“Extracting me from a difficult situation,” Alice finished for him, smiling in return.
“Precisely.”
“Does it pay well?”
Hawk grinned. “Indeed it does.”
“So you’re rich.”
“You could say that.”
“Rich enough to give it up and settle down?”
“How do you know I haven’t already?”
“Well, you don’t wear a ring, and I know some men don’t. However, for some reason you don’t seem married, and well, you and I we, err…made love and to be honest I don’t take you as a man that would be unfaithful.”
“You’re right, princess, I’m the faithful type.”
“So would you?”
“What?”
“Give it up to settle down.”
“Absolutely, if I met the right woman.”
Alice sighed. There was no answer to that, so she closed her eyes suddenly feeling really tired and extraordinary close to tears.
* * * *
She was cold. Alice stirred, mumbling restlessly.
“It’s okay, Alice, just sleep.” Hawk’s voice penetrated her consciousness, and she settled back down. However, just a few minutes later she came fully awake. Something had disturbed her.
“Shush.” Hawk placed an arm around her and pulled her closer against his side. “It’s nothing, just a small landslide.”
Nodding, Alice snuggled into his warmth. Determinedly closing her eyes she sighed as sleep became elusive.
“Can’t go back to sleep?”
“No, sorry, am I disturbing you?”
“No, you’re fine.”
“Hawk?”
“Alice?”
“Mmm, can you? I mean will you…kiss me?”
“Alice, I can and I will.”
Lifting her and with a bit of maneuvering he sat her on his lap, her knees on either side of his hips and facing him.
Cupping Alice’s face between his hands, Hawk stared into her eyes before his mouth found hers in a kiss that stirred the senses. Softly caressing her lips, his tongue pushed gently into her mouth, seeking and exploring, drawing from her a response she was more than ready to give. Her body grew soft and mellow and she pressed closer to him. Her limbs quivered when she felt the hard rise in his trousers. Wrapping her arms around his neck, Alice gave kiss for kiss, growing bolder in her demands. Working her hips she moved gently backward and forward, inciting his touch and creating a friction that demanded appeasement.
“Fuck me!” she bravely demanded.
A bit of manipulation, and her trousers were at her knees, and his cock was sheathed in her warm, moist pussy.
Alice caught her breath. He was in so deep she felt a fullness at the back of her throat that couldn’t be explained. Her clitoris rubbed against the roughness of Hawk’s trousers, bringing forth a tingling, aching sensation that burned and pulsated. His hands on her hips controlled the impetus that drove her, slowing the ripples that expanded from her friction-swollen clit to deep in her womb. Pulling off her shirt to expose her bountiful breasts, the nipples hard with excitement, she offered them for him to suckle. His head bent and, taking a hard nub into his mouth, he gently nipped. Heat filled her being, and the sound of her heart pounded in her head, and she gasped for breath. Rising and falling, grinding and thrusting, their bodies became as one. His hands as he cupped her softly rounded buttocks were strong and powerful, yet gentle and manipulative, squeezing and molding, caressing their peachy softness. Senses were heightened—taste, touch, smell, hearing, and sight. The taste of him inflamed her, the flavor of peppermint and cheese. The touch of his flesh upon hers tingled like electricity. The sight of things around her seemed blurred but somehow enhanced and her hearing… She could hear the thump of her own heart intermingling with the beat of his. And the smell! The smell was unique, his personal masculine scent, the scent of sweat, lemon, and manly musk. The scent of sex.
Urgent need met urgent need, and as Hawk’s cock grazed her G-spot, Alice experienced an upsurge of feeling. Her senses joined and became as one, and for a heart-stopping moment the universe made sense, and she exploded on an orgasm. The intensity of what she was feeling caused her world to slip on its axis as each tummy-clenching vibration rippled from her clitoris to her womb. A further eruption of feeling was experienced as Hawk groaned a wild primal sound that seemed to tear savagely from his throat as he spilled his hot seed deep into her receiving body.
