by Wilder, L.
Mr. McClanahan was sitting in his chair and actually smiling. I was shocked to find Hawk sitting there with him. When I realized they were in the midst of a deep conversation, I took a step back and listened. Hawk smiled as he asked, “What’d ya ride?”
“Last bike I had was a Yamaha TX50.” Mr. McClanahan chuckled as he said, “I know you boys today are all about your Harleys, but let me tell ya, that Yamaha was one hell of a ride.”
“I bet it was. Nothing better than being out on the road, no matter what you’re riding.”
“You’re right about that.”
“So, how long has it been?”
“Too damn long ... at least twenty years, maybe more.” Mr. McClanahan sighed as he continued, “Some of the best days of my life were spent with my brothers. Would give anything to go back, but I’m grateful God graced me with memories.”
I couldn’t believe it. Mr. McClanahan looked happier than I’d ever seen him. Hell, the man was practically beaming, and it was all because of Hawk. I didn’t know what to think. I had no idea what he was even doing there. It was one thing to watch me from a distance, but Hawk had taken things to a new level when he actually came inside. I should’ve been furious, but as I stood there watching him with Mr. McClanahan, I was far from angry. Instead, I was in awe. Hawk was not only able to get our grumpiest resident to carry on a lengthy conversation, but he’d gotten him to smile—even chuckle a time or two. It was impossible not to be moved by the sight. I wiped a tear from the corner of my eye as I listened to Hawk say, “Maybe we can find a way to get you back on the road again.”
“Doubt that’s ever gonna happen, son. I’m just not as able as I used to be.”
“I don’t know. I think you’ve still got at least one more good ride in ya.”
While it was thoughtful of Hawk to even think about getting Mr. McClanahan out for a ride, I didn’t want him to make a promise he couldn’t possibly keep, so I stepped out of hiding and said, “Hi there, Mr. McClanahan. I see you have company today.”
“I sure do,” he replied proudly. “Not sure if you’ve met, but this is Hawk.”
I cocked my eyebrow at Hawk as I replied, “Yes. We’ve crossed paths before.”
“That we have.” Hawk stood up and extended his hand to Mr. McClanahan then said, “It was good talking to you, brother. Mind if I stop by again sometime?”
Mr. McClanahan shook his hand. “No, not at all. I’d like that.”
“Good. I’ll see you soon.”
Without saying a word to me, Hawk walked past me and into the hall. Before I even realized what I was doing, I rushed out the door. “Hawk!”
He stopped and turned to look at me, and the second his eyes met mine, a shiver ran down my spine, making me instantly regret chasing after him. I couldn’t understand it, but there was something about the man that I found hard to resist. The fact that he looked unbelievably sexy in his tattered jeans, dark t-shirt, and leather vest didn’t help matters. His green eyes danced with mischief as he said, “Yeah?”
“What are you doing here?”
“I think it’s pretty clear. I was talking to Mr. McClanahan.”
“You know what I mean.” I let out a huff. “Why are you here … inside where I work? I mean, it’s one thing to follow me and watch me like you’ve been doing, but this is too much.”
“Just so we’re clear, I wasn’t planning on coming inside.”
“Then, why did you?”
“’Cause I had to take piss,” he answered bluntly.
“Oh.”
“I’ve got things to do, so … unless you have something else on your mind, I’ve gotta get going.”
“No, I didn’t need anything else.”
I watched as he turned and headed towards the front doors of the building. Just before he walked outside, he called, “I’ll be seeing ya, Delilah.”
I was too frustrated to respond. I could only stand there watching as he strolled out and into the parking lot. I was still standing there trying to wrap my head around what had just taken place when Krissy came rushing up to me. “Was it just my imagination, or did I just see you talking to maybe the hottest guy I’ve ever laid my eyes on?”
“It was your imagination.”
“Come on, Delilah,” she fussed. “Who was that?”
“That was nobody, or at least, nobody you’d want to know. Trust me.”
