by Carol Dawn
Chapter Eight
Hawk
“How are things going with Slim?” Bear asks.
“He’s healing fast.”
“You know that isn’t what I’m asking.”
Leave it to my twin to ask the tough questions.
“I’m trying not to be too much for him,” I answer truthfully. “I have this overwhelming need to constantly have him in my sight. The feelings I have for him are so strong that I’m afraid the moment he finds out he’ll run the other way.”
“Nah,” Bear says. “That boy loves you, brother. His love for you might be just as fierce as your love for him is. Trust that he can handle your heart, Hawk.”
“I’m sure he can handle my heart,” I tell him. “It’s the physical part that concerns me the most. Have you seen how large I am?”
“Considering we’re twins, I have an idea of your sizes, brother. And let me tell you, we are sexy as fuck. Have you seen the size of our dicks?”
Laughing, I rest my head on the back of the seat. We sit in a comfortable silence the rest of the way to the clubhouse.
“I need to make things safe for him, Bear,” I say, breaking the silence as we pull up to the building. “Even when I bring him to the clubhouse, he’s constantly looking over his shoulder. We know his uncle arrived back in the states a few days ago and we still can’t find a single trace on this William guy.”
I hate seeing the fear in Phoenix’s eyes every time he leaves the cabin. He won’t even walk over to Bear and Rose’s place without me at his side. He’s been terrified since those fuckers at the club beat him. He said it just reminded him how easy it would be for Steven or William to grab him when he’s alone.
“We’ll get this shit figured out, brother,” Bear says, squeezing my shoulder. “We’ll find his uncle and William and then we’ll let Trigger loose on the fuckers. Patched or not, Slim is our brother. He’s our family. And when someone messes with one of us, they mess with all of us.”
Bear’s right. Steven and William went and messed with the wrong man. No matter what they may think, Phoenix isn’t alone. He has the Sons at his back, and me by his side.
Touch him, fuckers. I dare you.
Chapter Nine
Slim
Being alone for the first time since everything happened is a little overwhelming. My brain hasn’t really had the time to process everything.
Like the fact that I’m no longer a Prospect for the Infernal Sons. Or that my Uncle Steven is back home and I still can’t find whoever William is.
Not to mention that I can now wear whatever I want, whenever I want.
Oh, and that I’m in a relationship with Hawk.
I think.
Yes, I’m pretty sure, kind of, that I’m in a relationship with the man that I’ve secretly loved for months.
No big deal.
Right?
Okay, yes. Big deal. Massively big deal. All of it. What the hell is going on with my life right now?
Last week I was Slim, Prospect for the Sons. The small nerdy electronic loving dude who was hiding from his uncle so he wouldn’t find him and kill him for his money.
Now?
Now, I’m still the small nerdy electronic loving dude hiding from his uncle, who is no longer Prospect for the Sons and is dating their Road Captain.
A Road captain who thinks I look sexy when I wear women’s clothes.
A knock on the door pulls me from my mental freak out.
I look through the peephole and see a business card. Do they really expect me to see what it says through a peephole?
“Who is it?” I yell through the door.
“Meadow Security. I got a call to come and install a new security system.”
Oh crap, I totally forgot about that.
I open the door and come face to chest with a very large man.
“Uhm, h…hello,” I stutter. I wish Hawk would have told me that he hired the actual Hulk to do the work.
“Where do you want me to start?” He booms in a voice too low to be human.
Back in your truck and down the driveway, I think to myself.
“Just one moment, please. I’ll be right back.”
I slam the door in the man’s face and rush to my cell. I quickly find Hawk’s name and hit call.
“Baby,” he answers.
“Why did you hire a giant?” I whisper.
“Giant?”
“Yes, Hawk. A freaking giant,” I whisper yell. “As in a man who is larger than Brick. A man so large that he creates his own freaking gravitational pull. A…Giant.”
“What are you talking about, Phoenix?” He asks, amused.
