by S. K. Hardy
“That’s something we agree on, Ms. Randolph. If you and I had made love last night, you sure as hell would’ve felt it this morning.” Hawk’s eyes lowered to the front of her tank top. Raven’s nipples hardened in reaction to his brazen statement. Chuckling softly to himself, Hawk went back around the island and picked up the bowl.
“What’s so funny?” Raven demanded.
“Nothin’. You like your eggs scrambled soft, right?”
“Yes, but–”
“Do you mind getting the plates for me? As soon as the eggs are ready we can eat.”
Raven hissed in frustration. Jumping off the stool, she marched to the cabinets and grabbed the plates. Hawk turned to watch her. Without thinking, she opened the drawer where the utensils were kept and took them out as well. She didn’t seem to notice that she remembered where everything was, but Hawk did. For some reason that made him smile.
“Still grinning to yourself, I see,” she said when she caught him staring. After putting everything on the island, she went to stand by Hawk so that she could see his face. As always, she was determined to get her point across. “I think we need to get some things clear between us. I take the blame for what I did last night but nothing like that will happen again. Things are different now. Getting away helped me put a lot of things in perspective.”
“Such as?” Hawk picked up the skillet with the scrambled eggs and dished them out onto their plates.
“I realize I can’t change anything in the past so the best thing to do is not even dwell on it and give it my energy. My job, Judge Warner, Jeff and Gwynn, you...I have to let all that go.”
“Good. I think that’s for the best.” After putting two pieces of French toast on her plate and a couple pieces of bacon, he did the same on his plate, but doubled the portions. “We can eat here on the island, if that’s okay with you. Grab those plates for me and I’ll get some glasses for the orange juice.”
“I’d like a cup of–” Raven didn’t have to finish the sentence. Hawk had already retrieved a mug and was reaching for the coffee pot.
“Two teaspoons of sugar, no cream, right?” he asked after he finished pouring the coffee.
“Ah, yes,” she frowned. Shaking her head she picked up the plates and took them around to where they would be sitting. She waited for Hawk to take the seat beside her before continuing the conversation. “As I was saying, a lot of things changed for me. When I left, all I wanted to do was find a way to hurt you, make you feel some of what I felt. Luckily, I had time to reflect on everything.”
Hawk bit off a piece of bacon. “And? What conclusion did you come to?”
“I have to put myself and my needs first. Just because I want something–or someone–it doesn’t mean it’s good for me.”
“I agree,” Hawk nodded.
Raven arched her brow, showing her skepticism. “You do?”
“I know you don’t believe me, but I only want what’s best for you, Rae. If it turns out it’s not me, then I have to accept that. I just want you to be happy.”
“Thank you,” she said softly. “If you really mean it, I appreciate that.”
“I do, and you’re welcome.” Hawk picked up the glass of orange juice and took several deep gulps then placed it down beside his plate. He knew his next question would ruin the potential truce they seemed to be on the way to calling, but he asked it anyway. “So do you think the job in D.C. will make you happy?”
Raven froze in the act of bringing a bite of the French toast to her mouth. She turned and stared at him in shock. “How do you know about that?”
He glanced at her before going back to his breakfast. “Saw the contract in your apartment.”
“You saw the...wait, what do you mean you...?” Raven was finding it hard to put a coherent sentence together. The fork fell from her fingers and clattered against her plate. “When? And what were you doing in my apartment?”
Hawk answered around a mouthful of food. “Waiting for you to come home after the benefit.” He twisted his neck to lock her down with a scorching stare. “You know. When you decided to take off with Kruz.”
“But...But I assumed you were waiting in the lobby. How did you even get inside? I left strict instructions that you were not to be let in!”
“I know. That’s why I bought the building.”
“You bought the–” Raven couldn’t even finish the sentence. Shoving her plate aside and propping her elbows up on the granite countertop, she lowered her forehead down to her hands. Her mind was officially blown at his audacity. “You bought the building so that you could have access to my apartment?”
“I didn’t have a way to contact you, remember? The only other thing I could think of was getting into your apartment to see if there was anything you left behind that would help me do that. They wouldn’t give me access to look, so yeah. I bought the got damn building.”
Suddenly losing his appetite, Hawk threw his napkin down and pushed his plate back as well. It wasn’t pleasant to recall those first days, or even weeks, after she left. He felt so helpless, so...empty. Angel wouldn’t give him any information and refused to grant him access to his island. Hawk wouldn’t put it past him to have a standing order to shoot his damn plane down if he tried. Finally, Hawk had enough, hence his plan to make the trip anyway, whether he had access or not.
“I missed you, dammit.” The words were torn grudgingly from him. It wasn’t easy to admit to buying an entire apartment building just so he could be close to her in some way.
“And that’s all that mattered, your feelings, right?” Raven raged. “You violated my privacy, Hawk! How dare you!”
“How dare you!” Hawk shouted, slamming his palm down on the counter. “You left me! For months!”
As the pain he felt in those early days came back to him, he swiped his plate to the floor, shattering it into pieces. Ignoring the mess, he stood abruptly and walked a few paces away. He valiantly tried to control his anger, but it was no use. It was clear Raven felt the same. The emotions circulating in the room were so intense they could almost reach out and touch them in the air around them.
