Page 21 of Hawk

We head towards the basement where the fucker is waiting for us. Blade slaps my back and laughs. “Man, I never expected Avianna to pick up that gun. Though all our women are scaryas hell when they are pissed off. The look on her uncle's face was comical. I’m pretty sure he shit himself as soon as Declan stepped forward. That is one motherfucker you don’t want to cross. I heard the stories of what he does to those who do cross him.”

I laugh with my brothers. “Jamie picked the wrong fucking family, that’s for sure.”

I open the basement door to see Jamie tied down to the chair in the middle of the room. He lifts his head and looks around the room at all of us as if he can find a way out. News flash, he can’t. The only way he’s leaving here is in a body bag.

I watch as he flinches as the door slams shut, the fear in his eyes fueling my anger. His eyes flicker to each one of us until they land on me. He struggles in the chair, trying to break free, and I let out a booming laugh, scaring him. “Oh, Jamie, your struggling is futile, but by all means, you can try to escape, but you wouldn't make it five feet before a bullet plants itself in your skull.”

He narrows his eyes at me, acting tough when just a moment ago he pissed himself as we walked into the room. I can practically smell his fear. “You have no idea who I am. You fuckers think you can do what you want. But I have people looking for me right now and they know to kill all of you fuckers if something happens to me.”

We all laugh hearing his threat. I circle him and watch as he tries to keep his eyes on me. I place my hands on his shoulders from behind and dig my fingers in, hearing him whimper. “Well, fucker, they can try, but we all know you have no one waiting for you. No one is coming to save you, Jamie, so you're going to take your beating like a man. Then, when the time is right and I’ve beaten you like the piece of shit that you are for all your crimes, I will end you and Avianna can live her life how she should have,without fear. We gave you a chance to walk away, and youchose this, so really you only have yourself to blame.” I let go of him and walk to the wall of toys and pick up steel knucks.

“All this for that bitch. That money was supposed to be mine. MINE! Instead, my fucking brother set it up, and it all went to her. I should have killed her right along with them.”

He spits at me, and I see red. I don’t remember moving as I deliver hit after hit, feeling the satisfying crunch of bones under my fists. I hit him one last time in the ribs and step back. “You motherfucker, I’m going to enjoy fucking killing you. All you had to do was get a fucking job like the rest of us instead you targeted your own family. For what? Because you couldn’t stop gambling and snorting up your inheritance.” My chest is heaving as I watch Jamie slumped in his chair, bleeding and broken.

The door opens and Joker walks in. “Aww you started without me?” The fucker actually pouts, making my lips twitch.

“Naw you're just in time. Jamie was just saying how he should have killed Avianna along with her parents, weren't you, Jamie? And well, my fist slipped a few times.” The others laugh as Jamie flinches; his breathing is ragged, as I’m pretty sure I broke a few ribs.

Joker pulls out his knife and tests the sharpness while looking directly at Jamie. “Is that so? Then I guess I did make it in time.” He walks to Jamie and circles him, bending down and whispering in his ear, making him shake with fear. I watch detached as Joker plays with him, marking him with his knife, digging deep in some places, making him scream in pain. By the time Joker is done, Jamie is a sobbing mess, and Joker looks like he’s having the time of his life. He turns to us and smiles.

Jamie lifts his head and looks right at me, and he can hardly see out of his eyes. “Please, just let me go. I promise I won’t go after Avianna. I will leave town.”

Is this fucker stupid? “That’s not happening, Jamie. So brace yourself and take your punishment like a fucking man. There’sno redemption for what you’ve done. Today, you’re going to die, make no mistake about it. Your sins have sealed your fate, and there’s no escape. You're just lucky Declan and Nolan had to leave; otherwise, it would have really been a family affair. Hell, maybe I should keep you alive and ship you off to Boston so they can have a go at you. Would you like that, Jamie?” The fucker actually starts crying as soon as I say Declan’s name, making us laugh. “Who’s next?”

Blade steps forwards standing beside me. “You thought you were a badass walking into our clubhouse and pointing a gun at one of our own. Now look at you. Fucking crying like the little bitch that you are. I’m going to enjoy beating your ass.”

Blade cracks his knuckles and delivers his hits. Each brother steps forward and makes Jamie regret every bad decision he ever made in his life. To some, this may seem overkill, but when you go after one of ours, your death won't be swift. Each man here has gone through something similar with their women. We know what's at stake and what lengths we would go to protect those we love. Avianna is my heart, the one thing that keeps me going. She is someone worth fighting for, and I will protect her with my life and take a life if I have to.

