Hawke (Protective Hero: Noble Network #2)

Chapter 18

Chapter

Eighteen

H awke leaned over the tailgate of the truck and studied the area they were putting Kinley smack in the middle of. He drummed his fingers. He dug at the gnawing ache that plagued him. The closer he got to Kinley, the deeper the feeling in his chest hurt. Why did getting close have to hurt? He hadn’t trusted another woman since his mother. Letting Kinley in could devastate what he protected most, his heart. He watched and listened to the plan and made suggestions. There was no room for error. None. Clearing his throat, it felt like an anaconda constricted his breathing. I can’t breathe . If anything happens to her… Even though the DEA was on board more than a personal courtesy, it was his show, and they would abide by his orders. Simple as that. Jurisdiction or not. He has as much, if not more, experience, and this was his ward. His Kinley. His mouth was as dry as the Sahara, and he took a long swig of water. Hawke’s muscles tensed at the base of his neck; he kneaded rope-like muscles. Hawke was hyper-aware of the mental, and physical sensations plaguing him. He was getting ready for a battle, fight for her. He would do everything within his power to keep her safe, He paced and glanced at the door of the glorified bunkhouse. Kinley’s hair glistened as the sun moved behind the mountain. Her light skin was creamy, but her cheeks had a familiar rosy hue. She was soft and powerful in one perfect package. He observed her carefully sitting on a chair looking over the files she was researching. Kinley bit at the bow of her glasses and peeked over her shoulder as if she sensed his stare. She smiled long enough before replacing her glasses, then back to flipping through the stack of faxes, photos, and documents. She tucked her feet under her, and she zipped her jacket. Her demeanor shifted in a blink of the eye. Suddenly her posture went rigid. Hawke inched around the truck. Kinley’s faced changed. Worry etched across her features, fear cloaked her once easy nature.

He was there at her side in seconds. She leaped from her seated position, the files scattering everywhere.

“What’s wrong?” He latched onto her arms and crouched lower to get a reading.

She gasped. “I don’t know how I didn’t see this before.” She held up two blurred photos.

“What is it?”

“Something had been nagging me ever since I first saw the photos, but there’s been so much…going on,” she stammered. “Too familiar.” She lifted a sheet of paper. “Do you see this shape?” she traced it with her fingers. “At closer inspection, I see it clearly.” She tapped the photo.

“It’s the logo on the vehicle, right? It looks like a blob to me.” Hawke pulled back to get a better visual.

“Use your imagination. Squint. That’s what I did. Not sure what I was planning to gain without my glasses, but it worked.”

He scratched his head. “I got nothing.”

Kinley grabbed a black marker and outlined the first of the two photos.

“I’m awful with Pictionary, but it looks like President Lincoln. Tell me I’m wrong?”

“Yes. Abraham Lincoln, and this,” nodding, she pointed, “This is supposed to be a crown.”

Hawke squinted and did a trombone action with the photo. “I don’t understand any of this.” He anchored his fists on his hips.

“Good thing I do. Remember when I talked about my father? He had a logo like this, it was Lincoln and a crown, this one…” She held up the other and outlined it the same. “This one is similar, but there is a jester hat on Lincoln, which is my uncle’s. This insignia is from my father’s and uncle’s private fleet of vehicles. All. Of. Them have the logos.” She grabbed her hair and shook her head. “Which means my father and uncle are somehow involved.” She whipped her glasses off her nose and covered her face. “I haven’t spoken to my father in years; there’s a reason for that. It’s no coincidence these vehicles have been seen either chasing us or at my apartment.” Kinley sucked in a hard breath and a little whine coiled through her words. “Why is their fleet here? They’re from New York. Neither should know I’m here. How could my family be involved? I haven’t done anything to them.”

“I’ve had my suspicions and it’s nagging me. With the plates and registration based in New York, it was more than a coincidence, but I had to gather all the facts before I mentioned this. Making certain not to jump ahead of ourselves.” Hawke rubbed her shoulder. “I didn’t want to upset you if my hunch led to something. I’m investigative like you.”

