Witness Protection

by Stacey Espino

  “You should see a doctor.”

  Hawk threw up his arms. “It’s fine!”

  She narrowed her eyes, clearing not falling for his diversion. She’d come to him broken, and now she decided to be fearless?

  He attempted to get past her to grab a shirt from his closet, but she pushed him in the chest. His body didn’t budge, but he stopped. “Stop lying to me, Hawk. Something happened. You’re different now.”

  “I’m the same. What about you, Sophia? Have you changed?”

  His thoughts kept drifting to Cayden and the way she said his name. He’d always kept her sheltered—her father’s orders. Maybe the freedom had been too much too soon.

  Her fingers drifted down his chest to his abs. “I’m starting to think my father wasn’t the man I thought he was.”

  “You were always upset with him,” he reminded. “You never put him on a pedestal.”

  “I still had hope that he’d change, that he’d start loving me again. It’s like something clicked when I stopped being a kid. He only tolerated me after that. After everything I’ve learned, maybe he really was a monster.”

  He kept still and quiet.

  “What? You’re not defending him?”

  “Maybe you were right all along, Sophia.”

  ****

  What did that mean?

  Sophia was tired of hearing Hawk sing her father’s praises. She always believed it was the reason he never behaved out of line, not even an inappropriate look. If he’d stopped trying to feed her bullshit about her father, what had changed? Something must have happened at the factory, but what?

  “Can you stop treating me like a child, Hawk, and really talk to me?”

  He sat on the edge of the bed, leaning over to rest his elbows on his knees. “I found out something about my past that didn’t sit well with me.”

  “Your past?”

  “Vlad decided to confess his sins before he died. Before I killed him.”

  She swallowed hard, afraid of what he may say. Hawk had always been strong, fearless, never faltering. To see him broken shook her to the core.

  Sophia sat next to him, resting her hand on his thigh.

  “I shouldn’t be telling you any of this. You’ve been through enough.”

  “I know what my father was. I’m not going to make excuses for him.”

  He bolted back to his feet, pacing back and forth. She couldn’t help but admire his toned body and those strong arms covered in ink. His joggers fit deliciously over his hard ass.

  He kept taking breaths, like getting pumped up for a run. Then he stopped and looked right at her. “Your father made me an orphan.”

  She frowned. “I don’t understand. He took you in when you were ten.”

  “Because he murdered my mother and father. For some reason he had pity on me. That’s why I’m alive.” He ran a hand through his hair. “I gave him everything, my entire fucking life, my complete loyalty. I kept my distance from you out of respect for Vasily. But it was all a lie.”

  She was too shocked to reply. Sophia should be reassuring him, apologizing, saying something to comfort him. Her father had killed Cayden’s loved ones, and now this. She wished her father was alive just so she could tell him to go to hell.

  “Oh, Hawk—”

  “You don’t have to say anything, Sophia. It’s not your fault. He kept you in the dark about everything. I know that.”

  She cautiously approached him. Never had she seen him so torn, so filled with emotion. He’d always been the level-headed one, the voice of reason, the man to turn her down again and again.

  “He took that from you. It doesn’t matter if it’s not my fault, Hawk. I know how much family meant to you.” She touched his arm, and he shocked her when he lowered to her level and hugged her, his head on her shoulder as he sought comfort.

  She held him, her hands on his bare back. He didn’t cry, but her father had hurt him, destroyed an integral part of who he was. His vulnerability only drew her closer. Hawk had been one of her father’s most loyal men, trained by him personally since he was much too young to be involved in violence. She saw how Hawk worshipped her father. It had rubbed her wrong on countless occasions. To find out his devotion had been to a monster would be a crushing blow.

  And she knew what it felt like to never know her mother.

  “I’m so sorry,” she whispered. She leaned back and cupped his face, his stubble pricking her fingers. “You’re the one shot. You’re the one dealing with this. All you’ve ever done is protect me. You don’t deserve this, Hawk.”