Before she could ask anything more, I turned and went to check on Mr. McClanahan. As soon as I was certain he was okay, I went back to the nurses’ desk to find Ms. Rice’s file. Once I found her daughter’s phone number, I gave her a quick call to make sure she was okay. She assured me that she was fine, and thanked me for looking after her mother. By the time I shared the news with Ms. Rice, it was time to get lunch to all the residents who couldn’t make it to the cafeteria. My busy morning turned into an even busier afternoon, which was just fine. I liked having the distraction as it kept my mind off things. I was thankful that work continued to stay that way over the next few days. I was actually starting to feel like my life was getting back to normal—at least, as normal as it could be under the circumstances. Sadly, the feeling was short-lived.
After another long day at work, I ran a few errands, then headed back to my apartment. I’d just gotten out of my car, my hands full of groceries, and I was on my way up to the front door. That’s when a strange shadow in one of the trees caught my attention. I stepped closer, trying to get a better look through the thick leaves, and was surprised to find Hawk perched on one of the larger branches.
“Seriously?” He looked down at me with surprise. “You’re hiding out in trees now?”
“What?”
“You heard me. It’s bad enough that you stalked me at work, but now—”
“Delilah,” he warned as he motioned his head to the left.
When I turned to look, I found my elderly neighbor, Mrs. Tate, standing beneath the tree. “Mrs. Tate ... I, um ... I didn’t see you standing there.”
“I’ve been trying to get Mr. Twiddles down from that tree for over an hour when this sweet boy came over and offered to help.” She tightened her grip on the lapel of her tattered pink bathrobe. “Isn’t he just the nicest young man?”
“Um-hmm.” I couldn’t believe my eyes. Mr. Rough and Tough was actually attempting to rescue my neighbor’s cat. Mrs. Tate looked up at Hawk like he was some kind of superhero as he continued further up the tree. When he got close enough, he reached out and grabbed the overweight orange tabby, carefully cradling him in his arms before starting back down. As soon as he got close enough, I asked, “You need a hand?”
Hawk shook his head as he made his way to the ground. “No, I’ve got it.”
“Thank you so much,” Mrs. Tate cried as she reached for Mr. Twiddles, kissing him as she cuddled him close to her chest. “You bad boy. You had me worried sick. I thought I’d lost you.”
“He’s all safe and sound now.”
“Thanks to you,” she replied. “I can’t thank you enough.”
“Don’t mention it. I was glad to help.”
Mrs. Tate looked down at her cat as she said, “I better get him inside. Thank you again.”
Hawk and I watched in silence as she shuffled up the steps and into her apartment. Once she’d made it inside, Hawk turned his attention to me. “Well, I guess I best get going … unless you need a hand with those groceries.”
“I’m good.” I wasn’t sure how to take Hawk actually being sweet. It made it harder to remember that he was one of the men who’d bought drugs from my brother and later tortured him. I wanted to believe that I’d witnessed another side to him—a side that was good, compassionate, and worth getting to know. It wasn’t that hard to believe. After all, he’d saved the day with both Mr. McClanahan and Mrs. Tate, so there was a possibility that there was more to him than I realized. The push and pull of it all was driving me nuts. I couldn’t take it anymore. I had to know for sure. It was the only way I’d ever be able to get him out
of my head. Before I had a chance to talk myself out of it, I glanced down at my groceries and said, “I was planning on making dinner. Since you’re here and all, would you like to join me?”