* * * *
Holding Alice close as she slowly came back to earth, Hawk closed his eyes as a rush of feeling tore through him like an uncomfortable ache. He loved this woman, and he’d never thought to ever experience this kind of closeness, and it unnerved him. He had to get her home safely, to revel in her family and to know freedom again. And although he wanted to bind her to him, he knew he had to let her go, to let her once again feel the liberty of independence. Sorrow and happiness filled his heart, the sorrow of knowing he would have to leave her to refind herself. But happiness of the sure and certain knowledge that he had finally found that which was the most elusive of all emotions—true love!
Inhaling, he breathed in the scent of her, the smell of roses, of perspiration, and of the muskiness of her own exceptional aroma. Imprinting to memory he committed the look and feel of her. The softness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair, and the beauty of her eyes.
* * * *
“Hawk.” Alice stirred in his embrace and shifted position to cuddle up against him.
Placing a hand on his chest above his steadily thumping heart she softly sighed.
“Hawk, I love you.”
Alice felt two things happen at once. The stillness of him and the sudden miss of one heavy heartbeat. Moving slightly she stared into his deep blue eyes.
“Say something,” she whispered fearfully. Afraid that he would disregard the depth of her feelings.
Hawk’s eyes softened. “I love you as well, Alice.”
Her breath left her in a sudden painful whoosh as her heart tightened in her breast.
“Oh God, Hawk, I never thought to hear you say it. I mean, I thought you didn’t care for me in that way, and I…”
“Alice.” His voice was deep and low. “As much as I love you, my darling, it can never be.”
“What do you mean? Of course it can. I love you and you love me—the end.”
Hawk smiled at her turn of phrase. “Alice, I need to get you home, back to your family. You need to learn to live again unbound by the chains of captivity, and so until you experience and accept your freedom for what it is there can be no us.” He held up his hand when she sought to interrupt. “No, Alice, you know I’m right. You need to find you again, and if after a time you still feel the same then we can take it from there.” He lifted her hand and kissed the palm. “Okay?”
Alice stared sadly into his face. She wanted to shout and scream “No it’s not all right. My love has no doubts, no barriers, and I know my own mind.” But instead she smiled softly and nodded. The journey was not yet over, so she had time. Time to make him change his mind.
Chapter Twenty
Falling to her knees for the umpteenth time, Alice stared around. The snow had stopped falling, but everywhere was white, and the air was icy, each breath harder to take than the last. Hawk had set a fast pace, which she found hard to sustain. Scrambling to her feet she gritted her teeth and, focusing her mind, placed one step in front of the other. The wind was blowing, and she felt cold to her bones, her feet were sore, and she wondered as to frostbite. Everywhere she looked were mountains, each one seeming higher than the last. Afraid to ask how much farther they had to go, Alice realized she really didn’t want to know. If it was miles she would be disappointed and defeated. However, if there was no distance left when they arrived she would feel elated and surprised. So opting for surprise and elation she kept silent.
Suddenly her arm was caught, and Hawk dragged her after him.
“There are some men up on the
ridge, so we need to hide.”
Alice felt as if her heart fell to her stomach, such was the fear. Unable to voice her fears she blindly ran as fast as she could, following him as he climbed over rough rocks and slid down small crevices. Taking her eyes off Hawk but for a moment she glanced at the projection. The men were gone!
“Hawk,” she called, feeling a surge of relief. He must have imagined them.
Hawk stopped and glanced back. Smiling happily she waved toward the outcrop. “There’s no one there.” She laughed. “You must have imagined the…” Her voice broke as she was hit on the head from behind, the blow forcing her to her knees.