Kinley bit at her thumbnail. “I just—can’t believe this.” My family trying to kill me. How does the guy with the amber glasses fit? I know he was helping me. Who does he work for?

“This is a good thing. Maybe it’s just a weird coincidence?” He raised his shoulders.

Kinley craned her neck and frowned. “Really? Both of us are fact finders and even I can’t come up with a defense for this one.”

“Yeah, a bit of a stretch. I didn’t want you to worry any more than you have to.”

“Too late, but I appreciate you wanting to protect me. There was a reason I moved across the country to get away from my family. My father and his brother have been feuding for as long as I remember. My uncle is…how can I put this mildly…bat shit crazy?” She spun a finger in a circle near her temple. “I mean cuckoo for coco puffs. I never saw my mom and dad fight, ever, but with the quarrels between the siblings and his angst against my mom, she had no choice but to leave. She was protecting me from all the greed. The more money each made, the greedier the other became. My father was never a one-upper, but he was so angry at my uncle for his constant undermining. All his energy focused on him, not us. Mother defended my father’s actions. Come to think of it, she does to this day. I think she still loves him. If that’s the case, I don’t understand why she left him. I suspect to protect me from harm. I don’t want any of the drama or the family fortune.”

Hawke’s eyes bulged and his spine straightened. “You’re the heir to your father’s fortune?”

“I’m saying my father and uncle’s fortune is mainly my grandfather’s from his family. Yes, they’ve invested well. And do well on their own. My grandfather was a billionaire, he changed his will, choosing me to be the sole beneficiary.”

“Have you seen the will?”

“I didn’t want any part of it, but my mom has. My grandfather was a little eccentric, but we had a good relationship. He loved my interest in the family heritage. He adored his family lineage.” Kinley tapped her forefinger on her chin. “Maybe, in his own, way he was preparing me to be the referee between his sons.”

“I’m sorry you had to go through that.” He caressed her shoulder. “I’ll have Richards and Luca do what they can before tomorrow afternoon. We need to get as many answers as possible.” Hawke leaped off the stairs but retreated and grabbed Kinley’s hand. “Come on, boss. We’re a team, right? Let’s fill them in.”

“Listen up. Kinley decoded the photo; she recognized it as her Lincoln family’s branding logo. The vehicle following you and picking off the motorcycles, and the other at Kinley’s apartment, the night of the attempt on her life. I think someone needs to look up all the senior Lincoln’s vehicles on file. We must get someone to the hospital pronto and interview the guy still admitted from being run off the road. We need every resource available to us.”

“I’ll contact the boss after we have something concrete, but for now, we get busy digging,” Gunner piped in.

Kinley raised her hand. “I spent three summers with my grandfather estate researching our lineage. I did a Lincoln family history dissertation for college before I went to law school. I have the original copies of my grandfather’s holdings, locked up in a bank vault under his advisement. I’d also prefer not to involve my mother, if at all possible. This would kill her, knowing my father was behind any of this. Is it possible to have someone check on her?”

“Already been there, done that.,” Luca answered. “We had a team set up weeks ago. I’ll call them and have them step up their game and give them our intel.”

Hawke gave Luca a nod. “Let’s roll! Every minute counts.” Hawke’s loud whistle filled the air.

If he wasn’t already motivated, Hawke’s determination exceeded the Richter scale. He locked eyes with Kinley. He’d stop at nothing to keep her safe and he’d fight any threat, including her family. Hawke didn’t know them, didn’t care, and even if he hadn’t known Kinley that long, he knew enough. She fought for other’s rights; he’d fight for her. This time it wasn’t an all for honor or integrity thing, it was something that mattered more—her safety and his heart.

Hawke watched as Kinley sorted through the papers and put them back into the folder. Dropping one, then re-sorting it. Kinley wasn’t even looking at the papers, more like looking through them. She stood, dropping the paper again. Her thoughts were probably as jumbled as her movements. She had the weight of the world resting on her shoulders, but this had to be a gut punch, a proverbial undoing. The wind blew her hair and she inhaled deep. He wanted to reach out and tell her everything would be okay. Hawke made it a point to trudge up the stairs and whisper in her ear. “Can’t wait until we’re alone later, even if it’s just to comfort you and show you you’re not alone. I got you.”

