Hawk (20 page)

Cara swallowed, her tongue wetting her lips again. “I can’t let you do this. Those men killed your son. I can’t chance losing you too.”

“You aren’t going—”

“What the fuck do you think you’re doing, Brahnam?” came from the direction of the door as it bounced off the interior wall. Kaleb stormed in, his vampire features unleashed in his anger. “I ought to have your fucking head for this.”

“Hawk,” Kane warned.

“You stay the hell out of this, Viper. If you can’t control your mate, then someone else needs to.”

Kane placed himself between Cara and his pissed-off twin. His reflection mirrored in his brother’s obsidian gaze spoke of his own rising ire.

“Your anger will solve nothing, Hawk,” he said, barely holding himself in check. He needed Kaleb’s understanding, resorting to fists would gain them nothing.

“You knew about this?” Kaleb asked, one of his brow’s arching upward.

“No.” Kane let out a deep sigh. “I just found out moments ago the same way you did—Draven called me.”

Kaleb nodded in Cara’s direction. “And what do you plan to do to her?”

Kane growled. “I don’t plan to do anything to her, dear brother. And you will likewise keep your hands off my mate.”

“Then control her, damn it!” Kaleb bared his teeth. “Before she brings this fucking club down on all of our heads.”

Cara poked her head from around Kane’s biceps. “You’re an ass, Hawk. I’d never do anything to harm this club.”

Kaleb tilted his head back and laughed, one that didn’t reach his eyes. “You could have fooled me, bit—”

“Hawk,” he warned. “Watch yourself.”

Kane clenched his jaw and his hands. Nothing would give him more pleasure than making his brother eat his fist at the moment. But he needed Kaleb’s understanding and cooperation if they were to help both his mate and Draven. They needed a solid plan and he needed every member of the Sons with him if they were going to take on the cartel. Kane never got restitution for Ion. Maybe Cara had just handed him the perfect opportunity.

“Hear me out.”

“Yeah?” Kaleb scoffed. “Give me one good reason why I need to listen to anything your mate or you have to say when she is jeopardizing our way of nutrition? Even you aren’t that pussy-whipped, are you?”

“Do you seriously want me to beat your ass?” Kane had reached his breaking point. One more fucking comment…

“You let that bitch—” was all Kaleb got out of his mouth before his head snapped back from Kane’s fist connecting with it. Cara squealed as she jumped from around Kane and put herself between them.

Kaleb wiped the blood from his nose with the back of his hand, a grin splitting his face. “Glad to know you still have it in you, Viper. Now what the hell is this plan you’re talking about?”

Grayson and Anton walked into the clubhouse, both bikers looking at the stream of blood coming from Kaleb’s nose that had already started to slow.

“Looks like I’m always missing out on the fun,” Grayson chuckled. “What the hell? Hawk can’t watch his mouth around the ladies?”

“There has to be a lady—”

“I’m going to give you a serious beating, Hawk,” Kane growled.

“Okay, okay,” Kaleb raised his hands in surrender. “Not that I seriously think you can best me, brother, but I do think we have more serious issues to deal with.”

“Somebody want to fill me in?” Anton asked, pulling out a barstool.

Kaleb turned to Anton. “Call a church meeting, Blondy. Tomorrow night, here. Mandatory. I believe we have a couple of issues that need tabled.”

“You want to give me a heads-up?” Anton asked.

“Nope,” Kaleb replied. “You just get everyone here.”

Chapter 20

Suzi stepped up to the door, a mixed bag of emotions, hesitant on whether to knock, walk in, or run like hell … having no idea where her and Kaleb stood after one night of mind-blowing sex. Crawling out of Kaleb’s massive bed, Suzi had left the clubhouse in the pre-dawn hours before any of the other residents came home. She had returned to her townhouse in Florence, slept for a few hours, then worked her twelve-hour shift at the Pleasant Care Nursing Home. Kaleb hadn’t so much as called, leaving her unsure if he’d welcome her presence or resent her for showing up unannounced. But Suzi needed to see him, the uncertainty was eating her alive.

Cara’s black Charger sat to the left of the entrance in the large gravel parking lot, alongside several of the members’ Harleys. Knowing Cara’s whereabouts gave Suzi an added excuse for her arrival should Kaleb be unhappy that she had taken it upon herself to show up on his stoop. The fact that several members of the Sons were also in attendance kicked her jitters into overdrive. Maybe it had been wrong to show up here or to even think that Kaleb might want to see her. She should do an about-face and return when there was a lesser chance of making a complete fool of herself. But before she had an opportunity to make a speedy exit, the door opened with Kaleb standing on the other side. She offered him a weak smile, not sure by his impassive expression if he welcomed the fact she made the trip, or was bothered by her unannounced return.