Feeling the pain in her head begin to recede, Alice looked up into the harsh scarred face of Bashir, one of Abdul’s men
Crying out as a hard hand hit her across the face she began to black out, but just before she lost consciousness she heard the high-pitched whine of a bullet as it whizzed past her face and hit Bashir in the thigh. Screaming in pain he fell to the ground and then all hell broke loose. Alice shook her head, attempting to keep the blackness at bay, and scrambled to the shelter of the mountainside. The sound of gunfire, the screams of men, and the falling of stones surrounded her, filling the air with noise, commotion, and confusion.
Suddenly, Hawk jumped off the rock above her and, grabbing her hand, pulled her to her feet. Laying down fire he shielded her as they moved quickly and efficiently away from the scene of carnage.
Hardly daring to rejoice or even feel a modicum of relief, Alice, her muscles tense, her head aching, and her back throbbing, moved fast, uncomplainingly sticking to Hawk like glue.
However, it was not to be, and suddenly they were surrounded. Alice wanted to throw herself on the ground kicking and screaming in frustration. So near yet so far. Life just isn’t fair!
Slowly Hawk laid down his rifle. Bashir, a cloth tied around his thigh, reeled off a volley of Arabic, and one of the men hit Hawk with the butt of his rifle. Blood sprayed the air, and Alice cried out in protest. In spite of this, Hawk remained standing.
Seconds later he was grabbed by two men and dragged to the edge of the mountain. Alice felt her heart in her mouth, and a cold fear invaded her stomach twisting her guts into knots.
Pulled forward to stand alongside Hawk, Alice struggled against the hands that held her. However, her struggles were in vain, and glancing down she felt her head reel as the thought of what was about to happen filled her with terror. Sickness churned in her stomach. Thousands of miles of open space lay before her, and all she could hope for was that death would come quickly. Glancing sideward her gaze met that of Hawk’s.
Another rapid outburst of Arabic, and Hawk was moved forward. Reaching out a hand he clasped Alice’s small cold fingers, and lifting them to his lips he placed a kiss in the palm of her hand and closed her fingers protectively over it.
His gaze returned to hers, and his eyes softened at the fear present in hers.
“I’m happy that you were mine, Alice, even if it was only for a short time,” he whispered just before he was pushed over the edge.
Alice could hear the screams, high pitched, raw, and primal, and as the blackness closed over her she realized…the screams were in fact hers.
* * * *
Coming awake, Alice felt the awful emptiness filling her. Hawk was gone, and so she had nothing left, no wish to continue, no wanting to go on. Briefly closing her eyes she fought against the comforting blackness. As much as she wanted to give into its soothing velvety warmth she knew she had to make an effort to carry on. Hawk would have wanted it. But all she could see was his dizzying fall from the mountaintop. A sob caught in her throat at the thought of his body lying crumpled and lifeless at the bottom of the mountain. Crying out as she was kicked in the side she glanced up into Bashir’s face.
“You, woman, have been a big problem to me, and you will suffer for it.”
Refusing to answer, Alice lowered her head and stared at the ground. She was sitting propped against the wall of the mountain, and it was dark. No stars shone in the sky, and the moon was hidden behind a cloud. It was as if the night was joining her in mourning Hawk’s loss. Bashir kicked her again, and she refused to respond, refused to show any emotion. He was a cruel man, and to show any weakness would just give him added power, and she wouldn’t give him that satisfaction.
Her head ached, and her sight was fuzzy. Falling in and out of consciousness she frowned as noise filled the air, frightening in its intensity. Shouts went up and Alice lifted her head. Now what?
Gunfire, shouting, and screaming—was it happening again? Or was she just imagining it? The howling wind was stirring the snow and tugging at her clothes, and Alice peered mistily into the darkness. There were lights, red and yellow blinding her. She squinted, lifting a hand to her face, wiping away the snow and her tears and shielding her eyes.
Someone grabbed her, and she refused to fight. Let them throw her off the mountain. She no longer cared. She would at least be with Hawk. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she began to cry silent tears of loss. Feeling her feet leave the ground she finally gave into the blackness. This was it—the end. Her last thought was of Hawk, his strong arms and his wicked grin. And as awareness slipped away she tenderly smiled.