Hawk
I’d had a hell of a day. Actually, I’d had a hell of a week. After going over everything we’d learned from Danny, we decided it was time for us to set up a meet with his handler. We’d have Danny call him with another large order, and when he went to meet up with Miller to pick it up, we’d be there. One way or another, we would get the answers we were looking for. While we were dealing with the Danny bullshit, we were also busy trying to get the new strip club up and running. Viper had gotten the permits we needed, and we’d started up construction. Some of the bigger stuff, like electrical and plumbing, had been hired out, but the brothers and I were doing what we could to take care of the rest. Viper wanted the business running as quickly as possible, so we’d been at it night and day, busting our asses to get it all done. By the time we finished installing the drywall in the main bar, I was exhausted and in need of a break. I went to the clubhouse and took a hot shower with the intention of calling it an early night, but as soon as I got out, I decided to get dressed and head off on my bike. The next thing I knew, I was parked outside of Delilah’s apartment.
I’d checked the tracker on her car. I knew she hadn’t made it home yet, but there I sat, waiting for her red two-door sedan to pull up. I told myself that I just needed a quick glimpse of her to make sure that she was okay, and then I’d go. It seemed like a simple plan until Mrs. Tate came along. Poor thing stood out there for over twenty minutes calling that damn cat, but he refused to come down. I felt sorry for the lady, so I went over and offered to help. I never imagined that Delilah would walk up just as I got up in that damn tree. I managed to get the cat down, and for my efforts, I got an invitation to dinner. I hadn’t intended on staying, but there was no way in hell I was going to pass up a chance to be alone with Delilah. I tried not to sound too eager when I replied, “Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Great.” She smiled as she started towards the door. “Come on up.”
I followed her inside and up a flight of stairs, and a minute later, we were walking into her apartment. It was small, just one-bedroom with a little kitchen and living room, but it was full of southern charm and sass—just like Delilah. As I followed her over to the kitchen, I told her, “Nice place.”
“Thanks.” She placed the bags of groceries on the counter, then started putting them away. “It’s not much, but it’s close to work and I like my neighbors.”
“How long have you lived here?”
“About four months ... maybe a little longer.” She placed a thick salmon filet on a pan and started to season it. “Baked salmon okay?”
“Yeah, that’d be great. Can I give you a hand with something?”
“You could peel these.” She handed me the bag of potatoes as she pointed over to the stove. “There’s a peeler thingie in the drawer next to the stove.”
“Got it.”
After I grabbed it out of the drawer, I went over to the sink and got to work. My back was to her when she asked, “Can I get you a soda or a beer?”
“A beer would be good.” I heard the refrigerator door open, and seconds later she placed the bottle on the counter next to me. “Thanks.”
“No problem.” I could feel her eyes on me as she stood there for a moment, silently watching me before walking back over to the stove. As she started seasoning the salmon, she asked, “Can I ask you a question?”
“What’s on your mind?”
“I was just thinking about your real name. I’m guessing it isn’t Hawk.”
“No, it isn’t.” I chuckled. “That’s my road name. My real name is Zander Michaels.”
“Zander. Hmm ... I was thinking it would be something more like Malachi or Isaac.” she teased.
“Malachi, huh?”
“Yeah,” she giggled, “he who walks behind the rows ... and all that.”
“You’re a smartass. That’s all there is to it.”
“Just calling ’em like I see ’em, Zander.” I won’t deny that there was a slight awkwardness between us. Hell, I’d be a fool to think that things would just be easy with all that had gone down with her brother, but moments like this made me wonder if we could find our way around it all. She turned her attention back to the salmon, and once she had it all prepped, she slipped it into the oven. When I finished the potatoes, she sliced them up and placed them in a pot. Her back was to me as she said, “You know, you’ve never really told me anything about the Ruthless Sinners. I’m guessing from all the motorcycles and leather, you’re a motorcycle gang or something.”
“Not a gang. We’re an MC.” She glanced back at me with a confused look on her face, so I explained, “It’s pretty simple. A gang is about finding the means to an end, while an MC is all about the brotherhood. We’re family. Simple as that.”
“And you all live in that warehouse building together?”
“The clubhouse?” She nodded. “No. We don’t all live there, but we have rooms there so we can stay whenever need be.”
“So, you have a place of your own?”
“Yeah. I have a house not too far from here.”
