Hiding Out (Hawks MC: Caroline Springs Charter, #2) (8 page)

"You got a rat. Overheard the sergeant in arms talking on the phone to someone from your club. He was getting nice information on who's where and shit."

"Tell us something we don't know. Just installed cameras at the compound. Missed the garage because we found Willow."

"So, you do have her?"

"Yeah," I snarled. "And she's under Hawks' protection now. Nothin' will happen to her." I took a breath and told them what Blackie said to me.

"He actually said that shit?" Parker asked.

"Why in the fuck would I lie?"

"Hmm, he could be an ally then."

"He said he's got family he wants to protect."

"Yeah, a sister, a wife and two kids."

Dallas banged his fist on the table and growled, "Where in the fuck does all this get us? We still have jack-shit. What's the next plan?"

"You're right." I sighed. "I'll finish setting up the cameras in the garage. We need to eliminate the snitch fast. Memphis, send out men you trust to the streets, see if anyone can find out who the sick fucker is and his whereabouts. For now, Willow stays here. I'll have round-the-clock protection for her." I looked to Parker. "Need you to talk to Blackie. He was willing to give me what he gave me. See if you can get more. He knows the fucker, but he ain't willing to talk. Tell him we’ll have his back in protecting him and his family."

Glancing at Lan to make sure I got his attention, I said, "Willow said the cocksucker who bought her is in with the cops, so you both need to watch your backs. Venom has a hard-on to fuck us up, and Willow's
owner
has a hard-on for her. Don't know if the two are mixed. We'll need to set up a meeting with the Venom prez."

There was so much shit to do, but it had to be done. The need to have it all finalised so everyone would be safe was high.

"Fuck. Knew someone on the force was dirty," Lan said, "which is why I'm willing to help you out with anything."

Looking to Parker, he nodded. "I'll do what I can while Lan finds the cunt betraying his brothers in the force. Detectives, cops, we're all the same and if someone's being a bitch, we all go in to sort it out."

"Looks like our club ain't the only one dealing in deceiving shits," Sax said. "The Venom don't know who I am. Let me go under, as well. I'll get in and get the information you need."

Saxon was a good kid. Just outta his prospect time, but always willing to do what he can, even if it ended up hurting himself in the process. Fuckin' lucky Stoke found him when he did. Lucky also, because he protected her fiercely, Saxon took an interest in Nary, Stoke's daughter. Not that he'd man up and say shit about it. He kept his distance from her for a reason none of us knew.

"You think I can't get it." Parker glared.

Saxon leaned forward in his chair and growled, "You been there six months and you have nothin', so yeah, I reckon I can get it faster than you."

"No," I ordered.

Saxon turned to me, face blank.

"You were there behind Memphis today. One of those Venom fuckers would have taken notice of you."

"Yeah, you are a pretty boy," Dive teased. Saxon gave him the finger.

I wondered if Saxon knew Nary was moving down our way yet. It could explain the reason he was so willing to take himself outta the situation and into a dangerous one. Everyone felt guilty when Nary took a bullet to the face when that obsessed Cameron cunt took Josie. He shot Nary when she'd screamed to warn the others. Maybe Saxon was feelin' it more because Nary looked up to him. She also had a major crush on him, like he did her. They needed to work their shit out. Mind games were fuckin' tiresome.

Not that I could talk relationships and manning-up.

I was afraid, like a pissy little boy, when it came to commitment.

A knock sounded on the front door. I was out of my seat, nearing the kitchen door, when I froze and turned back to my brothers. A pained look appeared on my face when we all heard, "Hellooo, beautiful. Tell me where the hot, bad-boy biker men are."

"Fuck," I groaned.

"Christ," Pick mirrored my tone.

"Hell is now upon us." Dive sighed.

"God-motherfuckin'-dammit," Billy said.

"I'm outta here." Dallas tried, but didn't move when my hard stare met his. Memphis's head was in his hands, shaking it.

"Who in the fuck is that?" Parker asked.

I jumped when a voice behind me screamed, "I found them. Oh, my!" Julian's hand went over his heart. "This just reminded me of the first time I was dragged into Zara's house and delivered upon a house full of spunk-rats." He beamed. "Who's gonna give this momma a kiss hello?" His arms spread wide and he made a kissy face at us all. I quickly shifted back into the kitchen and moved far away from Julian at the entrance of it. "Come on now, I need some biker sugar. I know you all missed my gorgeous arse." He wiggled his fingers.

