Blue Moon II ~ This is Reality (25 page)

“Well that makes no sense.” Pierce saw some small etchings on the band but he couldn’t make it out. He easily slid the band off his finger and had to put it right up to eyes to see it.
Oh my god
. Pierce’s other hand went over his mouth as he stared at the beautiful images etched into the gold. His eyes flooded and his heart felt like it was trying to burst through his ribcage and go on a hunt. Hunt down what it’d been yearning for almost a month now.

“What’s on it?” Max said. Both of them hurrying over to have a look, peering over his shoulder.

“Birds?” Max said doubtfully.

“Hawks,” Angel’s deep voice said close to his ear.

That one word had Pierce running through the large house like a madman. He was trying not to fall or run into anything as he barreled through every room of the house. He went to the front door and looked out across the huge lawn, but saw nothing. Not even a car. He looked in the garage, in the sunroom, the mud porch. “Augh. God! Where is he?”

“Pierce! Pierce, come in here you fool,” Max called after him.

He ran back to the kitchen, his socks causing him to slide on the linoleum and crash into Max’s large frame. Max and Angel laughed hysterically, but Pierce didn’t find a bit of humor in any of this. He looked all around. Still no Hawk. Pierce’s shaky hands went into his hair, tugging on it in frustration. “What the fuckin’ fuck? Where is he!” he screamed. “He has to be here, right?” Pierce held up his ring finger.

“Pierce.” Angel put a hand on his shoulder and slowly turned him around. He pulled back the paisley curtain on the kitchen window that looked out over their backyard. Two men stood side by side on the small wooden pier, one of them leaning slightly on a cane.

Pierce’s eyes widened. He threw open the back door and jumped down the four steps, running full speed towards the pier. The two men turned around and he got a look at his man’s face. He didn’t know how his feet were moving so fast across the thick grass but he didn’t worry about it. Pierce was closing the distance fast and a large smile spread across Hawk’s face as he opened his arms wide and let Pierce jump onto him like a crazed animal. Hawk had no problem catching his slight frame and holding him to him. Pierce locked his ankles around Hawk’s back and held him back like his life depended on it. Hawk had one strong arm around his back and one hand cradling his head.

“Hi baby,” Hawk whispered into his hair.

“Dane,” Pierce cried on his shoulder.

They stayed that way for a long time. Pierce pulled back and looked at Hawk’s face, another flood of tears came. He’d missed Hawk’s beautiful eyes like he’d never missed anything before in his life. Pierce’s body trembled in his man’s strong arms. 

“Shhh. Don’t cry baby.” Hawk stroked his back.

“I should choke you,” Pierce grumbled. “Why did you do that to me? Why didn’t you call me? I came home, just like you told me too. You have no idea what I was going through here alone.”

Hawk exhaled tiredly. “Oh yes I do, love. Because I was going through the exact same thing. If they would’ve let me, I swear your voice would’ve been the only one I wanted to hear.”

Pierce slid his legs down, but kept his arms around Hawk’s neck. Hawk cupped his chin, lifting his head from his chest. “I waited five hundred and fifty-two hours for this.” Hawk pressed his lips to his and kissed him with love, with sincerity, with hope. A kiss that showed just how much he truly missed him too. Pierce slanted his head, opened and let Hawk’s warm tongue caress his own. The firm grip on the back of his neck was so comforting as Hawk controlled the kiss for them. When oxygen was an absolute necessity Pierce pulled back, but left his lips brushing against Hawk’s.

“Missed you so much. Where have you been?” Pierce whispered, gazing into Hawk’s glowing eyes.

“McCormick Correctional Institution.” The rough voice next to them butted into their lust. 

“Omega shut the fuck up,” Hawk grumbled.

Pierce stumbled back. He hadn’t paid the slightest bit of attention to who Hawk had been standing with. “Omega,” Pierce said in awe. “What the hell are you doing here?”

The man grinned at him like the Joker in a Batman movie. His cold grey eyes making Pierce extremely uncomfortable. “Is that the way you speak to the man that saved your fiancé’s life? Helped him get out of prison. Drove him eight long hours overnight, since his leg is fucked. I don’t even get a thank you. A tour of your quaint little Mayberry town.” He tsked at Pierce, stepping up to him. “If it wasn’t for the lovely country home, I’d question your upbringing.”

Hawk pushed Omega out of Pierce’s face. Stumbling a little with his cane. “Move it O. Go in the house and have another cup of coffee while I talk to Pierce.”

