Hawk (9 page)

She shook her head. “I’m pretty sure he doesn’t want anything to do with me. He hates me and he makes sure I know just how much.”

Lyle’s forehead creased. “Why would he care if you had a fiancé then?”

“I used to date his nephew.” Suzi looked to her lap, anywhere but into the caring eyes of Tamera’s uncle. How would she ever explain her and Kaleb’s complicated non-relationship? “I never really dated Ion. But this guy … he believes I did. Thought I was all kinds of wrong for him, I’m sure. Then when his nephew died tragically, he thought I was the biggest bitch on the face of the earth for not reacting as he thought I should. I mourned his loss. I really did. But I missed my best friend. Not a lover. That’s something Hawk will never understand.”

“Hawk? As in the Sons of Sangue Hawk?” Lyle asked, one of his brows rose.

Great, he knew Kaleb.
For all Suzi knew, Lyle wouldn’t want anything to do with the president of the MC. Who in their right mind would? Even one of Lyle’s size was no match for the biker, not to mention the Sons
take them all on
type mentality. No one went up against the MC in town.

“Yes, that Hawk.”

He slowly nodded, probably trying to think of a polite way to get out of this scheme he had been unwittingly brought into. Instead, Lyle surprised her by saying, “So where do you want this meeting to take place?”

Suzi’s gaze widened. “You’ll do it?”

“Can’t have the MC bullying my fiancée, now can I?”

She wanted to leap from her chair and give the big guy a hug. Hopefully, Kaleb would see her with Lyle and that would be the end of their ridiculous arrangement. After all, Lyle being easily six-foot-eight would intimidate most men. But then again, Kaleb wasn’t anything like most men, and Lyle’s sheer size wouldn’t scare him off, not when he could easily take Lyle in a fight.

“Hopefully I don’t look old enough to be your father. I’d hate to come across as some kind of pervert.”

Suzi smiled. “You don’t look anywhere old enough.”

“Well, trust me, I am. So what’s the plan?”

Chapter 9

Suzi walked the black and white tiled corridor, heading down the long hall with a tray of meds balanced on the palm of one hand. Her soft soled shoes lightly squeaked off the freshly polished surface. The whirring noise of the machine could be overheard as the janitor polished the hallway of another wing. The previous night’s events came to mind, more specifically Lyle Murphy and his acquiescence to help Suzi with her fake fiancé issue. Tamera, and her sincere desire to help, had not thought the scheme entirely through. Sure, her uncle towered over most men, but Kaleb and the MC were far from normal. Suzi knew if Kaleb wanted to he could easily hurt Lyle in an attempt to scare him off. The last thing Suzi wanted was to put Lyle in harm’s way. Hopefully, Kaleb would see that her intended was indeed real, be a man about the whole ordeal, and release her from this ridiculous notion of being his personal feeding vein.

Too far into the game plan now to back out, Suzi knew she’d just have to carry through with their cockamamie plan and hope the barkeep didn’t get harmed in the process. She’d never forgive Kaleb if he laid one finger on Tamera’s uncle. Lyle had agreed to help Suzi out of the kindness of his heart, knowing full well what the MC and Kaleb were capable of. She certainly couldn’t allow Lyle’s mercy to be repaid by Kaleb’s desire for revenge against her.

But for now, she had a job to do with patients who needed her attention on them and not her thoughts on tomorrow night’s feeding of Kaleb and the many possible dire outcomes. Lyle had agreed to accompany her to the Blood ‘n’ Rave, where he would do nothing more than show up as her fiancé, proving to Kaleb that the man on the other side of the ring did exist. Suzi hoped he believed the ruse and would let her out of being his personal donor when there were so many others more than happy to step up and take her place. Suzi didn’t think she’d survive many more feedings without desire muddying up the entire mess.

Dear Lord, deny it all she tried, but Kaleb had brought her to the precipice of what promised to be one hell of an orgasm, regardless of how she had fought against it, then denied her the culmination, pulling away just before she reached the brass rings. Storming from the club with any dignity on trembling thighs and weak knees was almost impossible. But somehow she had managed to square her shoulders and walk past Draven, though she dare not spare him a glance should he look at her with pity, and out of the club into the brisk night air which certainly helped to cool her ardor. Suzi didn’t think she could withstand more nights of endless sexual torture. It was imperative that Kaleb believed her relationship with Lyle and release her from being his personal blood bank. If he didn’t, then she would make him wish he never met her. If he thought her the biggest bitch when Ion died, then he had no idea what would be in store for him if he continued to tease her. She would turn the tables on his sorry ass and leave him begging her to fuck him.

Bless his black heart, but that would be a cold day in hell.