“Suzi.” His even tone masked his disposition.

“I—” She wet her lips. “Maybe I should come back at a better time.”

Kaleb looked briefly behind him, before returning his gaze to her. “Calling might have been better.”

She nodded, attempting to swallow the sudden lump that took up residence in her throat, her heart plummeting to her stomach. Suzi had known full well going in that she had possibly set herself up for another rejection. Having got what he wanted, maybe he was already inclined to move forward. It was no secret that Kaleb liked the ladies. So why did she think he’d change his ways just because he had taken what she had readily offered? Suzi sucked in an unsteady breath as she took one step back, ready to bolt. Best to cut her losses. Before she turned and found her feet, Kaleb gripped the fingers of her left hand, staying her. His dark gaze held hers, the corners turning up in humor, then swept the length of her, touching her as thoroughly as if he ran his hands over her flesh. Suzi drew her lower lip between her teeth. Kaleb’s eyes darkened just before he lowered his head and covered her lips with his.

Suzi gasped and he took the opportunity to slip his tongue between her lips. She melded into his frame, all her apprehensions about showing up unannounced slipping away. Sliding her hands up his chest to his nape, she tangled her fingers in the silky black curls she found there. She doubted she’d protest if he chose to pick her up and carry her past the clubhouse occupants to his big comfy bed. But instead, Kaleb ended the kiss and stepped back, holding her upper arms in his hands. Good thing. Her footing was precarious at best.

“Just bad timing,
piccolo diavolo
. I meant nothing else.”

Her tongue swiped her lower lip, tasting him. Damn, she wanted a repeat performance of the night before last. “I wasn’t sure you’d want to see me again.”

Kaleb laughed, took her hand and placed it over the obvious bulge in his jeans. Suzi sucked in her breath. “Does that feel like I don’t want to see you again?”

“Too bad there are far too many vampires in residence,” Suzi said, leaning in and hoping the acute hearing of others couldn’t overhear. “Or I’d take care of this little—”

His brow furrowed. “Little?”

“Figure of speech, Hawk.
Very
large problem.” She laughed. “So what’s going on? Want me to come back at another time?”

“No, stay. It will save me the trouble of having to look you up later.” He winked before leaning down and claiming her lips once more for a quick kiss. “We have some business on the table. A church meeting was called. Maybe you and Cara can find something to do—go shopping, do girl stuff.”

“She can’t be here during the meetings? But she’s a mate and a vampire.”

“She’s also a woman. Why not come in, go chat with Cara, then make yourselves scarce in about fifteen minutes. We’re still waiting on Xander.”

Before allowing her entrance, Kaleb pulled her back against his hard frame and whispered, “Make sure you come back. Because as soon as the Sons are done with their business, I have some private matters I’d like to address with you … naked and in my bed.”

“Keep talking like that, Hawk, and I’ll see to it you never have reason to leave it.”

He growled in response, nipping her ear, before stepping back and opening the door wider for her to enter. Walking in the door, her knees damn near quivered, this time having little to do with Kaleb and everything to do with the other vamps in occupancy. She had no idea how the others might perceive her having a relationship, if indeed there was one, between their president and her. With whatever was going on, she bet they needed his focus on the matter at hand and not on her.

Thankfully, most of them barely gave her a curious glance, then went back to talking among themselves. Kane was the first to speak up from his seat on the sofa, where Cara was tucked comfortably beneath his arm.

He stood, winked at her, then said, “Why don’t you take my beautiful mate and go have a girls’ afternoon out? I think she’s been dying for the gossip.”

Suzi smiled, her eyes going from Kane’s to Cara’s. She thought she heard Kaleb mutter something about it being none of the damn detective’s business, behind her back. The look on Kane’s face proved she had heard correctly. And here she thought Cara and Kaleb had come to a truce, making her wonder what happened to break that tenuous reprieve. She most definitely planned to ask Cara once they were away from the club.

Cara looked briefly at Kaleb, before grabbing her bag and heading for the door. Her expression seemed more of anguish than anger. “Let’s go get some coffee and pastries,” she said to Suzi on her way out the exit. “I’ll drive.”

Suzi looked back at Kaleb, whose expression was back to one of indifference. When she paused by the door, he offered her a wink in reassurance. Following Cara out of the clubhouse, she knew at least one of them was in good standing with the club pres. Thank goodness it was her. Now to find out why Kaleb seemed so hostile toward his twin’s mate.

* * *

Alexander strolled into the meeting room after everyone else had already been seated. Kaleb couldn’t help wonder what the unobtrusive biker had been up to … that is until he took one look at the top of his head. His long black hair had been chopped, cut around his ears and looking all GQ. Not that the man didn’t look good, but what the hell? He looked more ready for a New York runway than an MC church meeting. Since when had Alexander worried about what he looked like?