“The guy from Meadow Security. He’s here and he is freaking huge.”
I know I’m starting to panic. I’m not even sure why. The man is from a security company for crying out loud. He’s in the business of protecting people.
“Shit, I’m coming home,” Hawk says.
“No,” I say quickly, taking a deep breath. “I’m being silly. It was just a shock is all. I’ll be fine. Sorry to bother you.”
“You’re never a bother, baby,” he says, sweetly. “Thirty minutes.”
“Huh?”
“I want you to call me every thirty minutes.”
I smile.
“Okay.”
“Really?” He asks, shocked. “No telling me that I’m being overprotective or insanely crazy?”
“No,” I laugh. “I’ll call you every thirty minutes. See you later, Hawk.”
“Bye, sweet boy.”
I shove my phone in my pocket and go back to the front door.
“Sorry,” I say, once the doors open. “I just had to make a quick phone call.”
Chuckling, he says, “That’s no problem, Mister?”
“Slim,” I answer. “Just call me Slim.”
“Slim,” he grins, looking down my body. “It fits.”
I step aside. “Come on in. Let me know if you need anything.”
“Thank you. I just need to look around the rooms. I have it here that you want camera’s inside and out along with security alarms on all doors and windows?”
I nod my agreement and leave him to his work.
It takes him two hours, but he finally finishes up.
“Once the alarm goes off,” he says, next to the alarm keypad. “You will have eight seconds to type in the code before a signal is sent to our office. Once we receive the signal, we’ll call you and ask for your password. If it’s the correct password, we’ll have a short chat. If we feel that there is foul play, we’ll send the single to the police and dispatch one of our personal security guards immediately.”
“Intense,” I say.
“Very,” he says, seriously. “The security of our clients is very important.”
“What’s the password if someone calls?” I ask.
He flips through his papers until he finds the answer.
“It looks like Mr. Allington chose it yesterday when he placed the order.”
He flips his clipboard over, and I lose it when I see the password.
I’m bent over laughing as he walks to the door, chuckling.
“If you or your husband have any questions just call the office and ask for Bill.”
I don’t correct him, but nod.
Once Hulk is gone, I grab my phone and call Hawk for the fourth time in two hours.
“Hey,” he answers.
“Really Hawk? Canoodle?”
“You know it, baby,” He says with a chuckle. “I love to canoodle with my man.”
“You are something else,” I say. “The giant is gone. I’m going to go back to being lazy and not calling you every thirty minutes.”
“Alright, call if you need me. I’ll be home later.”
“Hey Hawk,” I say quickly before he hangs up.
“Baby?”
“Thank you,” I say. “You know, for always looking out for me. Even when I’m being silly.”
“You weren’t being
silly, sweet boy,” he says, gently. “You have every right to be afraid. I should have stayed home.”
“No, it was just my overactive mind going into overdrive is all. But, really, thank you.”
“You’re welcome, Phoenix. I’ll always be here for you.”
“I’m going to get off here before you make me cry,” I say through the tightness in my chest. “I’ll see you when you get home.”
“Yes, you will, baby,” he says, teasingly. “Be ready to do all sorts of canoodling.”
I laugh and hang up the phone.
But he wasn’t wrong. When he got home, we canoodled on the couch and then did some pretty intense canoodling in our bed.
Chapter Ten
Hawk
“Listen up,” I yell at the room full of bikers. “Tomorrow is the charity run. We leave here at seven in the morning. If you’re late, you have clean up duty for a month. Chains, you collect the tickets. Ink, face painting and caricatures. Brick, dunk tank. Rose and Bella, funnel cakes and cotton candy. Bear and I will be manning the grills. Phoenix, you’ll be operating the bumper cars. Trigger, don’t kill anyone and try to smile at the children.
Everyone else has already been assigned their duty. It’s everyone's job to keep a lookout and make sure this event runs smoothly. I want no fuckups. Everything we make tomorrow is being donated to Lebanon’s school system. They’re using the same books that I used when I went to school here. Any questions?”
