Hawk: Jagged Edge Series #3

by A. L Long

  Grabbing our things from the trunk, we headed inside the airport to our designated gate. By the time we went through security, we still had an hour to wait. Peter thought it would be a good time to go through the plan again to make sure nothing was left out.

  “Okay, so this is how it is going to go down. Nikki, are you set for what you need to do?” Peter questioned.

  “As ready as I’ll ever be. The agency is expecting me. From there, I am to be taken to the palace to begin my job as Paige’s personal servant,” Nikki confirmed.

  “Good, remember to give Paige the earpiece so that she will know exactly how everything is going to go down. The last thing we need is her uncle to get wind of what is happening.” Peter advised.

  “Hawk, I know this is going to be hard for you, but you need to stay away from the palace. If they see you, it could blow our plans sky high,” Sly cautioned.

  “I know what I need to do, Sly. I will lay low. Paige’s safety is the most important thing,” I pointed out.

  ~****~

  I was thankful that Peter allowed me to sit at the window seat. Not only did I hate flying, other than being the pilot, I hated the aisle seat. Knowing that the flight to Kierabali was eleven hours, about the only thing to do was to lay back and relax. Leaning my seat back as far as it would go, I could only concentrate on the conversation that Sly and Nikki were having behind me. I was glad that they were getting along so well, but it occurred to me that they had nothing in common. Granted, I wasn’t sure what Paige and I had in common either. The only thing that mattered was that I was falling for her and wanted to spend the rest of my life with her.

  As I looked out the window, the plane began climbing higher and higher. It wasn’t long before it reached altitude and the land below us disappeared, and only the white clouds could be seen. It reminded me of the heavens and also how shitty I felt leaving Drew to attend Ma’s funeral himself. Saving Paige was all I cared about. Drowning out the noise, I concentrated on my breathing and was finally able to close my eyes and relax.

  “Her body is gorgeous,” I thought to myself as she laid next to me so peaceful and content. I turned to face her, watching the rise and fall of her perfect breasts with each breath she took. Leaning over, I gently kissed her on the shoulder and then again on her collarbone. Her eyes fluttered open and a smile appeared on her beautiful face. She was an angel dressed in white as the sheet covered her soft skin, exposing only one breast and one leg. Lowering my head further, I traced her perfect nipple with my tongue, before I placed my mouth over the areola and sucked gently on the small yet flawless peak. I loved her scent. The way her body smelled of lavender and vanilla, or maybe it was cherry and almonds. It didn’t matter, because whatever it was made me want to taste more of her.

  As if she knew exactly what I was thinking, her arms lifted above her head and her hands gripped the white spirals of her headboard. It was the sexiest thing I had ever seen as her back arched, lifting her breasts higher, allowing me to engulf more of her essence. Working my hands down her silky skin, I placed one hand behind her arched back and the other between her soft legs. The heat escaping from between them let me know that her body was on fire and ready to be consumed. I dipped first one, then another finger inside her wet channel. With a slight curve of my index finger, I found the sweet spot that drove every woman crazy. Her moans of pleasure filled the air as her back rose even further off the bed..

  Pushing up, I placed my body over hers. With my eyes on her, I brushed away a stray hair from her cheek and said softly, “I love you, Paige,” before lowering my lips to hers. Feeling a tug on what I thought was my heart, it was actually my arm. Slapping away the uncomfortable tug so that I could go back to my time with Paige, I realized that I had been dreaming the whole time.

  Opening my eyes, I was staring at Peter’s disgruntled stare. “Dude, you got it bad. Damn,” he cursed, rubbing his arm.

  “Is everything okay here?” a flight attendant asked as she looked first at Peter and then at me.

  “Yes, ma’am, all good,” Peter confirmed, sending her a wink and then a gleaming white smile.

  I really needed to get it together. My feelings for Paige were getting out of control. Not only did she consume my thoughts when I was awake, she was also there in my dreams. Peter was right, I did have it bad.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  Isabelle

  “Isabelle, please open the door,” a soft voice said.

  I thought that I maybe have been dreaming, but there the voice was again.

  “Princess, please, open the door. It’s Emily.”

  Sitting up, I waited for a moment to gather my thoughts. After finally being able to focus on what was taking place, I turned my body and sat on the edge of the bed before standing and walking to the door. Even though the door wasn’t locked, the person on the other side was considerate enough to wait until I opened the door.

  As I turned the knob, another cry sounded, “Hurry, Princess, hurry.”

  Opening the door, my personal servant was standing on the other side looking terrified. As she squeezed her body past mine, I quickly poked my head outside the door to make sure no one was in sight. Closing the door, I turned to the young girl, who I just found out was named Emily.

  “What is going on, Emily?” I asked with concern.

  “Princess, something is very wrong. I have been let go. Come, sit, quickly!” she said, holding her hand out to me.

