Hawke (Protective Hero: Noble Network #2)

Chapter 23

Chapter

Twenty-Three

H awke scrambled to find his earpiece in the clearing, swooshing his hands across the tall blades of grass. He was solo without it. He yanked his gun from his ankle holster. Disoriented, the blood kept flowing from his head. Finding his earpiece would take precious time away from getting to Kinley.

“I don’t know who the fuck you are, but you have one choice. Or I’ll blow your brains out.” The guy cradled his hand to his chest.

“You better get busy, because I have a sole job to do, and I aim to protect the woman from danger.” The guy stalked around him like a panther hunting his prey.

Hawke met him with his own strategic moves until he stopped. “What did you say?” He clicked the safety off and stepped forward. “Protect the woman? You mean Miss Lincoln?” A shiver shot up Hawke’s spine and the hairs on the back of his neck raised. “Do I know you?” Hawke squinted, but his vision was skewed. All he could see was the silhouette of the man. Concussions did that to a person. He shook his head, trying to clear the dizziness and fog. He recognized something in the guy’s tone.

“I don’t know you or care to. You’re the only thing keeping me from my mission. I’ll do whatever it takes to complete it—you are only one of the threats. So bring it on. While I’m dancing with you, she’s vulnerable.”

Hawke used the arm of his coat and pressed it to his head. Dammit, he needed to see the guy’s face to know for sure. “Your voice sounds familiar.” Hawke stepped closer in hopes of gaining clarity. Waves of nausea dipped and peaked in his gut. “What do you think I’m here to do exactly? Hurt her? You couldn’t be more wrong. A dozen operatives, including myself, are here on a mission keeping our client safe from whoever is trying to kill her.”

The mountain landscape was shattered by the roar of an engine, tires kicking up of gravel and the pinging of rocks against an undercarriage. Nearby screams and gunfire sounded, hitting metal and shattering glass. Hawke whipped his neck over his shoulder as a huge vehicle shot by like a freight train, taking out small evergreens in its path.

A crowd of people yelled and screamed, dodging, and weaving as the vehicle went airborne and bounced between rock formations.

Is she safe? Or did they take her? Hawke ran toward the noise. He wasn’t waiting. He had to get to her. More bullets rang out, ricocheting off the vehicle. By the massive silhouette at the bottom of the hill, he assumed the Winnebago was attempting interference. He closed one eye, navigating the terrain, but stumbled. He didn’t need to see but imagined the team following the backup protocol, annihilating the threat. The strong gas combustion of acrid sulfur permeated the air. Vehicle engines roared. He heard his name off in the distance. “Hawke, they got her.”

Adrenalin coursed through his veins. “Where is she?”

“They have Lincoln.”

An unrecognizable groan deep in his belly sounded. “Nooo!” His head whirled round and round. He stumbled over a large rock. His breath hitched, coming out in short sharp gasps. Hawke spun around, concentrating on his stride, hurdling shadows, and rolling head over feet tumbling down the mountainside. Branches thrashed and stung his face. He had to get to the escape vehicle, fast. Headlights sliced through the growing darkness. Chewbacca was nipping at his heels.

The guy shouted, “She’s gone Elvis!”

Hawke stopped dead in his tracks and got in the guy’s face. “She is not missing in action. Don’t you ever say that again.” The military jargon sent a tidal wave of emotion through him. Kinley’s disappeared.

The guy backed up. “I know where they’re going and who the threat is,” the guy hollered.

Hawke lunged forward, fisting the guy’s shirt. “Who?”

“A Lincoln, her uncle, has been hiring people right and left to kill her before she gets the family fortune.”

“And why should I believe you?” Hawke spewed words between clenched teeth.

“Because her father hired me. I’ve been watching out for her for the past six months, after her father found out his brother had contested his father’s will and failed.”

Clarity hit him. “Was it you at her apartment? You took her to safety? You handled the Triple D bike club members?”

“You got it. But I lost track of her for several weeks, so I tracked her uncle’s men.” The guy cracked his neck. “How did you know all that?”

“She told us, Einstein. We’re the Noble Network Security, hired to protect Kinley.” Hawke grumbled as he wiped more blood from his eyes and onto his pants. He needed to see this guy’s face.

“First name basis, huh?” The guy asked. “Neither of us are doing our damn job right now.”

Hawke picked up speed in his stride. “I’d love to shoot the shit with you, but I’ll find her one way or another. I must before it’s too late.”

The guy grabbed his shoulder. “You think you should be driving?”

Hawke picked up speed and moved out of his reach, but the guy jogged beside him. “I can’t see worth a fuck, but I’ve been through worse. Thanks for the head wound.”