Turning the corner to her wing, Suzi heard a familiar laugh coming from Grandpa Brahnam’s room. Thoughts of Kaleb quickly fled as she entered Cara’s grandfather’s room and found Cara Brahnam sitting on the edge of the bed, a large smile turning up her cheeks. Cara beamed, looking the definition of happy. It appeared that mated bliss had changed her life for the good. Kane must be treating her well. At least one of the twins was worth a damn. Suzi couldn’t be happier for Cara and was glad that her childhood friend had found that once in a lifetime love. She placed the tray of meds on a side table, well away from Grandpa’s reach, as Cara stood and walked over to Suzi and hugged her.

“It’s so good to see you,” Cara said.

“Well if it ain’t my pretty little nurse,” Grandpa said with a wink as he caught their attention.

Suzi smiled at the old man, squeezed his weathered hand and said, “You keep trying, Grandpa. Flattery will get you everywhere. Can I get you something? Are you hungry? It doesn’t look like you ate much.”

“Nope … and I don’t think I need those pills you brought either.”

“Sorry, but those you have to take.”

“Always bossing me around,” he grumbled, then turned to the television and aimed the remote at it. The chatter from the flat screen filled the silence.

Suzi turned to Cara. “When did you get back?”

“We just flew in this morning.”

“I could‘ve picked you up from the airport.”

“We rented a car,” Cara said. “We wanted to surprise everyone. We hadn’t planned on coming home yet, but club business needed attended to. Have you heard about it?”

Moisture gathered in Suzi’s eyes. “If you’re referring to Wheezer and Red Dot, yes, I heard.”

Cara blew out a stream of air. “So you’ve spoken to Hawk?”

“I wanted to make sure he was okay. Though nothing seems to faze him.”

“I don’t suppose,” Cara said. “So tell me … has Grandpa been behaving?”

“I’m sitting right here.”

They both smiled at the older man, earning him a pat on the knee by Cara. “You love it when we talk about you, Grandpa. It reminds you how much you’re loved.”

“Then that would’ve meant someone brought me peanut butter pie.” He pointed one gnarled finger at the dinner tray. “Do you see a piece of pie on that tray?”

“No,” Suzi said. “That’s because it isn’t part of your diet.”

“Bah! I’m ninety-two years old. I figure I can eat what I want and peanut butter pie is high on that list.”

“I’ll sneak you a piece next time I come by, Grandpa. That is if you treat your nurses like the saints they are,” Cara said, patting the older man’s shoulder. “Now, you finish your meal and quit being so damn stubborn.”

“And take your meds,” Suzi added, then handed him a small paper cup filled with four tablets. “You take these and I’ll let Cara bring you that piece of pie.”

“You heard her, Grandpa. You finish your meal and take those meds, and I’ll make sure I bring you a treat tomorrow.”

Suzi threw the empty paper cup into the gray receptacle, then looked back at Cara. “You seriously rented a car? I would have gladly picked you guys up.”

“I know you would’ve. But it was all so sudden. We sort of just packed up, called the airport, and well … here we are.”

“Where’d you guys go?”

“Italy … to see Mircea,” Cara said, surprising Suzi. No wonder they kept their whereabouts a secret. “To see that Kane was available to me.” She skirted the issue in front of her grandfather’s ears.

“And?”

“He granted our wish.” Cara’s answering smile spoke volumes. “I wanted to tell you in person, that’s why I never mentioned it in any of our phone conversations. Mircea granted Kane’s wish to be mated with me.”

“Mated?” Grandpa Brahnam asked, proving he was listening in on their conversation.

They’d have to be more careful what they said in front of the old man. His gaze honed in on his granddaughter.

“What the hell does that mean? Is it a new way of saying you got hitched?”

Cara winked at Suzi first before turning to her grandfather. “I was waiting for the right time, Grandpa. When Kane and I went to Italy, we applied for marriage so to speak. It’s a bit different where he comes from. They call it mated.”

“So what? Your name is now Cara…?”

“It’s still Brahnam, Grandpa. The women don’t take on their mate’s name.”

“That’s crazy shit, you ask me,” he grumbled. “Should’ve gotten married right here in the States and done it right.”

Cara kissed his temple. “I know, Grandpa. It wasn’t traditional.”

“What makes him not want to just up and leave you then? You have no ties. Maybe I should have a talk with your husband.”

Cara laughed. “Oh, no, you don’t. That’s why Kane’s not here with me right now. I wanted to explain it to you first without you going all ape shit on him. In his beliefs, mating is for life. There is no such thing as divorce. As Kane would tell you, ‘You work that shit out.’”

“Maybe he has more sense than I gave him credit for.”

“So it’s official then?” Suzi motioned for Cara to follow her into the hallway and out of Cara’s grandfather’s earshot. “What of Rosalee?”

Cara shrugged, leaning one shoulder against the cool hallway wall and crossing her arms over her chest. “Gone. After Kane and I were granted the wish to be mated, she up and disappeared.”