If there was one, he wouldn't be here without the other. "Matthew, get the fuck in here and rein your fella in," I bellowed.

Julian rolled his eyes. "It's okay, my men. I know you all love me, no need to show it." His eyes glanced over us and landed on Parker. Julian moved into the kitchen and started for him. "Oooh, you're a new and sparkly toy. Hey there, handsome. I'm Julian, your next wet—"

"Julian," Mattie snapped in the doorway. "Hey, everyone, just popped in to see my sister while driving through. Sorry to interrupt." Josie appeared next to Mattie and wound her arm around his waist. He placed his around her shoulders.

"You're her brother and
his
partner?" Parker gaped.

Yeah, we're a unique fuckin' bunch for a family.

"Sure am." Mattie smiled. "Name's Matthew, but people call me Mattie."

"How'd you find out we were all here?" I asked.

Julian grinned. "I used my charm at the compound...though, I think they gave up your information just to get rid of me." His eyes went big and he shook his head. "No taste, some people. Sooo, what's going on in the bad-boy world?" he asked.

"Nothin' you need to know about, Julian," I said.

Parker stood from the table. "I'm outta here. Josie, always a pleasure. Lan, I'll go through you for any messages. Be in touch, fellas." Then he walked quickly out the back door. He was probably worried, like most of us, that Julian was gonna take a huge chunk outta him.

"Can I get anyone a drink?" Josie offered.

Guess the fuckin' meeting was over for now.

"I'd love one." Julian smiled and took Parker's vacated seat. Josie found her way around my kitchen while Mattie stood against the wall with an apologetic look on his face.

"Dodge, you should call Talon and give him an update," Memphis suggested.

Julian tapped the table with his knuckles and said, "Oh, don't need to worry about that."

W
illow

The room dark and unfamiliar, I wiped my bleary eyes. I wasn't sure how long I'd slept, but I felt better for it. Surprise fluttered through my mind when I realised how rested I felt, a miracle considering the last twenty-four hours or so.

Guilt remained heavy in my mind. I needed to seek out someone else's help—a bodyguard, anyone who could deal with it professionally without causing their family hardship. I had to find someone I could trust. A detective, maybe? There was always a risk they could be in with the dick-muncher who bought me and his evil plan, but I had to take that risk to get my overflowing crap from the Hawks' doorstep.

Stretching my sore body, I pushed the sheet back and shifted my legs to the side to sit. Looking down at my bandaged feet, I moved them up and down, side to side. They still ached, but the real test was if I could stand on them. Carefully, I touched them to the grey carpeted floor. They were tender, but not too bad. Standing, the ache in them doubled. Still, it was something I could handle for small periods.

Brushing my hair from my face, I made my way to the door and slowly opened it. The room I'd been in was just about in the middle of the hall. What I guessed was the kitchen, at the end, held a lot of voices. My heart beat double-time. Too nervous to walk in there, I went in the other direction to the living room, hoping I'd find Josie.

She wasn't there, so I had a choice to either wait out the people in the kitchen or go in and see what was going on.

Just when the thought to hide in the room again crossed my mind, there was an assertive knock on the front door. With the noise going on in the kitchen, I knew no one would have heard it. I bit my bottom lip, contemplating whether to answer it or not. It wasn't my place to answer the door. I should've gone and got someone, but another knock came, that one louder and impatient.

Nothing bad could happen with opening the door...right?

Walking to it, I reached out and unlocked the deadbolt with a shaky hand. Then slowly, I opened it a little. My eyes widened, a scream came out of me before I could catch it and I quickly slammed the door closed again, resting my back against it, my chest heaving.

There was a man.

A good-looking man.

But the scowl upon his face could cut anyone down, and I didn't want to be in the path of it. I shouldn't have opened the door.

Footsteps pounded down the hall. Dodge was first. I saw no one else but him and the panicked look upon his face. His eyes grazed over me before he asked, "Willow?"

"T-t-there's—"

"Dodge, open the motherfuckin' door, right the fuck now," the scary man bellowed from outside.

"Honey, language," was snapped by a female voice seconds later.

