mine.”
I nod and step through the doorway. My hand is on the doorknob, and I pull it closed behind me.
Through the closing slit, I see Lo. He’s talking to her. He’s telling her to throw her stuff in the bag and get ready to leave. But she isn’t doing what he says. She’s watching me. She’s hoping I didn’t fall for the show she just put on. I wait until she’s near the bed and he’s standing behind the door, digging through her closet, before I turn.
I made a promise to myself once. After losing those I loved one by one, I made a deal with God. The next time the life of a loved one was one the line, he’d better take mine instead. And I meant it.
The second I have the door almost all the way shut, I shove it back open with everything I have. I stand between Lo and the gun, catching Darren off guard.
“Run, Lo,” I yell. It’s not my voice I hear. It’s strangled and harsh.
Lo hesitates. Darren tries to shift to make her his target, but I block him.
Then it happens.
Chapter 9
Lotus
Darren is crazy. I realized that on our third date when he told me he was going to marry me and have my mother and I move in with him.
I knew he was crazier still when he told my the same thing, but she cried and thanked him.
The man standing across the room from me holding a gun to Hawk’s forehead isn’t sane enough to realize he’s about to kill someone. Hawk is strong, and he’s smart. He’s built for battle. On an equal playing field, he’d take Darren down with little effort.
But Darren isn’t playing fair and Hawk’s about to get himself killed.
As soon as I begin to move, Hawk shouts at me to stop. I don’t. This man means more to me than anything. I’m not going to lose him. I step between them and rest my forehead on the barrel of Darren’s gun.
Hawk shakes behind me. I feel his energy running through my body. He’s telling me to stop. He wants me to move. But I can’t. Darren won’t hurt me. He may not know what love really is, but he believes he has that with me.
He won’t risk it.
“I’m coming with you, Darren,” I say. My voice is soft and calm. I don’t know where I’m getting the strength to keep it that way, but I’m thankful for it because Darren’s focusing on me again. “We don’t need him.” I put my hand on the gun. “He doesn’t matter to me.”
Darren’s gaze pulses between Hawk and me. He’s thinking. He is wondering if I’m being honest. Then I see his expression soften, and I know he’s on my side again. “Let’s just go. I can buy new clothes when we get home.”
“Are you sure?” Darren says. He rests the back of his hand on my cheek. He’s still holding the gun but it’s down at his side.
“Yes,” I tell him. “But we have to go now.”
He nods and picks up the one bag we’ve managed to pack.
I turn to Hawk. My voice is pleading. I need him to understand Darren will shoot him. He will aim to kill.
“You have to let me go now.”
Hawk’s eyes are full of emotion. He grinds his jaw and reaches for me, but I step out of the way. He doesn't say anything, just shifts to the left to give us room to pass.
Darren turns me around. He wants me in front of him while he keeps an eye on Hawk. I’m out the door first. Darren’s at my back when fingers grab around my hand and jerk me sideways. I land against Hawk’s solid chest and he slams the door shut, pushing Darren outside. Next, he locks the door and moves us both to the wall with the closet.
A shower of bullets cut through the door, creating small holes of light all the way to the far wall. There is shouting. Then two more shots. Then a knock on the door.
“Smokey?” Hawk yells.
He has me by the arms and is holding on so tightly that I can’t break free. I don’t want to.
“And Scout. Your guy is down. We’ve got him covered.”
My hand flies to my chest. My heart is beating so wildly it hurts.
Hawk spins around and pulls me in, so I have to tilt my head up to see him. He’s sweating and breathing as hard as I am. He wants to say something. I see the need in his eyes. But he doesn’t. His lips crash down on mine and he devours what breath I have left. I moan into his mouth, releasing all the pent-up fear. We stay like that, locked together, for what seems like an eternity before the knocking on the door starts again.
“Hawk, man. You alright in there?”
Our mouths part but Hawk doesn't budge from holding me tight. I don’t mind. I could use the closeness for a while. I don’t want an inch of space between us until I know for sure Darren isn’t a threat anymore.
Without releasing me, Hawk reaches around my shoulder and unlocks the door.
One man, close to Hawk’s height and size, walks in holding Darren’s gun. “You guys alright?” he repeats.
I can’t answer. I’m shaking too much to speak, but Hawk has everything under control.
“Where is he?” he asks.
“Just outside. Scout’s got him.”