  I wasn’t sure what was going on, but whatever it was had her anxious and scared. Taking her hand, I let her lead me over to the couch, where we took a seat.

  “Sir Maxwell is a bad man, Princess. I knew something was wrong with the tea they had me bring you. I tried to switch the contents, but unfortunately I was unable to. Sir Victor entered the kitchen just as I was getting ready to pour it out. I had to lie and tell him that I thought I saw something floating inside the pot. When he opened the lid and found nothing, I had no choice but to serve it to you. I wanted to tell you then not to drink it, but I was afraid he would hear me. He was standing outside the door when I brought it in,” she confessed.

  “Wait, so they did give me something?” I paused, waiting for her to respond, When she nodded, I continued, “Emily, you need to tell me what else is going on. I don’t trust either one of them.”

  “I know, Princess. I don’t either. All I know is that it is very important that Victor be married to you by next Saturday. If the wedding doesn’t take place by then, I’m sure something bad will happen.”

  “So why are they letting you go?” I asked, concerned.

  “I think because I know too much. They say it is for a vacation, but I know I will not be coming back. They have contacted the agency and a new servant is supposed to be here tomorrow. Please be careful, Princess.”

  After I let her know that everything would be fine, she left my room, making sure that no one was lurking in the hallway. As the door closed behind her, I wondered about what she said. Why would Victor need to marry me by Saturday? What would happen if he didn’t? Would something bad happen to me or to him? I wished that I had the answers to these questions. I just needed to keep my eyes and ears open. Maybe then I would be able to find out exactly what was really going on.

  With Emily gone, I began getting ready for the day. Taking a long shower, I was able to really clear my head and begin my own plan in figuring out what the two evils were planning. One thing I did know for sure was that I was done being cooped up in this bedroom. I didn’t care what it took, even if it meant being escorted by Tweedle Dee and Tweedle Dum, I was getting out of this prison.

  Knowing I needed to be on my best behavior, I became the perfect princess. Dressing the part, I chose to wear a silk floral print dress with a matching sweater and sling back heels. I pulled my hair back in a high ponytail, taking a piece of hair and wrapping it around so that the hair tie was covered. Adding a hint of mascara and light pink lip gloss, I was ready to play the biggest part any producer would be proud
of.

  As I opened the door, I looked to the right and then to the left, seeing that the coast was clear. Heading down the marble steps, all was quiet, which to me seemed very unusual. Not even the voices of the servants could be heard. When I hit the bottom step, the front door opened. Standing before me was Victor, wearing tan riding pants and leather boots, holding a riding crop in one hand and a helmet in the other. I could feel a small tingle between my legs begin to take hold. As much as I despised this man, he was still very handsome.

  Lowing my head to hide my arousal, I heard his boots slap against the marble as his steps towards me became louder. Before I could head in the opposite direction, he reached me and lifted my head so that my eyes met his. “You look absolutely beautiful this morning, Isabelle,” he confessed before his lips touched mine in a tender kiss that sent a bolt of electricity to my core.

  When he pulled away from me, my lips were still tingling from the touch of his lips on mine. As my eyes opened, his eyes were on me, knowing the effect his kiss had on me.

  With a smile revealing his arrogance, he said, “Breakfast is being served on the patio. You go ahead, I’ll be right there.”

  Unable to get a word out. I turned toward the double doors and headed to the patio that overlooked the ocean. The only thing I could remember about this patio was the last time my father and I shared a meal together before he left for his appointment with the family attorney. A man my father trusted, but who I had doubts about.

  Opening the doors, the warm sea breeze hit my face, giving me a feeling of comfort as I looked out to the beach, which was just beyond the cliff. The steps leading to the beach, I noticed, had been removed. It was the only way to the ocean front from this side of the palace. It made me wonder why they were gone. So many times I had walked down those steps just to be with my father while he sat close to the shore, waiting for a fish to take the worm that he almost always let me bait the hook of his fishing pole with.

  Walking to the edge of the patio, I stepped onto the plush green grass. As my heels dug into the soft ground, I lifted one foot, removing my sling back, and then the other. The feel of the cool grass between my toes brought back yet another memory. It was the many pretend picnics I used to have with the company of my dolls. My father would always make it extra special when he brought out Mom’s freshly baked sugar cookies and milk. He used to sit with me on the blanket, kicking off his shoes and removing his socks, just dipping the cookies in the milk and then eating them as the milk dripped on his chin. I used to laugh at him and show him how a pro did it. God, I missed him so much.

  Looking over the edge of the cliff, lost in my thoughts, I felt a warm touch on my shoulder and a soft kiss on my neck. Closing my eyes to hide my grief, I wished it was Hawk standing behind me. How I wished my father were still alive. I knew that if he was, he would absolutely love Hawk.

  “What has you so lost in thought, precious?” Victor asked, wrapping his arms around my waist.