Hawk turned to face her. “All I was asking for was a chance to explain my side but even after everything I thought we meant to one another, you couldn’t do that!”
“What was there to explain?!” Raven yelled back, jumping off the chair. She ticked off each point on her fingers. “You and your family all played a role in Judge Warner’s death, you slept with her assistant for information, and you screwed my best friend! Did I miss anything? And before you try to explain sleeping with Gwynn again, I don’t give a damn if you and I were together at the time or not! That was something you should’ve told me before things got as far as they did between us! If you cared about me the way you claimed to I deserved at least that much! You don’t get a fucking medal for coming clean after the fact!”
“How many times are you gonna throw that up in my face, Raven? Huh? You want blood, but I gotta tell you baby, I’m done apologizing and I sure has hell won’t grovel.”
“And I didn’t ask you to,” Raven sneered. “I didn’t ask for you to bring me here, either. I’m trying to pick up the pieces of my life and move on but you won’t let me! You’re so used to getting what you want that you don’t know what to do when you’re told no!”
“That’s not true and you know it.”
“Then let me go!” Raven’s voice cracked on the last word. Tears shimmered in her eyes as she looked at him. “That’s all I’m asking!”
“If I could do that don’t you think I would!” Hawk’s temper was on a hair trigger. He recognized that the anger was mostly a shield to mask the fear he felt at losing her, but he didn’t know how else to express it. “Excuse the fuck outta me if I don’t find it as easy to walk away as you!”
“You think this is easy for me? I mean, seriously, look at me! Does it look like it’s easy? I’m not this woman, Hawk! A crying, bumbling mess over some man?” Each jagged word she spat out w
as a reflection of her frustration with him, herself and the entire situation. “How many times are you going to do this? How many times are you going to break me apart then put me back together only to do the same thing all over again?”
His stomach clenched at the pain he heard in her voice. “That’s not what I’m doing.”
“Isn’t it? I’ve had my life mapped out for myself since I was a kid. I knew what school I wanted to go to, what career path I wanted to take, and what I wanted to accomplish. Everything was going according to plan until you came along and fucked it all up! So thank you for that! Thank you very much!”
The two of them stood facing each other at an impasse. They clutched their individual fury, hurt, and frustration close and refused to let go. These were far more accessible emotions than showing vulnerability and running the risk of getting hurt again.
Finally Raven shook her head. “You know what, I thought I could do this, but I can’t. I’d like to go back to New York. Today.” Tearing her eyes away from him, she took a step back and headed towards the stairs but Hawk stopped her with four little words.
“You’re not goin’ anywhere.”
Spinning around to stare at him, Raven looked like she wanted to stomp her foot or roll around on the ground like child. “I’m not staying here with you another minute! Either you take me back or I’ll find my own way!”
“You’re not going back. You said you would give me a week and that’s what we’re gon’ do, Rae.” After all of the screaming and shouting, Hawk’s words came out eerily calm. It only served to incense Raven more.
“Why, because you say so? You can’t keep me here, Hawk!”
“Wanna bet?” Hawk pulled out his cell phone. After dialing a number, he brought it up to his ear. “Steve, it’s Hawk. Make sure someone is guarding the perimeter of the property at all times. No one is allowed to drive in and Ms. Randolph is not to leave unless I say so.”
Raven stared at him with her mouth hanging open and an expression of disbelief after he hung up. “So you’re going to keep me a prisoner now?”
“If that’s the way you want to look at it, but I tell you, if this is what you call being a prisoner...” He gestured around her lavish surroundings with a mocking smirk. “I’d hate to see what you call living in the lap of luxury.”
“I...you...ughhh!” Raven sputtered. Looking around, she picked up the first thing she touched, which happened to be a crystal vase from an accent table by the banister. She reared back and pitched it at him as hard as she could.
Her throw was so off that Hawk barely had to duck his head out of the way. The handmade Lalique vase was valued in the high five figures but Hawk barely glanced at it. Instead, he stared at Raven and quirked his brow. “You finished?”
Raven was so mad her entire body trembled. “I hate you!”
Hawk lifted his shoulder in a lazy shrug. “You know what they say: it’s a thin line.”
Raven glared at him for several more moments. Hawk was sure she was readying herself to attack, but with another squeal of frustration, she turned and ran up the stairs. Watching her go, he sucked in a deep breath and slowly let it out in a long sigh.
Damn.
After last night, they’d been on their way to making progress. All he had to do was stay calm and control his emotions. He was positive he would’ve been able to reach her by the end of their time together, but now?
Fuck.
CHAPTER 17
Raven stayed locked away in the bedroom for the rest of the day and well into the evening. Several times, Hawk started to knock on the door and try to get her to come out and talk, but he changed his mind. Maybe it was best he give her some space to cool down before attempting to have any type of meaningful discussion.
Later that night, Hawk was in the media room using the wide theater screen to videoconference with his managers in Miami as well as the contractor renovating the building. Folding his arms, he studied one section of the restaurant in particular that he still wasn’t satisfied with. There were a lot of factors involved that others might not understand, but Hawk was well aware of what he wanted and refused to cut corners.