* * * *
Alice blinked and came awake. There was a smell at which she wrinkled her nose in distaste. Disinfectant! Feeling like she had been hit by a ten-ton truck and every bone in her body aching she frowned, attempting to recall where she was and how she had got there. Fogginess obscured her vision, and she blinked to clear it. Light, white and hot, shone in her eyes, and she turned her head.
“You’re awake at last.”
Briefly closing her eyes she squeezed them tight before snapping them back open.
“Yes.”
“How many fingers am I holding up?”
“What?”
“Come on, Alice. How many fingers can you see?”
“Four,” she mumbled, struggling to sit up.
“I think she’ll be fine. We’ll do a couple more X-rays just to be sure but…”
“Thank God.”
Alice’s head snapped to the right. “Daddy?” She felt an upsurge of unadulterated happiness.
“Sweetheart, you’re safe now.”
“Where am I?”
“In hospital, love. Your mum’s here as well.”
Crying in relief she was enfolded in her mother’s arms, and all the grief, the worry, and the stress of the last year poured out.
Chapter Twenty-One
Alice looked out of the window at the dark day and placed her arm around Duckie-Poo, finding some comfort from his doggy warmth. The angry black clouds were rolling across the gray sky, and the sun had all but disappeared. A fitting day, Alice thought, her eyes filled with unshed tears and her heart heavy and aching. A fitting day to say good-bye. Swallowing hard she ravaged her lower lip with her teeth, marring their smooth pink perfection. Good-bye! What a difficult word, one of the most difficult in the world. It had sad connotations. It meant leaving someone or something. It meant going away. It meant…loss. The rain started pit-patting against the window pane, and as she watched the rain grew harder, no longer a light pit-pat but a heavy thump as it hit the glass. Drawing a deep breath as lightning ravaged the sky she turned as the door opened.
“You ready, sweetheart?”
Nodding, Alice swallowed again and followed her father from the room. This was it!
Gazing down at the ground, tears blurred Alice’s eyes as the coffin was lowered into the freshly dug hole. The coffin was of course empty, as empty as Alice’s heart. Hawk’s body had never been found, but it was now six months since that awful day. The day when Hawk had been thrown from the mountain, and it was time to let his soul rest and time to say good-bye. The empty coffin was just a token, something his family had wanted. She looked across at his cousins. Two people were all Hawk had left in the world besides her. Of course, she would always be part of Hawk, and him of h
er. She smoothed her hands over her swollen belly. At least she had his child, and that gave her some form of comfort. Her heart swelled with love, their child a son or a daughter, she hadn’t wanted to know. It was to be a surprise. She smiled tenderly, but a very welcome surprise. Their child made in love.
Thunder crashed and lightning lit up the dark sky. Alice looked up blinking through a mixture of rain and tears. It was time to go.
Turning she tucked her hand into the arm of Hawk’s cousin. John had been a rock, someone to cling to, someone to talk to when times got bad, when grief had got too much to bear. His kindness had helped her through the rough times, helped her when the happiness of discovering she was pregnant with Hawk’s baby had been tinged by the overwhelming sadness of his loss. And it was thanks to him she had this day, this day to say a final farewell. Not that Hawk would be gone forever, left alone in a lonely graveyard. No, he would always be with her, safe in her heart, and part of her child.
* * * *
Back at the house people milled around helping themselves to food, wine, and coffee and uttering the usual condolences and showing surprise that she was pregnant. However, through it all she stayed calm, even managed to smile, but in the deepest recesses of her heart she was crying. It had been six months since Hawk’s death, but it had felt like forever. All she had to remember was the one wonderful week she had had with him, a week when she realized just what true love was. It hadn’t been the arduous climb up the mountain, or the danger that had been ever present or the emotional highs and lows that she would remember. It had been the moments spent in his arms. The rest paled into insignificance.
Man of the Mountain (Siren Publishing Classic) Page 10