Dodge smirked. He actually smirked and then it turned into a wide grin and then...then he laughed, while others joined in with him. Josie came to me first, her arm wound around my waist. She moved me from the front door to the couch while Dodge went to the door with a smile lighting his face and opened it wide. That sexy smile—one I’d hopefully have a naughty dream about—reassured me everything was okay. The scary man didn’t mean harm.

"Yo, boss, looks like you not only scare us, but the females, as well." Dodge stepped aside and the scowling man stepped in, followed by a beautiful pregnant woman with warm eyes, a wide smile and a head full of wild, dark hair.

My eyes quickly went back to the man Dodge called boss. He glared and growled, "I ain't gonna hurt you."

"I promise he won't. He's a big teddy bear under all that." The pregnant woman gestured with her hand over the man's body.

"Kitten," he growled to the woman.

"Oh, quit it." She came forward, her hand outstretched. I slowly took it. "Hi, I'm Zara and that's Talon, the president of all of the Hawks charters."

He...yes, I could understand why he was president.

"W-Willow," I uttered.

Zara smiled, winked then turned to Josie. "Sister, give me some loving." She stood tall, arms wide and Josie, with a sweet, kind smile, stood up from next to me and embraced her...sister?

Josie pulled back, her hand resting on Zara's belly, and then asked, "Where are my nieces and nephews?"

Zara smiled sadly. "With Mum." They sighed together. "We popped in because Talon wanted to talk to Memphis and Dodge."

I looked around her to see Dodge had disappeared with Talon.

"There's my baby!" was yelled. I jumped, stood, took a few steps back when I saw a man in his late thirties run across the floor only to stop at Zara, who rolled her eyes. He fell to his knees in front of her. His hands went to her melon belly. "How's my little pea? Nice and warm in there? Your daddy is just here, sweet'ums, no need to worry."

What. The. Hedge?

Daddy?

He
was the daddy?

And scary man let that happen to his woman?

A new man appeared who looked similar to Zara. He came up, laid a hand on the man's shoulder who was still on his knees, and said to me, "Hi, I'm Matthew, Zara's brother. And the crazy one is Julian, my—"

"Fiancé," Julian supplied and then bounded up and over to me. "Aren't you just golly-gosh-gorgeous. I love the relaxed look in Dodge's clothes, like you just got out of bed. Looks good on you."

"Julian—" Josie started.

"Are you Dodge's woman?" He laughed. "Oh, I guess you are, being in his clothes and all. Don't worry about us, we'll head off soon so you can get back to your man...hey, why are your feet like—"

"Julian," Josie snapped.

"H-how are you still alive?" I stupidly asked without thinking.

His head jerked back. "What do you mean?"

"You...and Zara, a baby... How has
that man
not killed you?"

Everyone burst out laughing.

Had I woken up in a different universe?

"No, sugarplum, he won't kill me. I'm too handsome for that." Julian smiled.

"There's also the fact that Matthew is my brother, making Julian my brother-in-law. And if Talon tried anything, he would be sleeping on the couch for the rest of his life," Zara said.

Rubbing my hand against my forehead, I uttered, "This is all so strange."

"The best way a family should be," Julian said.

"Willow," Josie said to catch my attention. I looked to her. "Come sit down and I'll explain a few things." I did just that, thinking maybe more information would help my brain from exploding. "Zara and Matthew are biological brother and sister. I was adopted by Mum and Dad," —a small wince when she'd said Dad made me believe something had happened to him—"after my situation. Zara is having a baby for Matthew and Julian. It was their gift to them when they got engaged. Our family is...a little different to most. It's big and includes all members from the Hawks Motorcycle Club. That's how I met Eli and Caden, as well. We have a lot of love and a lot of desire to help each other out in any way we can. Since you became Hawks—"

"Oh, has Dodge claimed her?" Zara asked.

Josie shook her head. "Well, not in that way. Willow has had some trouble, and the men have taken it on. She's now under the protection of Hawks."

"What happened?" Zara demanded.

"Kitten," Talon barked when he appeared out of nowhere... Okay, he walked from the hallway with the other men following him. His deep gaze stopped on me. I held my breath when he said, "Dodge has told me of your situation. You stay here. You think of going to anyone, we'll bring you right back. We
will
fuckin' help with what's goin' down in our own goddamn backyard. No one is gonna deal with it like we can."