  There was no chance for revenge. Hawk would have to live with this for the rest of his life. She thought of the scar and the tattoo he’d cherished. He’d cut it right off his body. That was something she wouldn’t have been able to do. The past week must have been a nightmare for Hawk. His hotel room was testament to his pain. She wished she could have been there for him when he’d needed her.

  “You’re all I have,” he said.

  How many times had she said the same thing to Hawk? She’d felt like a burden to him since the assassination. To hear him say those words brought her closer to him. She felt less lonely. Less afraid of what was to come.

  Chapter Twelve

  Six days in the same hotel room.

  It was her birthday. His little Sophia was turning twenty-five.

  The past week had started out turbulent, but he’d managed to push down the pain of Vasily’s betrayal. He never wanted to deal with it. It was Vasily who’d taught him to bury his emotions and stifle empathy in order to be the best hitman possible. Killers couldn’t have second thoughts.

  The nightmares were subsiding, but there had been a couple nights when Sophia had to wake him up. The betrayal burrowed deep, gutting him, making him question his own character.

  At least he’d had the pleasure of killing Vlad, but Vasily had gotten off easy with that single bullet. Cayden had his revenge on the bastard, and now Hawk would never have the pleasure. He’d never get the answers he wanted.

  Hawk had gone through the gamut—rage, betrayal, sadness, grief. He not only lost the family he’d never really known, blood relatives, a mother and father, but had Vasily ever loved or cared about him? Had he been just a tool to be used and shaped? Even after everything he knew, the little boy inside him craved Vasily’s unconditional love. A fantasy created from a broken mind.

  He’d never know the truth.

  “Ten minutes, Sophia!” he called out from the living room.

  He planned to take her to dinner, to give her the night of her life. With a price still on Sophia’s head, it was dangerous going out in public, but he wouldn’t keep her locked up like a damn prisoner on her birthday. Her father had done that to her all her life, and he’d been an accomplice.

  If trouble came along, Hawk would be ready. He was always on alert, always prepared.

  Sophia had been reluctant to celebrate, but he wouldn’t hear it. They both needed a chance to unwind, to enjoy life rather than hiding from it.

  All week he’d been trying to contact Antonio Baretti to get him to call off the hit on Cayden, but he couldn’t get through. It didn’t sit well with him.

  He looked out the windows, into a world he had no connection to. Life had been the family, and now only Sophia was left.

  “What do you think?”

  Hawk turned around. Sophia wore a long black dress with a side slit that traveled all the way to her hip. The low neck revealed too much cleavage. She took some steps toward him, her heels clicking on the tiles.

  Her long, blonde hair had been brushed smooth, flowing loose behind her.

  “Well? Do you like it?”

  “It’s a little risqué,” he said. “But you’re all grown up, aren’t you?”

  She was stunning, the most beautiful woman in the world. He’d let her do some online ordering to get some essentials, including her birthday dress.

  “You clean up nice yourself.” She walked a circle around him. He’d p
ut on one of his best suits, going all out for her birthday. Concealing weapons was always easier with a jacket. “Where you taking me, Hawk?”

  “It’s a secret. You okay with that?”

  “I trust you.” She adjusted his tie, her hands lingering on his chest. Every muscle in his body tensed. “One rule for tonight.”

  “What’s that?” he asked.

  “No sadness. No memories. This is our night. Just you and me.”

  He smoothed his hand over her hair. “Sounds good.” Hawk took her hand and led her to the door. Today was a new beginning, the first day of the rest of their lives.

  As they drove to the restaurant, one of the finest in the city, Sophia kept quiet.

  “You okay?” he asked.

  “This is a new car.”

  “Cayden tracked my last one, so I decided it was time for a change,” he said.

  “Don’t say that name. Please.”

  He tensed. All week, he’d wanted to bring up the other man, but pushed the desire away. Today was her birthday, so he wasn’t going to start any shit tonight. “Okay.”

