Hawk (A Stepbrother Romance #3)(42)

“Yes,” I agree. “I suppose.”

“I understand you’re reluctant. It’ll fade in time once you understand how important this work is. You see, sweetheart, the truth is, these are the men who really run the world. We can’t stop them, only… guide them. Work with them. It’s better to be part of the system than fight against it.”

I nod, and take another gulping swallow of ice cream. I finally manage to eat it all, scooping some of the melt up from the plate with my spoon. Tom takes an intense interest in watching me eat, especially when I draw the ice cream off the spoon with my lips. He finally finishes his meal.

“Ginger settled your stomach, no?”

I nod.

He leaves a stack of cash. It must be a tip, since no one brought us a bill. I rise and take the attaché, then follow him back through the restaurant and out to the car. My body rebels at the idea of getting inside with him, sitting so close. It made me shiver before, but now it’s a discomfort. I’m sweaty all over, my clothes clinging to my skin.

Before I realize what I’m doing, I unbutton the top two buttons of my blouse. As Tom drives, he keeps one eye on my neck, and shifts in his seat to sit a little higher, as if he might catch a glimpse of cleavage from just the right angle. I look out the window and stare at my own reflection sliding over the world, and think.

Tonight. He said something about a meeting tonight.

I have to find out what that means, who he’s meeting with and where. He made it sound like the Amish guy is involved in drugs or something, but that’s nuts. Amish drug runners? Or Mennonites. That guy might have been a Mennonite, since they wear the same clothes. I don’t know.

When we pull around behind the house, I’m ready to leap out of the car, but I wait for Tom to walk around and open it for me.

He takes the attaché.

“That’s enough for today. I’ll need you tomorrow.”

He leans towards me a little, and pulls back, as though he was about to kiss my cheek and stopped at the last second, caught himself. Instead he looks me up and down, very clearly and openly, and heads towards the house.

I follow, slowing when an old red pickup rumbles up into the yard. The thing must be raised up half a foot higher than it should be, on big silly looking monster truck tires. Tom starts over only to stop when the door swings open and Hawk steps out, slams the door, and pats the hood.

“Hey. I bought a truck. Like it?”

The question doesn’t seem directed at Tom, but he sneers. “Wonderful. Pull that thing behind the carriage house.”

Hawk shrugs, climbs back inside and drives it around.

I can’t show too much interest in him. I head back inside, upstairs, and lock myself in my room. Once I’m finally alone, the armor cracks and I stifle a sob into my hands, pull my hair free and quickly yank my way out of my clothes. I’m standing in my bedroom in nothing but my blouse and underwear when I hear a rhythmic tap on the window glass.

I spin around and there’s Hawk, hanging from the side of the damn house.

Quickly I scramble over the bed and open the window, only to realize that in the process, my blouse has fallen away from my body and given him quite a show. I dart back and do up the buttons as he slides over the bed and turns to pull the window shut.

My voice is a low, hoarse whisper.

“Someone’s going to see you if you keep doing this.”

“Nah, trust me. Nobody looks up.”

“You’re crazy.”

“You’re upset. What’s wrong?”

I swallow. “I can’t talk about this.”

“Alex, it’s me. Come on.”

I chew my lip, grab a Coke from the fridge and offer one to Hawk. He takes his and touches my hand, then takes my wrist and tugs me lightly to the bed to sit next to him. He’s not a robot; he looks at my legs, but then focuses on my face.

“You look like you’ve been crying,” he says, very softly, then takes a sip.

I drink half of mine before I can talk. “Just a little. I can’t take this much longer.”

“What happened?”

“He keeps looking at me and calling me sweetheart and he dresses me up in these clothes. You should see the shoes he wants me to wear for him. He wants me to look like a secretary by way of a stripper.”

“Let’s go. Tonight.”

“I can’t.”

“Alex, listen to me. Do you think it matters how old May is? That he’s just going to say ‘welp, they’re both adults, nothing I can do’?”

I snap back and look at him. “You make it sound like we can never escape.”

“No, I mean it doesn’t matter whether we go now or after she turns eighteen. The result will be the same. We’re going to be on the run.”

“It’s we now, is it?”

He touches my arm. His hand is slick from holding the sweaty soda can, but warm.

“Alex, if you don’t… if we don’t… I’m never going to leave you again no matter what happens. I’ll keep you safe. I swear on my life.”

The conviction in his voice stirs me. I sit for a while and think about it.

“There’s more than that.”

He looks at me and sets his soda aside.

“I have to stop him, Hawk.”

He takes my hands in his. His are so much bigger than mine, rougher, but the way he cups my palms in his fingers is so gentle.