  Pulling away from him, I wiped away the tear I felt escaped and answered, “Nothing. What happened to the stairs leading down to the beach?”

  “Your uncle had them removed. Felt it was too dangerous having them. Just another way for unwanted guests to have access to the palace.” Victor replied.

  “Or prevent someone from escaping,” I added.

  As I walked away from the edge, I heard his stern voice, “Isabelle.”

  Stopping, I stood there still facing the patio. “Yes.”

  “Whatever you are thinking, you will never defeat me. You are mine, whether you like it or not.”

  The minute those words left his lips, my stomach began to bind, sending the bile up my throat. It took everything I had not to lose it all. Clenching my hands into tight fists, I walked up the few steps to the patio and then through the double doors. I could hear Victor behind me calling my name. There was no way he was ever going to have me or that I would ever be his. There was only one man that I belonged to. I knew in my heart that he was coming for me. I just hoped he would get to me soon, before it was too late.

  Reaching for the handle of the door, I felt a tight grip on my arm. Before I could pull away from him, Victor’s mouth was on mine. The force of his tongue separated my lips, causing them to open and allowing him access to my mouth. Anger began to flare and it was his bottom lip that got the wrath of my fury as I bit down. It was the wrong thing to do, because no sooner had he pulled away and the blood began to show, his hand came across my cheek. My head was swimming from the impact and the jolt of my body being swung over his shoulder didn’t hit me until his hand came down on my ass.

  “You will learn to respect me, Isabelle. And as you are mine, you will learn to obey me,” he cursed.

  As I hit him with everything I had, he continued holding tightly onto my body. The anger and disgust I had for this man only added more fuel to the fire that was already burning inside. “Put me down, Victor!” I shouted, hoping that everyone in the palace would hear.

  “You can yell and scream all you want, my pet. No one can hear you. It is only us here,” he confessed with an arrogant laugh. “For once and for all, you are going to learn who owns you.”

  I didn’t stop hitting him, even though I could feel exhaustion take hold. I was not going to let this man win. It was only after we began descending the steps to the basement of the palace that my efforts stopped. “Where are you taking me, Victor?”

  “A place where you will learn your lesson,” he answered.

  I could feel the coolness of the basement on my body the lower we got. I remembered when I was young I always wanted to know what was beyond the door in the kitchen that always remained locked. When I asked my father about it, he told me it was where evil dwells. I never asked him again, fearing that if I did, it would be coming after me. I later learned that in the late 1800’s it was used as a torture chamber for unwanted trespassers. It was used to gain information. Now I would finally know what evil really was.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Hawk

  I couldn’t have been happier when the pilot announced that we would be descending shortly and landing at the Kierabali airport. The island itself wasn’t very large. Finding out that Paige was actually a princess made me want to know everything there was to know about this small country. Like the fact that even thought her mother and father were no longer living and they were in fact the King and Queen of Kierabali, Paige would remain the Princess of Kierabali until she was able to bear a child that she could hand down the title of Prince or Princess too. I also learned that in order for Paige to be handed the command of the county she would need to marry the man that was chosen for her at birth, and the marriage needed to take place on the day on which the small country was founded, which unfortunately for us, was five days away.

  If we were going to get Paige off that island, we needed to hurry, otherwise our efforts would have been for nothing. Five days wasn’t a lot of time, but Nikki had to earn the trust of Paige’s uncle and Victor if this plan was going to work at all. Feeling the landing gear lower, I looked out the window to see the small country come into view. The runway was lined with palm trees that were slightly swaying with the light breeze blowing off the water. Coasting to the terminal gate, the airport transportation team was already in route to unload the luggage from the belly of the airplane onto the luggage carts.

  When the airplane came to a complete stop the passengers were already up and about collecting the small bags that were stored in the overhead bins. This was something that I couldn’t understand. Instead of waiting, people would much rather grab their belongings when there was little to no room to move. Myself, I preferred to wait until everyone in front cleared out before tackling that job.

  When we finally got through customs and out of the airport, reality finally settled in. I was here to save the love of my life. The woman that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with. My heart sank into my stomach when a cab pulled up to the curb displaying an ad on the roof. It wa
s my Paige in the arms of the man I didn’t really know but despised. I knew there was something about him that I didn’t like or trust when I saw him the first time at Hell’s Gate. If I had to guess, he and Paige’s uncle were working together to get her here. As I looked at the ad, I could see a somber look in her eyes. It was then that I knew we needed to find her quickly and get her out of this country.

  Feeling a tug on my arm. I looked over to see Peter beside me. “Don’t overthink this, Hawk. It is only an ad, and you of all people know that anything can be done to those things to make them hide the true picture.”

  I knew Peter was right. A little photoshopping here and there could make anything look the way they wanted. Taking my eyes off the photo, I climbed into the back seat of the cab with Peter and Nikki while Sly sat up front with the driver. With an island accent the driver asked. “Where to?”