  “I’m tired of living in a hotel,” she said a while later. “We have to start thinking of the future.”

  “The house is for sale. Everything’s in the works now. It won’t be long.”

  She shifted in her seat to face him better. “Will we be together? I don’t want to live alone.”

  “I’ll never leave you alone,” he said.

  She wasn’t a child, but she’d also been sheltered from the world. He couldn’t imagine her living alone in a big house, fending for herself. The world was a dangerous place, especially for the only heir of Vasily Morenov. But was she looking for comfort or a companion? He wanted to be her everything, but he refused to push himself on her, to force her into a life she’d regret.

  They pulled up to the restaurant, and he left the car with the valet. The lights and glamor cut the darkness of the evening as they walked up the grand steps to the restaurant.

  “Mr. Tesino. Please follow me.” The hostess led them to their private alcove in the restaurant. The very best for his Sophia. Her father would have done the same. Hawk would say that fucker was incapable of love, but even monsters managed to love their own.

  Once seated at their table, he waved away the other staff. He wanted alone time with Sophia. She sat across from him at the small table, her dark eyes luminous in the candle light.

  “Mr. Tesino?”

  “I did some calls. That’s my real surname, my parents’ name. Turns out I have Italian blood, not Russian.” He chuckled. What a clusterfuck.

  “I like it. Sophia Tesino,” she whispered, tasting the words.

  “You’re a Morenov.”

  “Until I’m married. I won’t miss losing the name.”

  He fucking loved the sound of her having his name. Imagining her as his wife seemed to make all the wrongs of the world disappear. He’d keep his promise and keep tonight about them.

  Hawk leaned over and pressed a finger to her lips. “Happy thoughts, baby.”

  She took his wrist and kissed his fingers. When she wrapped her lips around his thumb, he sat back in his seat, bracing the table with both hands, trying to will his hard-on away.

  No such luck.

  Sophia smiled. “We should move away from here. Far away. Maybe by the ocean. Or even the wilderness.” She toyed with her napkin, folding and unfolding it. “Not a big house like ours, something cute and cozy. Something to call home.”

  “Sounds nice,” he said.

  He wasn’t overly focused on her words. He was busy eyeing the fullness of her lips, and the soft swells of her breasts rising and falling with each breath. She was anything but a little girl in that dress.

  “I have a present for you. I’ll give it to you tonight.”

  “You never asked me what I wanted, though.”

  “You want something?”

  Sophia was never one for material possessions. Her father always bought her the best, but it never impressed her. She put her weight on her forearms, getting as close to him as she could without lifting out of her seat. “I want you.”

  “You already have me, baby. That’s not much of a wish.”

  “Hawk, I want you to kiss me, to touch me, to take my virginity. Tonight.”

  He looked to both sides, making sure they weren’t overheard.

  “Sophia, I won’t do that.”

  She scowled. “My father’s gone. Are you still refusing me out of loyalty, or is it something else? You’re not attracted to me? Or do you love another woman?”

  He was doing it again, playing his role as protector, the one Vasily groomed him for. But he had to push away that deep-seated impulse to deny himself. Things were different now.

  “I don’t want you to make a decision you’ll regret.”

  “I love you, Hawk. I’ve fantasized about this for years. I know exactly what I want.”

  He shifted in his seat, his cock heavy in his slacks. He wasn’t going to push her away any more. There was no reason to. He could take care of her, love her, protect her. No other man was good enough.

  He licked his lips. “To answer your questions. No, I don’t love another woman. And, yes, I am attracted to you. You have no idea just how much.”

  Her lips tilted into a smile she tried to hide. “Will you give me what I want?”

  He copied her position, leaning onto his forearms until they were only a breath away, their fingertips touching. “I wouldn’t want to disappoint the birthday girl.”

  Her lips parted, and she let out a barely audible sigh. She hadn’t expected him to comply. He wondered if she’d back out before the night was through.

