“Meh. I’ve lived a full life and it’ll be worth it.”
Chapter 27
Do Not Destroy! It’s full of FOOD!
Hawk left the note taped to the fridge. There were notes on all the appliances.
DO NOT TOUCH MY MIXER OR NO MORE BAKED GOODS!
I’m not coming back if you break this. I NEED coffee.
“I’d never break your things,” Casper muttered as he yanked the fridge open. It was full of food and Casper was hungry but he didn’t want to eat. “I like breaking Blink’s things,” he recalled as he shut the door. He looked around but he didn’t want to break any of the chairs Hawk liked to sit in or burn the little kitchen table. They fucked on it. Casper pressed his hand to the top of the table and he could almost feel Hawk’s teeth digging into his neck. “I need...!” Casper swallowed a howl. “I need him!” He whispered and reached for the wall and pulled himself into the living room and grabbed one of the parallel bars. He looked to the stairs and considered going after the brace and shook his head. “To hell with it,” he said and his eyes went to his keys on the hook by the door. Hawk liked to drive Casper’s new van when he went into town and left it parked in the back. Casper threw himself at various pieces of furniture and walls to get to the keys then crashed through the front door. He hung on and fell against the post and jumped down each step on his left foot. He held onto the porch and then the wall as he made his way around the cottage. The van started right up and Casper pulled himself up and into the seat. He was sweating and his left leg burned but Casper ignored his shaking hands and the pain blooming in his right thigh. “I have to get to him.”
He could drive the first Gladys with his dead leg but Casper didn’t fare as well with just one leg and Gladys #2. He clipped the corner of the cottage and ripped off part of the porch as he steered around it. He scraped damn near every tree along the narrow road through the woods and all was lost when the axle got caught on a root. It took an hour of punching the horn and screaming at the top of his lungs before a limo rolled over the hill and stopped in front of the van. Casper abandoned the van and hopped at the limo as Blink got out.
“What the hell are you doing? You’re supposed to be resting in the cottage until Dr. Hawkesworth returns!” Blink scolded as he hurried and caught Casper.
“I need that limo! Order a jet. I’m going to Chicago,” Casper said and tried to push Blink away so he could lunge at the driver but he stopped him.
“Call for someone to move this!” Blink yelled at his driver and pointed at the van then gave Casper a firm shake. “Get yourself together,” he said firmly but Casper shoved him away and barely reached the driver as he swatted at him.
“Don’t just stand there, you dumb fucking dick! Do your job and drive me to the mother fucking airport!” He screamed and held onto the driver’s tie as he swung forward and grabbed the opened limo door.
“You’re not going anywhere, Casper,” Blink called as he went after him.
“I will burn your damn house down if you don’t order that jet! I’ll burn Blackhurst to the fucking ground, Blink!” Casper spat and flapped at the house.
“Jesus... This got pathetic quickly,” Blink sighed and waved for the driver to get in the car. Casper gave the dick in a suit a satisfied nod then fell inside and heaved himself onto the bench. Blink ducked inside and was shaking his head as he pulled the door shut behind him. “You couldn’t be more desperate and he’s going to run screaming,” he predicted as the driver skillfully backed down the narrow lane until he could reverse and turn them back toward the house. Casper snorted and shut his eye as he rested his head against the cushions. He was already exhausted and his clothes were soaked with sweat. You haven’t even made it off the property! One of the voices jeered and there were snickers.
“Shut up. He knew I was messy and unstable when he agreed to this.”
“Did he...?” Blink asked and Casper’s eye snapped open.
“Yes.”
“He did say he’s planning to return but are you sure his head and his...heart are in the same place as yours?” Blink countered suggestively, making Casper sneer.
“Stay out of it. I know what you’re doing and I trust Hawk.” He turned away but he could see Blink’s eyes narrowing in the window’s reflection.
“What am I doing?” He asked and Casper glanced over his shoulder and glared.
“You don’t want to lose me like you lost Lavender so you’re getting in my head and trying to make me suspicious,” he said. Blink pushed out a long, weary breath and sighed Casper’s name.
“I did want more for you than the boring life of a housewife but I genuinely don’t want to see you hurt. Dr. Hawkesworth is a...decent enough man but I can’t figure out who he’s loyal to,” he said gently and it stunned Casper for a moment. It wasn’t like Blink to be gentle and Casper almost believed him.
“He’s loyal to me,” Casper stated and his whole being begged for it to be true. Blink’s brows jumped and he was still for several moments before a smile tugged at his lips.
“You’re taking quite a gamble and I hope you’re right. I’ll order the jet.”
Chapter 28
“I’ll just stuff all of this in here,” Hawk decided with a firm nod. He did another quick guesstimate of the space under the stairs then shoved the overstuffed suitcase inside. He had to give it a few stomps but the door finally shut. “That’ll do,” he declared then looked around the loft. He’d emptied his drawers and half of his closet and Maisie stocked the fridge. Phee was waiting to be discharged when Hawk burst into his hospital room so he hurried back to his place to get everything ready. He was kind of glad it wouldn’t sit empty and Phee could watch Waldo—Hawk’s sister’s dog—if he got lonely. Hawk rescued Waldo—named as such because she was spotted in the rubble of a collapsed building while he was in Afghanistan. Hawk gave her to his sister, Liza, but they shared custody when he was in town. “I wonder if Casper likes dogs...” He mused and there was a tickle in his chest. They’d adopt a whole pack of dogs if Casper would allow it. And maybe a fat old cat or two... Hawk’s feet didn’t touch the ground, between his place and the hospital. He picked up Phee and was relieved he was going to be alright but Hawk couldn’t wait to get him settled and get back on a plane to Rhode Island. Please let him like dogs! Hawk begged as he unlocked the door to his loft. What if he’s allergic? That seemed like something Hawk should know...
“Are you going to open the door?” Phee whispered at Hawk’s ear and he laughed and gave his head a shake.
“Sorry. I was someplace else,” Hawk admitted as he held the door open and let Phee pass. His face was busted up and they had to shave off half of his long blond hair so they could stitch the various lacerations. But that didn’t stop Phee from purring and rubbing against Hawk.
“Come back,” Phee whispered and bit into his lip as he fisted his hands in Hawk’s shirt. Phee tugged as he fell into the loft. Hawk swung the door shut as he stumbled after him but he shook his head as he caught Phee’s wrists.