As the last brother steps back, Jamie’s face is unrecognizable, and blood pours out of his mouth, and I know he doesn't have much longer. I pull out my gun and walk to Jamie's slumped form. “Jamie.” I call his name and watch as he struggles to lift his head. I smile at him as I point the gun. “Tell the devil I said hello.” With that, I pull the trigger, watching his head hang. I take a deep breath, knowing he can no longer hurt Avianna; her nightmare is over. I turn to my brothers who've been with me from the very beginning and nod my head.

“We’ve got this, brother, go home to Avianna,” Blade says, and I nod my head and walk out the door.

I walk up the stairs and head to my room I have here to clean up. I strip off my clothes and step into the hot water, letting it ease my muscles. After cleaning the blood from my body, I step out and dry myself. I slip on some sweats and walk out the door with purpose, knowing my world is waiting for me. I made a promise to her, and I intend to keep it.

Sixteen

Avianna

I stir as I can feel Hawk wrap his arms around me from behind, kissing me on my neck, waking me up instantly. I turn in his arms to see he’s freshly showered. As soon as Joker dropped me off at home, I took a bath and dropped right into bed, my exhaustion hitting me hard. He looks at me tenderly, pushing a piece of hair behind my ear. My heart beats faster at the intenselook he’s giving me. I know what he was going to do when he sent me home with Joker. As soon as I felt him wrap his arms around me, I knew my nightmare was over and I could finally breathe again for the first time. I don’t have to ask him; I know it in my soul; it’s done.

“You know I love you, right?” He whispers the words as if speaking out loud is going to break the spell he has me under. He picks up my hand, holding it against his chest, and I can feel how fast it’s beating. “This beats for you, darlin. Every time I see you, my heart races as if it’s about to burst. You’ve become the most important thing in my life, more than I ever thought possible. I love you so deeply that it scares me sometimes.”

He pauses as his thumb gently traces circles on the back of my hand. “The first time I saw you I about dropped to my ass. It was like looking at an angel who I knew was going to be my ole lady. You're on my mind all day, dreaming of your smile, craving your touch. When you’re gone, everything feels hollow, like a part of me is missing. You’ve shown me what real love is: something pure and honest, something I want to hold on to forever. I love you with every part of who I am: my mind, my soul, my very being. You’ve changed me in ways I never knew possible, and I swear, I’ll spend my life proving how much you mean to me.”

Tears are running down my face as Hawk shows me a part of himself that no one sees. I watch as he pulls something out from under the blanket. I gasp as I see the ring box sitting in his hands. He opens it, and a beautiful diamond ring sits there, shining. I look at Hawk to see him smiling at me.

“Marry me. Be mine forever. No need for promises, because I’ll show you every day how much you mean to me. Just say yes.” His silence is his promise, his stare, the vow. He waits, unshakable, for my answer. He slips on the ring and it’s a perfect fit.

My tears fall faster as my heart beats wildly. Never in a million years would I have thought I would have the kind of love that you never want to let go of. I know I love him with a fire that burns hotter than words can say. It’s a fierce, primal thing, an unbreakable force that consumes me entirely. Every moment with him feels like an unstoppable storm, wild and reckless, yet painfully beautiful. I love him not just with tenderness, but with a strength that rivals the mountains. With every breath, I crave him more: his presence, his touch, the way he makes me feel alive. This love isn’t gentle or quiet; it’s a storm I never want to calm. And I’d fight for him just like I know he fights for me. I’d burn everything to keep him close, because loving him fiercely is the only way I know how to love. And I’d give him everything: my soul, my fire, my forever without hesitation.

“Yes. Yes, I will marry you a thousand times, yes.” I laugh as he tackles me, kissing me all over. I look up at Hawk and see him smiling at me. I place my hand on his face, and he closes his eyes as he leans into my touch. “I love you, Daniel, with everything in me. You are my universe,” I whisper, “my forever.”

The dim glow of the moon seeps through the window, casting silvery shadows across the room. He leans down and kisses me softly and slowly, as if we have all the time in the world, and you know what? We do. The kiss turns heated as he slowly removes our clothes and our bodies become one. As he enters me, I gasp. God, he feels like he’s everywhere. My body feels like it’s on fire. He holds my hands above my head, looking down at me with so much love.

He holds his arms, shaking. “Are you okay?”

I lock my legs around him and pull him closer, if that's possible. He feels so good and deep. “You can move.”