  “What will you do with me?” Her eyes were hooded, her demeanor transitioning. “Tell me, Hawk.”

  “First I’ll make you take off that dress. Nice and slow. Bra and panties, too.”

  “You want me naked?”

  He nodded. “And on the bed. Your legs spread open for me. I want to see that pretty virgin pussy. Make it mine.”

  “Yes,” she murmured. “Tell me more.”

  “I’m going to make you come hard, baby. I’ll eat your pussy until you’re nice and wet, and then I’ll fill you with my cock.”

  “My cock?”

  “Yeah, baby. All yours.

  The waitress approached, standing next to the table. “Are you ready to order?”

  He had to remind himself that killing the waitress was not an option.

  ****

  Sophia squirmed in her seat, her panties moist, her pussy tingling. They’d finally crossed that line from babysitter to something much more. No turning back. He’d conceded, and he agreed to give her exactly what she wanted.

  Had her father had such a hold over him all these years?

  Hearing him talk dirty, imagining all the wicked things he planned for her, made her entire body heat from the inside out. Her womb coiled tight, her clit throbbing, and she swore she’d spontaneously orgasm until the waitress showed up.

  She took a breath, ordered, and then waited for Hawk to say something. Had she gone too far? Did he think less of her? This was so new for their relationship.

  “You’re mine, Sophia. Your father can’t deny me anymore. Tell me you’re mine.”

  “Yes, Hawk.”

  “I’ve been a fool, but I won’t be anymore. I’ll take care of you. And I’ll never refuse you anything.”

  Her entire body seemed to sigh in relief. Such beautiful words.

  No more begging.

  No more wishing.

  Hawk promised to be everything she’d ever wanted.

  “I like the sound of that,” she said. “I couldn’t have asked for a better birthday gift. Ever since that day, I was lost.”

  “It’s you and me. Never doubt my loyalty to you, Sophia.”

  She thought of Cayden and her happiness diluted. How could she love two men equally? What was wrong with her? She’d end up destroying them both if she mentioned
her true fantasy.

  Sophia kept her mouth shut.

  They enjoyed their meal, and she didn’t talk much. Her mind was elsewhere, everywhere. She was excited to take the next step with Hawk, but she missed Cayden and wondered where he was.

  Maybe she was a whore like her mother. She’d heard it enough from her father before he died. Why else would she have such deviant thoughts?

  “Do you want dessert? How about a piece of cake for your birthday?” he asked.

  “Only if it’s takeout. I want to see your present.” She stood up, careful of each step in her high heels. “I’ll just visit the washroom before we go.”

  “Okay, I’ll get the check.” He winked at her, and her heart fluttered. Hawk was ridiculously handsome, and she loved him in a three-piece suit.

  She weaved around tables toward the hallway to the washrooms. A lot of eyes were on her, but she was showing a lot of skin, so ignored the attention. She’d needed as much ammunition as possible to get Hawk to see her as a woman.

  Tonight, everything would change.

  Her excitement mixed with her increasing nerves, making her feel uneasy. She’d regroup and pull herself together in the washroom before leaving with Hawk. There was nothing to be afraid of. Hawk was her rock. She loved him, trusted him, and wanted him to dominate her body.

  He’d never hurt her.

  The bathroom was huge and empty. Her heels echoed as she walked along the row of sinks, admiring all the gold and ivory detailing. Hawk really did give her the very best for her birthday.

  She leaned over the counter to touch up her lipstick.

  The shadow of someone entering the washroom reflected in the mirror.

  A man.

  Sophia twirled around, bracing her hands on the counter behind her to keep from falling. He smirked, staring, pacing back and forth. She knew right away he was a hitman. And he was there to kill her.

  Adrenaline burned her veins, but she refused to show the bastard fear.

  “I think you’re lost. This is the woman’s washroom,” she said.

  Something emerged from his sleeve. A garrote. She’d seen some of her father’s enemies take their last breath with one of those.

  “I’ll scream.”