The combination restaurant/club was huge by any standards. Most were shrinking in size due to the cost of operation and the staff needed, but that didn’t concern him. The venue was located in the heart of the city and offered a new level of traditional dining, nightlife, and sophistication. The setting was chic and modern and would make a profit in no time. Hawk was confident of that.
“I really don’t care how much it’s gonna cost, Gino,” he told his contractor. “If it compromises the finished outcome then scrap the whole thing. Let me see it again.”
He saw a movement out of the corner of his eye and turned to see Raven enter the room with her nightly glass of wine. Hawk’s eyes ran over the comfortable gray pajama shorts and button up pajama top she wore. Her hair was piled atop her head in a loose bun. He wondered how she managed to look cute and sexy all at the same time.
She seemed momentarily surprised. He was sure she hadn’t expected to see him there. When Hawk noticed that it looked like she was trying to decide on whether or not to leave, he gestured her to come in. Raven entered slowly, putting one slipper clad foot in front of the other and stopping a little distance away from him.
“Hawk...Hawk, you there?”
Hearing Gino call his name, he tore his attention away from Raven and directed it back to the wide screen. “Yeah, I’m here.”
“What are you doing?” Raven asked curiously.
“I’m going over some changes I discussed with my contractor and the managers of the restaurant and the nightclub in Miami.”
“Restaurant and nightclub?” Raven looked up at him. “I thought you were just opening up a club.”
“Nope. Both. The restaurant is on the top level. It’ll offer the same five–star hospitality experience as the restaurants in New York and Vegas. Club Euphoria will occupy the bottom level.”
Raven’s brows shot upwards. “Wow. I’m impressed.”
Hawk glanced back to the screen and spoke to the men. “Guys, hold on a sec.” He muted the volume with the remote then turned back to Raven. “Exactly what did you think I was doing all those times I told you I was working?”
“I don’t know. I mean, of course I knew you worked but I thought the majority of your time was spent tending to the, um, illegal side of your business.”
Hawk folded his arms and tilted his head. “Ah. So that’s really all you thought I was. A drug dealer. Isn’t that what you called me last night?” That irked the hell out of Hawk more than he wanted to admit.
“No, I didn’t think that’s all you were,” Raven replied calmly. “However, you forget that I was privy to a lot of information about your family. I’m well aware that the younger generation of Pattels all went to the best of schools and have high powered professional careers, but let’s not pretend you’re all just a bunch of innocent businessmen running legit businesses. We both know that’s far from the truth.”
“I never said that, but again, my family is much more than you try to label us.”
Raven glanced at the screen again. “So I see,” she acknowledged. “You should be very proud of yourself.”
“Thanks. I tried to tell you, ain’t no half-steppin’ over here, baby,” Hawk teased, trying to lighten the mood. “My motto is go big or go home.”
“Hmph. Too bad you don’t have more self-confidence, Pattel.” Raven’s words dripped with sarcasm. “You’ll have to work on that.”
“Just speakin’ that truth,” Hawk shrugged with a grin before turning back to the screen and unmuting the volume. He pointed out each man as he did the introductions. “Rae, these are the fellas leading up part of my team. My contractor, Gino...Ryan, who will be the manager of the restaurant...and Mateo, the manager of the nightclub. Gentlemen, this is my lady, Raven Randolph.”
Raven glanced at him sharply but didn’t remark on the possessive title. After she r
eturned the men’s greeting, Hawk addressed the contractor.
“Yo Gino, pan the camera around so Raven can get a good look at everything.”
Raven moved closer to the screen, watching closely as Hawk explained what she was seeing. As he continued to tell her his vision, Raven really did look impressed.
“So you plan on having live performances too?”
“Most definitely. I already have artists booked for the next six months.”
Raven’s eyes stretched wide when he called out some of the hottest singers and rappers on the charts as well as appearances by big name movie stars and celebrities. “This sounds like it’s going to be an amazing venture, Hawk.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.”
“Crowds will be wrapped around the building every night vying for the chance to get in. This is a completely elevated level that’s way beyond traditional restaurants or clubs. Customers will be able to choose from incredible cuisine and a selection of the best wine and cocktails. Then, they can top the evening off with an exclusive nightlife experience just a few steps away.”
“Exactly,” Hawk nodded. “A one of a kind vibe.”
“And do you know what would set it apart even more? In the restaurant, you could have acclaimed Michelin starred guest chefs prepare original menus for your patrons. On whatever night they take over the kitchen, each master chef would prepare something unique and global.”
The Michelin Star Guide was a bible of sorts for quality fine dining recommendations and was a huge deal in the food and restaurant industry. It was the highest achievable honor for chefs recognized by the coveted award.
“It could be once a month or every two weeks, I don’t know, whatever you decide. But make an ultra exclusive dining event out of it. You would have guests fighting to reserve a spot once the word got out.” Raven stared at him with excitement sizzling in her eyes before realizing she may have overstepped. “I...I mean, it’s just a thought. It’s probably not even feasible.”
