Chapter 41
Hawk
“You fuckin‘ touched my woman.” I snapped as I dragged the asshole from the bathroom floor and slammed him against the wall. “Now you’re gonna deal with me.”
“I didn’t mean to hit her, man, it was an accident.”
Booker and I had stayed out of sight in order to keep an eye on Payton and Dani without them knowing we were there. I had watched the hipster douchebags stop at Payton’s table and almos walked over then, but the men had walked away before i did, so I let things be.
I’d been watching Payton as she walked to the bathroom, thinking nothing of it until one of the guys that had been harassing her at the table walked in behind her and closed the door. I made my way to the door, found it locked, and knew something was off.
“What the fuck are you doing?”
Dragging me from my thoughts, I turned to the sound of the male voice and recognized the second of the table douchebags. “Your buddy attacked my woman.”
“What the fuck, Noah?”
“I didn’t attack her, Chris,” Noah squealed. “It was an accident.”
By now, the club manager had arrived, along with a couple of bouncers. Booker knew them, considering he ran Blush, so he dealt with them and the douchebag’s friend while I took care of Noah.
“You’re fuckin‘ hurtin‘ me, man,” Noah complained.
I shoved him harder against the wall. “And what were you plannin‘ on doin‘ to my woman, asshole?”
“I just wanted to talk to her.”
“You’re a fuckin‘ liar,” I snapped.
I forced myself not to kill the asshole, even though the second I’d seen Payton’s face, I wanted to. It wouldn’t work for me to go to jail.
“Mark’s guys wanna handle him,” Booker said after he’d stepped back into the bathroom.
“I wanna fuckin‘ handle him,” I snapped.
“Let Mark’s guys handle me,” Noah squeaked.
If I hadn’t been so pissed, I probably would have laughed. After one more shove against the wall because I needed to inflict a little more pain, I let Noah go. “Fuckin‘ pussy. I ever see you near my woman again, I’ll fuckin‘ kill you. Hear me?”
Noah nodded, and I released him. Mark ushered Noah out of the bathroom and I dragged my hands down my face.
Booker frowned. “Let’s go outside, brother.”
I studied him for a minute and then nodded. It wouldn’t be a good idea for Payton to see me like this, and the fresh air might calm me down. Booker led me out the back door and I paced the alley. “Fuckin‘ bastard.”
My phone buzzed in my pocket and I pulled it out and read the screen.
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Chapter 41
Payton: Headache from hell, would like to go now
I frowned, my worry for her concerning. “Payton wants to go he
“I can take Macey if you need some time. Booker offered.
“Payton’s stayin‘ with her tonight, so I’ll take ‘em.”
Booker nodded and headed toward the door,
I followed. “Thanks for havin‘ my back, brother”
Booker gave me a chin lift and then we headed back to the table
Payton
The ice was warming and my cheek was throbbing, and a splintering pain was shooting through my head. To say 1 somewhat wrecked and pathetic was an understatement.
“You ready, baby?”
I glanced up to find Hawk holding his hand out to me, his face impassive, but his eyes anxious. I nodded and let him pall me to my feet. He didn’t say anything as we headed to the truck, Macey following, but I could feel his edginess as he helped me into the truck and closed the door.
He drove us back to Macey’s, still saying nothing. Macey was also quiet, but probably because she was texting furiously behind me. I assumed she was filling Dallas in on the evening.
Alex drove into the garage and parked the truck. He glanced at me and then frowned.
“Why don’t you come up, Hawk?” Macey said.
“You sure?” he asked.
“Yep. You guys need to talk.”
“Thanks, babe.” Hawk climbed out of the truck, helped Macey out, and then came to my side, pulling open the door.
I smiled, forcing myself not to grimace at the pain in my cheek. Are you mad, Alex?”
He frowned. “Not at you.”
“I’m okay.”
“He fuckin‘ hit you, Payton.”
I wanted to point out again that it had technically been an accident, but the fact he’d been in there for nefarious reasons to begin with, my argument didn’t really make sense. Instead, I stroked Alex’s cheek. “I know, but I’m okay.”