Kinley scrunched her nose. “Is it that obvious?”

“A little, counselor, but nothing I can’t handle.” He cleared his throat. “I wish I could kiss you right now.”

“Me too, and a hug. A hug cures almost everything.”

Hawke craned his neck to see if anyone was watching. “What am I doing? I don’t care who’s watching us.” Maybe he did, but this was ground he hadn’t covered before . Time to leap. He pulled her in and gave her a hug. She squeezed him tight and when he tried to release, she held on longer and tighter.

“It will turn out for the best, and I promise you, I will not let anyone hurt you.”

“I believe you.” The corners of her mouth curled in another attempt to smile. “I heard you’re the best of the best.” She ran her hands over his biceps. “You are to me.”

“Enough of that. You can look and me and touch me later.” He gave her a wink. “But right now if you keep doing, what you’re doing, I won’t get anything done.” He kissed her temple and squeezed her hand as he walked away.

Kinley wrung her hands together, pacing back and forth in the attic of the guest house. She had a gnawing migraine that wouldn’t ease. Tears sprung to her eyes and an icy dread settled in the pit of her stomach. She needed to talk to her mom, if she was in danger, so was her mother. Kinley pressed her temples hoping to ease her head splitter. She stretched her neck from side to side and decided yoga was the best medicine to destress.

She found a suitable place on the floor and laid in corpse pose. Ha, no pun intended. Kinley repositioned herself into child’s pose controlling her breathing, followed by an intense stretch into the cobra position. She concentrated on her breathing, closing her eyes, breathe in through the nose and out through the mouth. The more she inhaled a cleansing breath and threw it away, the more centered she became. With each stretch, her mind eased and her body relaxed. The aches and tension melted away, but the warrior pose was her favorite—it energized her. She positioned herself for a deeper stretch and the door swung open. Her stare met hungry eyes. He stalked across the room with purpose. He was honoring his promise to be her rock and make her forget. She leaped forward and into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He cupped her face; hot lips met hers with urgency. She wanted to fall into his abyss. His dark and stormy gaze draws me in and made me feel more alive than I ever have.

He moved her to the bed, squeezing her tight. Instead of laying her on the bed, he set her aside and brushed the hair off her face. He kissed her neck and grabbed her hand in his.

“Kin, I need you to talk to me.”

“Talk?” she questioned. She blushed and could feel the heat warm her cheeks. “Kin?” His pet name sounded so personal and loving. She sniffed and smiled.

“It fits you.”

“It sounds so…intimate, coming from you.” She rested her head on his shoulder. “A name you chose for me, from your lips. It’s perfect.”

“Are you hanging in there?” His voice was deep with a touch of gravel, but it was what she saw in his eyes, a lightness, another layer of his armor shed.

She inched closer, peering at his hands and held them. “I don’t want to talk. All I want to think about is the here and the now. You. Me.” she nodded. “Please Zane, I need you, so lock the door and bolt it if you need to. Silence your phone.”

“Are you sure? Tomorrow is a game changer.”

“I’m more certain than I have ever been. Tonight is our time and you’re all I want and need. Do what you’re told and get over here now!” Kinley played at the last sentence, showing even more authority.

Hawke tore off in the other direction and locked the door. He slipped his holster off and unloaded his gun, locking the safety. Ripping his shirt off, he showed all his wonderful body art, but it was his heart and soul that did her in. Zane Hawkens was an honorable man. He’s carried so much weight within. Flashes of their earlier exchange and the painful accounts behind his scars seeped into every fiber. Her heart and soul were invested irrevocably. Kinley respected every part of his being. He is so sexy and tonight he is mine. She gasped with excitement and chomped down on her bottom lip. There was something feral in his look and Kinley’s body hummed with excitement. She’d aged a lot in the past several weeks, but the positive that came from this situation was a man unlike any she encountered, and tonight he was hers. Beyond that she couldn’t process. Tonight, it was two consenting adults letting their guards down for a glimpse of something monumental.