“A house? Hmm ... That must be nice. I couldn’t even begin to afford a place of my own ... at least not yet. Maybe someday, though.” After checking the stove one last time, she turned to me and said, “It’s going to be a few minutes before it’s ready. I’m going to run and take a shower. I have to get out of these scrubs.”
“Okay. Take your time.”
“Make yourself at home.” She started towards her room and said, “Oh, and umm ... make sure the potatoes don’t burn.”
“I’ve got it covered.”
Seconds later, I heard the water turn on, so I took a moment to look around her place. Wasn’t much to see, just a few pictures scattered here and there, but the photographs of her friends and family gave me a little insight into her life. There was no picture of a dad or grandparents, only a few her mother and Danny, and a couple of others of Delilah and a cute blonde. I’d just gone into the kitchen and finished checking the potatoes when Delilah returned. The sight of her nearly took my breath away. The crazy thing about it was that she wasn’t even fixed up. Her long hair was down and she was wearing a pair of baggy sweats with a black tank top, but she looked fucking incredible. A smile crept across her face as she asked, “You ready to eat?”
“Always.”
I helped her bring everything over to the small kitchen table, then we sat down and made our plates. As we started eating, our previous small talk fired up once again. We both shared a couple of stories about our childhood, and Delilah told me about her parents’ divorce and how they’d all moved into her grandmother’s house. From what I’d heard, divorce was tough on most kids, but I got the impression it wasn’t so bad for Delilah. In fact, from the way she talked, her mother walking out on their father was the best thing that could’ve happened to them. Our conversation continued as we cleaned up the dirty dishes and made our way over to the sofa. Delilah reached for the remote, and a smile crossed her face when she saw that Animal Kingdom was on. She looked over to me and said, “I can’t believe you actually watch this.”
“Are you kidding? It’s one of my favorites.”
“Seriously?”
“Definitely.” I chuckled. “Those brothers pull off some pretty impressive shit, and you were right about Smurf. She’s crazy, but damn, they’d never make it without her.”
“I think Jay is up to something.”
“Yeah, I think so, too. I just don’t have any idea what.”
We both sat back and watched the show, occasionally discussing different aspects of it. As soon as it was over, she turned off the TV, and we went right back to talking. We sat inches apart, telling one story after the next. I’d just finished going on about the day my father had bought me my first motorcycle when it hit me. I wasn’t a man w
ho did “small talk.” I sure as hell wasn’t one to talk about myself, but she drew it out of me, making me want to share things with her I’d never told anyone. The realization got to me, but not enough to make me get up and leave. Instead, I sat there and surprisingly relished every moment I got to spend with her.
The sun had set, and it was starting to get late when a fretful expression crossed Delilah’s face. I thought she was going to send me walking, but instead, she asked, “I know I’m not supposed to ask, but is Danny okay?”
The club’s dealing with Danny wasn’t something I could discuss with her. Club business was always kept solely between the brothers, but I decided it wouldn’t hurt to tell her, “He’s hanging in there.”
“Do you think there’s a chance he’ll walk away from this?”
That wasn’t a question I was ready to answer. Unfortunately, I knew this was something she wouldn’t let it go. “The decision isn’t up to me, but there’s always a chance.”
“But he wasn’t the one responsible for the mix-up.”
“He knew there was a problem, and instead of coming to us about it, he tried to skip town. And on top of that, he shot one of my brothers, Delilah. He could’ve killed Rafe.”
The vulnerable look in her eyes masked a strength inside of her that even she didn’t know existed, but I knew it was there. It was evident when she disputed again, “But he didn’t kill him.”
“No, but he knew there would be consequences to his actions when he pulled the trigger. That’s on him.” Anguish crossed her face, and it gutted me to see her so worried. Hoping to ease her mind, I explained, “Viper is our president for a reason. He doesn’t make rash decisions. He thinks things through and does what’s right for everyone concerned. I trust he’ll do the same when it comes to Danny.”