“You think she’s the one responsible for Wheezer and Red Dot then?”

“Kane believes she is. But I’m not sure. My gut tells me there’s more to it. She’s not acting on her own.”

“Does she ever?”

Cara rolled her eyes. “She’ll likely always be a thorn in my side. But I know what I signed up for.”

“There’s so much more I want to ask, but we can save that for another time.”

“Good idea,” Cara said. “I have to get going anyway. I need to stop by the Sheriff’s Office.”

“You asking for your old job back?”

Cara smiled. Suzi knew how much being a detective meant to her. Cara wasn’t about to let a little thing like being a vampire stop her.

“I never left the job. Just took an extended leave. Sheriff Ducat already told me my job was waiting for me whenever I want to get back to the job of solving crimes. My only hope is that my partner will be happy to see me. Something tells me Joe Hernandez isn’t going to be too happy with me. He hates the Tepes twins and the club. He’ll undoubtedly hate my association. Speaking of the twins, what is it between you and Kaleb anyway?”

“There’s nothing between us to talk about. If there was, you’d have been the first to know. Right now, he’s just an ass who thinks he has ultimate power.”

“Yeah?”

“And I plan to be the one to knock his sorry ass off that pedestal he’s been standing on.”

“What are you girls whispering about out there?” Grandpa Brahnam groused. “Ain’t no cause for secrets.”

Cara chuckled as she shook her head. Righting herself, she turned and headed back into her grandfather’s room, saying over her shoulder, “Good luck with that, Suzi. In my experience, it’s just better giving in to what they want.” She lowered her voice, “And much more pleasurable, too.”

“I heard that,” Grandpa Brahnam said. Suzi and Cara grinned.

Cara gave her grandfather a hug and kissed his weathered cheek. “I have to be going anyway, Grandpa.” Turning to Suzi, she briefly hugged her as well, then said, “Glad to be back, Suzi. I’ve missed you.”

“Don’t be a stranger. I live in Florence now. Pleasant was too small of a town to house both Hawk and I.”

Cara chuckled. “I suppose so. As soon as I get settled, I’ll come look you up for some girl time.”

“Kane going to allow you out of his sight?”

Cara’s eyes gleamed. She leaned in and whispered, “The man is insatiable, but we can’t stay in bed all day.”

“I heard that,” came from Grandpa again, causing them both to burst into laughter.

* * *

Kaleb paced the floor, his booted heels striking the wooden flooring in his agitated state as he awaited the Knights’ arrival. His skin crawled in restlessness. It had been two nights since he had last sought out Suzi Stevens. Keeping to his normal three-day feeding schedule meant he wouldn’t see her for another night, which didn’t sit well with him … not at all. He needed to know where she stayed so he could keep eyes on her at all times, justifying his desire with the fear she might not hold up her end of the bargain and skip out on being his donor. Knowing her fiancé spent time with her ate away at him, reminding him of the days she spent in Ion’s company. Christ, it all but killed him then to know she was in love with his brother’s son, lying with him when the sun went down. Kaleb had fucked her only once, and yet in all the years following, he hadn’t been able to forget her, the silkiness of her pale skin, the scent of her desire. Just thinking of her now stirred his groin.

Shit.
He needed to get laid.

Maybe following their meeting with the Knights he’d head to the Rave and do just that. He had a lot of unspent energy he needed to get rid of. Nothing like a good piece of ass to take his mind off all his troubles. Kaleb stopped his pacing, let out a stream of curses, and flopped onto one of the sofas just as Kane exited his quarters and joined him. The coils groaned from the added extra weight.

Kane laid an arm across the back of the brown fabric. “What the hell is eating at you anyway, Hawk? You seem strung tighter than a violin.”

Kaleb ground his teeth, not wanting to share his weakness for the little brunette who had occupied his every thought since she had walked back into his life six nights back. He especially didn’t want to share his decade long obsession with Kane.

“What’s taking the Knights so damn long?” he asked, opting to avoid the real reason for his shitty mood.

Red had been invited to the clubhouse for a little chat by Kane, hoping they might be able to discover who had made the bogus call to Kaleb. The pres of the MC had stood by his declaration that none of his men made the damning call. Kane might’ve been convinced, but Kaleb still had his suspicions. His cell number hadn’t been public knowledge and the only other MC that had access to it had been the Knights. It seemed someone had a beef with the Sons … more specifically him. Kaleb believed this all fell on Rosalee’s doorstep. The entire incident had her scent all over it. But the question was, who the hell was helping her? She never acted alone, and Kaleb doubted she did now. Rosalee was a damn coward, always standing behind her stepfather’s robe. She knew Mircea would always protect her, even if he had been the one to banish her to Italy for her last crimes against the MC.