Kinley fanned herself, bouncing on her tiptoes. Breathless her senses were heightened, and her adrenaline rushed. Hawke will not know what hit him. She giggled and her nipples hardened.

Hawke backed her into a wall and his eyes dilated. He rumbled deep in his chest, flooding her with warmth. She brushed against him, her hands clenching briefly then releasing. He pressed himself closer, feeling his heat and she wrapped her hands around his waist and into his back pockets. Zane hugged her tight and ran his hand across her ribcage, fingers teasing her hip and around, gripping her bottom. She arched to get closer, and he bent his legs to accommodate the height distance and ground his manhood into her. She clawed his back. “I need you, Zane Hawkens. take me.” Her lips parted.

“Kin, I’m gonna savor you for as long as I damn well please,” he said in a gruff voice that turned her on more. He ran his tongue along her neck and bit at her flesh as she squirmed.

She was breathless and her voice lowered, “I’m nervous. Is this really happening, or will we be interrupted?” Her heart palpitated.

“They won’t. There’s nothing more important than being with you. I’ve wanted you since the day I saw you in the courtroom and trust me there were a lot of nights. I went to bed with you on my mind, aching for you. If I can handle the torture for this long, so can you.”

“Who said I haven’t done the same since we first crossed paths? I barely could remember my plea to the jury or my closing statement, for God’s sake.”

“Really?” He pressed his forehead to hers.

She nodded.

“What are we waiting for counselor?”

“I was going to ask you the exact same question, soldier.” She tapped on his back. “Shall we take this over there?” She tilted her head in the direction of the bed.

He swooped her up and took a knee to the bed, easing her down. Kinley raised her arms as Hawke lifted her workout tank gently over her head. She attempted to cover her breasts, but he shooed them away. The moment of insecurity surprised her. She felt so vulnerable.

Butterflies fluttered in her stomach, her body quaked as he drew her yoga pants lower, around her ankles. He wrapped his arms around her waist and hugged her tight, sending shivers throughout her system as he planted soft kisses across her abdomen.

“You’re beautiful. Don’t you dare think otherwise.”

She nodded and turned away. He moved to face her, nudging her nose with his and tenderly brushing it from side to side. “Kinley, you are a multi-faceted species and I think I’m falling hard.”

“You better be. Being here with you has recharged my soul.” The pad of her finger trailed the shell of his ear.

“That makes two of us.”

Kinley raked her fingers up his back and lifted the bottom of his cotton white V-neck shirt, shooting into a nearby wastebasket. “Score!”

Hawke craned his neck, realizing what she had done. “That was a three pointer.”

Kinley tugged at his belt and unlatched it, nearly punching herself in the snoot. He scooted her toward him and ground his erection into her center. She sucked in a breath.

Her hands shook as she tried to undo the button of his jeans.

He kissed her hand. “Let me take it from here.” He shifted and pulled her up the bed and kicked his boots off, undoing the top button and unzipped his jeans. Just the right amount of hair traveled from his wide chest to below his navel. The band of his boxer briefs enticed her. This was the closest he had ever gotten being nearly undressed. She licked her lips and sat up on the bed, her eyes glued to his every move. Her throat became parched, and she felt the pulse in her neck throb. Their gazes locked as he shimmed out of his denims. The bulge in his boxer briefs grew harder with each step in her direction. He pulled back the covers and waved her to that side of the bed and patted the mattress. “Come here, I want you to take these off.” She crawled forward and slid them down. He moved close and grabbed her hands, lacing them together. Hawke kissed her lightly on the lips.

She pulled him onto the bed and held the comforter up for him to climb in. The bed squeaked under his weight.

“Now that could be a problem.”

She laughed. “I hope the insulation and acoustics are good.”

She pulled his hand into her center. A deep rumble came from his chest. He cupped her sex and moved his finger until her found her sweet spot. She rocked, barely able to compose herself. “Hawke, make me forget everything but you, please,” she pleaded.