“Why am I assigned the dunk tank?” Brick asks.
“Because you’ll make the biggest splash,” I answer with a grin. “Don’t forget to wear your shirts and of course your vests. This event is a safe space. No fighting, no glaring,” I say, glancing at Trigger. “And no cussing.”
“You hear that Bear?” Ink says. “No fucking cussing.”
“Shut the fuck up, Ink,” Bear grumbles.
“I’ve spent weeks organizing this event,” I continue, ignoring Ink’s interruption. “It’s important not only for the school but for our community as well. We protect this town. We keep these streets clean. We need the people to trust us so we can continue doing our jobs the best way we can. Anything to add, Prez?”
“Just have fun,” Bear says. “Hundreds of pre-tickets have already been sold and it looks like many more will be buying at the gate. It’s going to be crowded, so be ready.”
“Make sure you all have a walkie-talkie on you tomorrow,” I add. “I’ll have them charged and ready before we head out. That about sums it all up. Go home and get some rest. Tomorrow’s going to be a long one.”
“I think I’m able to ride my bike,” Phoenix says as everyone leaves the room.
“I’m sure you are, baby,” I say, kissing his forehead. “But, when we’re doing any type of trip that involves both of us, you’ll be on the back of my bike.”
“It’s only twenty minutes down the road, Hawk,” he complains. “I think I can manage.”
“I know you can,” I reassure him. “But I want you on my bike. With me. It has nothing to do with you being able to take yours. I’ve been dreaming about flying down the road on my bike with your body pressed tightly against mine.”
“Well, when you put it like that,” he grins.
“Hey, Slim,” Bear yells from his office. “Can you come here for a second?”
“Duty calls,” Phoenix says before strutting those sexy ass legs away from me.
That just won’t do.
“You’re like an addict and Slim is your drug of choice,” Ink says from behind me.
“Damn right,” I agree before heading for Bear’s office. “And I need to get my fix.”
Ink’s laughter follows me, but I don’t give a fuck. Phoenix is my drug, my obsession. He’s my whole world. And I want the whole fucking world to know it.
“Of course, I can do it,” I hear an offended Phoenix say as I round the corner. “But the question is, are you sure it’s a good idea? I mean, that’s a ton of people, Prez. What if one of them decides they don’t like being on camera? Have you seen the size of me? I mean, I’m fast and can probably outrun most people, but that isn’t the point. A man your size could dislocate every dislocatable part of my body just from breathing in my direction.”
I lean against the door frame and chuckle. That man is always over exaggerating. He also underestimates his own strength. Sure, he’s a small man. But what he lacks in height and weight, he more than makes up for with that brain of his. Not to mention I think it’s fucking sexy that he has to stand on his toes to reach my kisses.
“Just say you’re filming for one of those internet videos and if they don’t want their face in the video you can blur it,” Bear says.
“You want me to tell people I’m blogging?” Phoenix asks, shocked. “About the fundraiser?”
“Sure,” Bear grumbles.
“Why do you want him recording things?” I ask, curiously.
“He’s afraid that William has been hanging around,” Phoenix answers.
“We have no idea what this man looks like,” Bear argues. “If you walk around tomorrow filming, we can watch it back and see if we notice anyone who has a particular interest in you.”
“I agree,” I say. “For all we know, this William has walked by you every day and you haven’t noticed because you have no idea what he looks like.”
“There are security cameras on at least two of the buildings there,” Phoenix says. “Why do you need me to do this?”
“Because, those cameras don’t reach every angle,” Bear answers. “Just please do it, Slim. Trigger plans to stay close by the whole time and anyone will have to go through him to get to you.”
Phoenix puts his hands on his hips and just stares at my brother. You can practically see the steam coming from his ears with all the thinking he’s doing.
He lets out a very long, dramatic sigh.
“Okay, fine,” he says. “But I refuse to be anyone but myself. So, people may be staring at me regardless. It’s not very often you see a man such as me in a town this size.”