He shook his head and wrapped his arms around me so he could lift me out of the truck. I settled my hands on his shoulders as he lowered me to the ground and he stared at me for a few seconds before scowling and slamming the truck
door shut.
We followed Macey upstairs and into the apartment. Macey closed and locked the door behind us and smiled at me. “I’m going to call Dallas. There’s beer in the fridge and you know where the wine is, Pay. Help yourself.”
“Thanks, Mace.”
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Chapter 41
She left the room and I set my purse on the kitchen island. “Beer”
“Yeah, babe, thanks.”
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I grabbed a beer out of the fridge and Alex took it from me before I could open it. He twisted off the cap and took a swig. 1 opened the freezer and grabbed an icepack, then found Macey’s stash of ibuprofen and took two.
Before I could lay the icepack against my cheek, Alex hissed, “Fuck me.”
“Is it really that bad?” I asked.
“Yeah, babe, it’s pretty bad.”
I stepped into the foyer and glanced in the mirror hanging on the wall. Yeah, that was gonna leave a mark. I sighed and settled the icepack against my cheek again. Alex was watching me as I walked back to the living room, his body locked, his expression one of concern… no, not concern. Rage.
I gave him a little smile and his expression softened as he held his arm out to me. I slid into his embrace and wrapped the arm I wasn’t using to hold the ice around his waist.
“I wanted to kill him.”
“I’m picking up on that,” I said.
He stroked my healthy cheek and then kissed me gently. I smiled against his lips. “As much as I want to stand here and keep doing this, my feet are killing me. I have to get these shoes off.”
Alex nodded and I flopped onto the sofa. As I leaned down to take care of the shoes, he knelt on the floor and did it for me. guiding my feet to his lap after he’d sat next to me. We sat in silence for several minutes as he massaged my feet. By the time the icepack had warmed, my eyes were drooping and I was biting back several yawns.
“I should probably go,” he said.
I nodded, but had to admit my heart was a little broken. I didn’t want him to leave.
“What time do you want me to pick you up tomorrow?”
“I don’t have anything planned, but if it’s before ten, you may die.”
He chuckled. “Noted.”
I slid my feet from his lap and stood, dropping the icepack on the coffee table. Alex was quiet as I walked him to the door, but he kissed me so I didn’t much care.
“Club get together tomorrow night. Wanna come?” he asked after breaking the kiss.
I smiled. “With you?”
Alex raised an eyebrow. “Yeah with me.”
“Possibly. I’d like to see how bad this looks before I venture into a social setting.” Rage crossed his face again and I laid a hand on his chest. “Sorry.”
“I might still kill him.”
“Not that I’m complaining, but what were you doing there to begin with?” I asked. “I thought you were leaving the club?”
“Never said that, babe.”
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“You kind of implied it when you dropped us off and said to text you when we were ready and then you drove away” I
countered.
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“Yeah. I parked. Then I came in, sat with Booker, and waited.” Heslipped his hand to my neck and squeezed. “If I hadn’t
been there…”
“I could have handled it.”
“He fuckin‘ hit you, Payton!” he snapped.
“That part was an accident, honey. It happened when he was on his way to the ground. My brother and Dallas have taught me and Macey to defend ourselves, and the guy was so drunk, he could barely stand.”
He frowned. “Fucker.”
“Yes. Definitely.” I smiled. “But I really was okay. Not that I totally don’t appreciate you breaking in all bad ass and such.”
“Bad ass and such?” Now he smiled and I melted. A hard–won smile from Alex ‘Hawk‘ James was better than anything on the planet… at least what I’d experienced so far.
I giggled. “You’re kind of sexy when you’re defending my honor
“There’s a spare bedroom here, right?”
“Yes.” I wanted nothing more, but I bit my lip and shook my head. “But, no.”
He chuckled. “Okay, baby. Reprieve for now. Get some sleep and I’ll call
you
tomorrow.”
I grinned up at him. “Call me when you get home.”
“Greedy.”
I nodded and his mouth covered mine for the best goodnight kiss I’d ever received. I wished to God Macey wasn’t in the apartment right then, because I would have dragged him back to the spare room and showed him just how greedy I was.
AD