“We’re even. I only have one hand; you broke several bones.” The guy kept in line, matching him step by step. “We have one goal. I know where they’re taking her. I’ve been doing recon. The bastard is in the area.”

Hawke added pressure to his head wound. “Recon? Military?”

“Don’t know. Can’t say for certain. Been asked that before.”

“Every second counts.” Hawke waved him on and beat feet. “I have wheels and I’ll go with my gut that you’re on the up and up. Don’t assume for a minute this is over. I’m keeping my weapon aimed on you.” Hawke snagged the keys from under the mat, then opened the trunk, grabbing a med kit. “Get in.” He waved his weapon at the guy. His head throbbed.

Hawke hurdled himself into the passenger seat of the vehicle, the team stashed behind the training facility earlier with and the tag-a-long follow suit, jumping into the driver’s seat.

“What are you waiting for?”

“I know a shortcut. They won’t be expecting us.”

Hawke winced and listened carefully. There was something nagging him about the guy, and he needed to stop the flow of blood and clean out his eyes so he could get a looksee. He opened the medical kit, downing a couple of aspirin from the case, and pressed his temples.

The driver kicked on the engine, revved the gas, and shifted the car in drive, putting the pedal to the metal. “You got a couple more of those? My hand’s jacked.”

Hawke handed the guy three aspirin and rummaged through the kit for some gauze and saline. He sprayed his face and let the solution run through his eyes. Wiping the cloth over his face, he paused glancing at the driver. He focused on staring at his profile, as it took a minute for the eye-wonk to settle. His pulse quickened. “You. Son of a bitch, it’s you. I can’t believe it.”

The guy gave him a blank stare.

“I hoped my ears weren’t playing a sick, twisted joke on me.” He reached over to give the guy a hug, but the driver jerked away. His eyes narrowed and he squinted.

“What the fuck are you doing?”

“Hunter, it’s me, Hawke.” He doesn’t recognize me. He must be joking. The driver’s face was stoic, teetering on irritated. His lips were pressed together and expression was flat, no sign of remembering him. “You seriously don’t know who I am?”

“Stay over there, will you?” He raised his broken hand. “Yeah, you’re the guy who got in my way and fucked up my hand.”

Kinley’s body went limp, a sensation of floating plagued her. Her head bobbed, sweat dripping down her neck and back. She wriggled but her upper limbs didn’t function. A slicing sawed into her wrists. She was bound. She struggled to free them, but the cuts went deeper. Thoughts washed over her. Someone drugged me. She wanted to flee. Axel was shot trying to help her. Jett, hurt. Hawke. Where is Hawke? How long had it been? She vaguely remembered being stuffed in the back of a SUV and the door slamming behind her. There were only flashes of memories lapsing with darkness. The screams, shots firing all around. Kinley yanked and pulled to release the restraints to no avail. She dry-heaved and gagged, struggling to get air into her lungs. Something was stuffed in her mouth; nausea riveted her. Her ribs hurt from the rolling and slamming inside the bucking vehicle. She let out a muffled moan through the jackhammering of her molars.

“Shut up. Quit being a spoiled brat,” a voice boomed. Someone reached over the seat and shook her. She struggled to release herself from his grasp. Everything moved too fast to process. Cowering against the back door one minute and the next without hesitation, she repositioned herself and kicked the captor’s shoulders. He swung around. “You’ll have yours as soon as your uncle gets a hold of you, you rich bitch.” She blasted a double foot assault at the back of his head this time, so he swung around and slapped her across the face. She turned around, facing the back, and tried to stand, but hit the side window as they swerved around the corner. Her head spun and her limbs trembled. I am not going out like this. She scooted low, anchored her weight, and inched closer to the second-row seat. Kinley bent her knees, scissoring them around the big bruiser in the suit in front of her, she fought her best to get a choke hold on him. She was not going to go easily. He struggled to get away, pounding and clawing at her legs. He gasped for air, choking and coughing. Kinley increased the pressure around his neck with everything she had. Another guy hurdled himself over the seat and pried her legs from the other abductor. She struggled as he pounded her with blow after blow until she released her hold.

“Why the hell didn’t you bind her legs, you idiot?”

The guy coughed and held his throat. “Why can’t I kill her right now? I’m sure the boss wouldn’t lose any sleep over it.”

“We need to wait.” Vlad turned around with a dark, evil stare she remembered from years ago. His demonic expression sent throes of tremors through her system. He cocked a brow, blew at his rings, and slammed a fist in her face.

The force and impact of the punch jarred, catapulting her against the rear window. She crumpled in a heap. Shards of pain seized her motionless. Why had she been stupid enough to put herself in the middle of everything when Hawke warned her not to. Would she ever see him again? Her eye throbbed in pain. Is this my end? She winced in pain, giving a pleading, silent prayer, to the universe.