“People can stare all they want,” I growl. “As long as that’s the only fucking thing they do.”
An image of random men staring at Phoenix’s ass pops into my head.
No. Fucking. Way.
“Never mind,” I amend. “No one is allowed to look at you.”
My dickhead brother laughs and pulls Phoenix into a hug.
“You do realize that you own that man, right?” He asks with a chuckle against the top of my man’s head. “You have him wrapped so tightly around your soul that if your heart were to ever stop beating, his would stop right along with it.”
He isn’t wrong.
Phoenix pulls out of my brother's hug and turns toward me.
“I know,” he says with soft eyes. “It’s only fair considering how tightly he has ahold of mine.”
“Bunch of saps,” Bear says. He can act as tough as he wants, I heard that break in his voice.
“Happy for you, brother,” he says, looking at me. “And Ma is over the fucking moon.”
Phoenix sucks in a shocked breath. “You already told her?” he asks.
“You got it wrong, boy,” Bear grins. “She told me. Months ago.”
I laugh and walk to my brother. I grab the back of his head and press our foreheads together. Bear grabs the back of my head and we just stand there. Closing my eyes, I soak in my brother's love.
It’s moments like this when it feels like Bear and I share the same soul.
“Fucking happy for you, man,” he whispers.
Knowing I won’t be able to talk around the knot in my throat, I squeeze the back of Bear’s neck to let him know how thankful I am for him and his words.
The sound of sniffing has me pulling away. I look back and see Phoenix sitting on Bear’s desk dabbing the corner of his eyes with a tissue.
“Baby?” I ask.
“You two are a bunch of saps and you’re ruining my makeup,” he says.
Bear’s l
aughter echoes around the room. Followed by the chorus of my own.
Chapter Eleven
Slim
The fundraiser is finally ending. Thank heavens because I am tired of holding this damn camera up. My phone died two hours ago, and I was so happy until Trigger handed me this damn camera with the strict orders of, “keep filming” before walking off to whatever freaking underworld he came from.
Okay, so I’m a bit moody. I have a reason to be. This thing started at ten this morning and it’s now five in the afternoon. By my calculations, that’s a total of seven hours of footage. Holding my arms up for seven hours was not easy.
However, I did pretty much talk to everyone who showed up. Which was a crap ton of people. I refuse to be the person to go through the recordings. I have a headache just thinking about it.
“Did you eat?” Hawk asks. I’m sitting in a chair watching Bear and Hawk clean up their grill stations.
“Yep,” I say. “You all did amazing on those burgers, by the way. I had three,” I end with a smile. I really do love food.
“Good,” Hawk smiles. “Did you have a good time?”
“I loved the ride over here this morning,” I say, remembering the bike ride. It was the best damn bike ride I’ve ever had. Being wrapped around Hawk was so much better than driving my bike. “I think every trip from here forth shall be on your bike with me warming your back.”
“Sounds like a fan fucking tastic idea,” Hawk growls.
“Anyway,” I turn the subject back around. “I didn’t have to deal with the bumper cars, so that was nice. However, I’ve come to a decision that I never want to film anything ever again. And Bear,” I say, changing my focus to the Prez. “I refuse to be the one to go through all this dang footage.”
Bear laughs.
“No need, Slim. That’s what prospects are for. Josh will be going through every minute with a fine-tooth comb.”
Poor josh. I hope he drinks some strong coffee before he starts.
“There may or may not have been a moment when I recorded Brick’s ass,” I admit. “Like, his actual ass. But it wasn’t my fault. Trigger would somehow pop up every time I pushed pause with that damn glare of his. So, I thought, in order to survive this ordeal, I need to survive his glares. Therefore, I decided to not push pause again. Anyway, the point is, the camera was around my neck when I went to use the restroom. Brick was changing out of his wet clothes, complaining the whole time, I might add. And, there may have been some moon shots. So, technically, it was Trigger’s fault.”