“In the order we’re groomed to always say please and thank y –” 

“Damnit!” Hawk growled, annoyed. “Enough about the goddamn order already. I’ve had to listen to that the whole way here. Shut up about it. You’re out of the order now. Let it go.”

“Hey, man. The order is in here.” Omega tapped his chest, grinning at them.

Hawk actually grinned back as the man turned and walked back up to the house.

“Why the hell are you two acting like BFFs? That guy’s an assassin, and you just sent him into my house.” Pierce looked over his shoulder, like the man could’ve crept up on them at any second.

Hawk chuckled, still gazing lovingly at him. “He’s been in there all morning. You’re still alive aren’t you?”

“What?”

“We arrived a few hours ago. But you were sleeping so peacefully. I didn’t want to wake you. If I didn’t know my nephew, I would’ve woken both of you, and not in a nice way.” Hawk squeezed him to him.

“You made the coffee?”

“No. Omega did. He’s very stealthy.” Hawk grinned. But Pierce still wasn’t finding any of this funny, and his face showed it.

“Baby. What he said was right. If it wasn’t for him, I’d be dead. I was shot in the leg, stuck on that fucking building with five men closing in on me. Omega appeared out of nowhere, like a dark angel. Doing what he does.”

“Killing,” Pierce added.

“Exactly. Call would be dead and Toad, too. I don’t know how the hell they did it, but they were there on that dock at the exact moment we needed them to be.”

“No one was killed?” Pierce gasped.

“No. Toad’s heart had stopped on the dock. Viper and Lucky gave him CPR until the paramedics arrived. It was touch and go when he got to the hospital, but he pulled through. He’s tough as fuck, always has been. Call was hurt, but not life threatening. The only one we didn’t find was Shot.”

“Oh, no.”

“No. He’s alive. He had to dive off his building into the water when it blew. He was burned, and sustained a few cracked ribs when he hit the water. He couldn’t swim with his injuries so he just floated with the tide until it pushed him up on the bank a few miles away. We were all separated when we got to the hospital. Feds swarmed us. Took us into the custody after we were treated. It wasn’t until I got out that my General told me where my team was and their statuses.”

“Omega sent your General.”

“No. Alpha did. He risked his identity to get Call.”

Pierce fumed. “Those bastards wouldn’t tell me anything. I can’t believe they put you in jail.”

“Baby, that whole mission is going to get buried and all the details deemed as eyes-only classified. Names and records had to be sealed. We can’t have the Russians trying to retaliate against any of us personally. They don’t take defeat very well. They kept other agencies, you and other loved ones in the dark for a very important reason.”

Pierce opened his mouth to argue again but Hawk slammed his mouth down over his, cutting him off. He kissed him hard for a few seconds, and when he pulled away, Pierce was breathless.

“It had to be that way, Pierce. We needed to keep our identities secret… especially yours. The Russian mafia has been run out of the country. The few left on the docks that weren’t dead are in federal custody. It’s more than likely they’ll cut deals and reveal the locations of many of the women who were taken and placed in their human trafficking system. So the mission was a success.” Hawk kissed his nose. “And Backhander’s mission never had any casualties.”

“Oh my god.” Pierce smiled finally, for the first time in weeks.

“Now.” Hawk lifted Pierce’s left hand and kissed the gold band. “I haven’t heard you say ‘yes’ yet.” Hawk raised one eyebrow at him, his eyes sparkling with gold and violet.

Pierce slung his arms around him again. “Of course it’s a yes, you sneaky bastard.”

“I’d pick you up and spin you around, but I don’t want us falling over into the water.” Hawk laughed, hugging him tightly.

Pierce looked down at Hawk’s cane. “How bad is your leg?”

“It’ll heal. But there’ll be no more missions. Too many muscles torn apart by the bullet.” Hawk looked seriously at him.

“Jesus. I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. I’ve been looking forward to more carefree days. Vacationing, lying in the sun. Maybe some fishing. Doing a lot more of my wood crafting.” Hawk pressed his mouth to the shell of Pierce’s ear. “Enjoying my husband.”

Pierce’s face ached from the broad smile. “That sounds perfect.”

Epilogue

GETTING THE GANG BACK TOGETHER

“You guys call this a goddamn bachelor party. Where the fuck are the strippers?” Lucky yelled as soon as he came through the door into the huge beach house Hawk and Pierce had rented to hold their wedding.

“Shut up Unc.” Max ran up and hugged Lucky and Viper. As soon as they got further in the house Toad popped Lucky in the back of the head.

“Have some class, dumbass,” Toad grumbled.

A short time later, the music was blaring on one side of the house. Max and Angel were slow dancing even though it was an upbeat song. Pierce hoped that he and Hawk would be that happy. But he was sure they would. He loved Hawk with everything he had, he couldn’t wait to stand on the surf with all of their friends and vow to love the man forever.

Speaking of, where was he?
He’d just closed the door to go in search of his fiancé when the bell rang again. “Holy hell. We’re getting to capacity here.” Pierce opened the door and smiled happily at the couple standing on the doorstep with at least five bottles of Belvedere Premium Vodka.

“Jesus, Ryker. Are you trying to not wake up tomorrow?” Pierce laughed embracing his best friend’s brother. Ryker looked very handsome in his tan linen suit. Of course with him was his partner Sebastian. Pierce had to stand on his tiptoes to put his arms around the big Dom’s neck.

“Pierce this was a great idea. God, I been begging this man to get me out of Virginia for longer than I want to mention.” Ryker kissed Pierce on his cheek.

Ryker gave Bass a smug look that got him a hard slap on his ass. Pierce cringed but Ryker barely blinked. 

“Damn, you two. I think you guys better take one of the rooms on the back end of the house.” Pierce chuckled.

“Congratulations Pierce. I’m glad somebody finally clipped Hawk’s wings.” Sebastian’s deep voice vibrated Pierce’s chest when he spoke.

Pierce pulled back smiling from ear to ear, when he felt Hawk’s arms come around his stomach and pull him back into him.

“I wouldn’t go that far Bass. I wouldn’t say he clipped my wings, but it’s fun when he pins me down.” Hawk kissed Pierce’s neck, the sexy comment making his skin flush red.

Bass and Ryker both shook their heads at them. Bass placed a heavy hand on Pierce’s shoulder and mock whispered to him, “Let me know if you want to borrow my whip, Pierce.” Then moved further into the house to greet everyone.

Hawk shuddered at the thought and Pierce laughed in his arms.

“Hawk, Pierce, where are the steaks? I’m ready to put them on now,” Max asked them. Pierce was so grateful that Max volunteered to man the grill for them. It was a shitload of meat to be cooked too. The poor guy had been cooking since this morning. Pierce’s mom made all the sides, but she’d refused to grill. He and Hawk weren’t in to frilly catering and unfortunately that was all that was available in Palm Beach.

“Come on Max. I’ll show you.” Hawk kissed Pierce softly before being dragged off. The slight limp could barely be seen as Hawk jogged after Max.

Pierce went into the largely open living area and shook his head at Toad and Viper arm wrestling. He saw his mom standing there watching too.

“Mom are you having a good time? Where’s Dad?” Pierce draped his arm over his petite mother’s shoulders.

“He’s over there talking shop honey. You can only imagine how happy he is to have some agents to shoot the breeze with.”

“Well, I’m going to tell him he shouldn’t be leaving you around all these big strapping men.” Pierce went to pull away but his mother grabbed his arm.

“You leave your father right where he is, thank you.” She giggled, fanning herself when Toad slammed Viper’s hand down on the marble-top table. “Honey, go get me a wine spritzer.”

“Oh my god,” Pierce mumbled. Turning to go to the kitchen. Watching his mom get hot over a couple of the Beastmasters was just too much for him.

He turned the corner and stumbled a little when he saw Call leaning against the counter with a mixed drink in his hand, and Alpha leaning against him. That guy still gave Pierce a chill. His sheer presence radiated deadly power and authority.

“Pierce this is quite a function. Congratulations on your engagement.” Alpha’s voice was raspy and low. His eyes shifted and looked a little unfocused, like he was calculating something.

Pierce diverted his eyes, clearing his throat before he could muster up a little courage to speak back to the man. He knew what Alpha had done on the docks and he was so grateful to him and his brother, but that didn’t make the men any less scary.

“Um. Thank you very much. I didn’t see you guys come in. When did you get here?”

“About an hour ago,” Call responded.

“Hmm. I didn’t see you.” Pierce frowned.

“I know,” Alpha answered.

Jesus. This guy is too fuckin’ intense
. Pierce went about fixing his mom’s drink. “So are you guys going to be staying in one of the rooms here? There’s plenty.”
Please say no, please say no.
Pierce didn’t think he could handle the dark man, slinking around the house in the middle of the night. Regardless, that his hood and cloak were gone, now replaced by stylish dark slacks and a black linen shirt.