He took his seat at the table, not a word yet said about the man’s newly shorn locks. And true to his more quiet nature, he didn’t bother commenting on why he felt the need to clean himself up. Instead he looked directly at Kaleb and said, “So what’s on the table, P?”

Kaleb shook his head, meant to leave it go but he just couldn’t. A smile grew on his face. “We keeping you from a hot date, Xander?”

“No. Why?”

The puzzled look on Alexander’s face nearly had Kaleb laughing. Surely, the man didn’t think walking in here with a college-boy cut would go unnoticed.

“What the fuck?” Grayson piped up. Brushing his own overlong hair back from his face, he said with a chuckle, “You realize church meeting is just a slang term, right, Xander?”

“Ha ha ha,” Xander quipped. “Go on and get it over with if you must, but I’m sure we have more important matters at hand than the top of my head.”

Joseph “Kinky” Sala, the Sergeant in Arms and the quietest of the Sons, was the first one to laugh, then followed by several of the others. Running his hand through his own, very curly, overlong hair, he finally said, “What the fuck, Xander?”

“Go to hell, Kinky. You look like you could have used the sharp end of a pair of scissors a long time ago.”

“Can’t fix perfection,” Joseph said, followed with a wink.

“So?” Kaleb couldn’t let it go without an explanation. “What’s got you looking all prim and proper all of the sudden?”

Alexander rolled his eyes. “I see we aren’t going to move forward. Fine. One of my donors just opened a salon. She begged me to come by for a demonstration. Shit, I had no idea she meant to cut it this fucking short. Last time I volunteer for anything. Now? Can we move on? What’s the agenda?”

Kaleb laughed but decided to let it pass without further comment, though he couldn’t help wonder if Alexander had his eye on the salon owner. He never seemed to stay with women for long periods of time, but then again you had to date in order to have a relationship. He couldn’t remember in the last ten or so years when Alexander had actually done the dating thing. He seemed to show up at the Rave, feed, and be gone.

“Blondy, you taking notes?” Kaleb looked at the club secretary.

“Got you covered, boss.”

“Then let’s get started.” Kaleb struck his wooden mallet against the strike plate and took his seat.

The two empty seats of the fourteen stared back at him—Nicolas “Wheezer” Basil and Ion. He still needed to address bringing on prospects, add to the Sons numbers. That wouldn’t be today.

“First order of business is the Knights.”

Kaleb glanced at his twin who sat at the table but wisely kept his mouth shut. He loved his brother more than anyone in this room, but the man had fucked up, costing him his P patch and his voting rights. Maybe one day he’d see about getting him his voting rights back. That wouldn’t be today either.

“We’re all aware of what went down at the last two attempts of helping the Knights run their guns. Two of our men lost their heads, and if it hadn’t been for Blondy paying close attention, we would’ve been ashing his and Xander’s remains as well. I’m not keen on the idea of losing any more brothers to this fuck.”

A “hear, hear,” went about the room as fists bumped the table.

“Viper, Gypsy and I had a little meeting with Red and his VP, Bird. Red assured me he would look into the matter of his men, and the possibility one of them might be responsible. I think someone from the Knights is either helping Rosalee in her revenge or feeding her information. At any rate, I no longer trust them.”

“Fuck Bird.” Animosity dripped from Grayson’s tone.

“I’m proposing that we cut our losses. The Knights are no longer allowed to run their guns through Oregon. That is until we find out who wants my fucking head so badly. Let’s take it to a vote.”

“Yay,” Grayson was the first to agree.

Each member consecutively returned a “yay” with not one of them in disagreement. Kane’s face remained impassive, but Kaleb knew his brother seethed inside. This had been his baby from the beginning and his money-maker. Fuck that! The Sons made enough money off their motorcycle shop, K&K, to more than sustain themselves. Kaleb never agreed with Kane over the idea the Sons needed the puppet club.

“One order of business down. I will speak with Red—”

“I’ll do the honors,” Kane interrupted. “This was my decision from the beginning. I’ll be the one to let him know.”

Kaleb nodded. “I’ll concede to that, Viper.”

“And if he wants to know if we will reinstate the agreement should we find this mole?”

“You tell him I’ll take it under advisement at that time,” Kaleb said. “I’ll not make him any promises. You tell him that if we find this fuck and take him down, I’ll reintroduce the topic to the table.”

Viper leaned back in his chair. “I’ll let him know.”

“You do that, Viper, and you let him know this is far from over. He won’t be able to convince me that someone in the Knights doesn’t have it out for me. And until we find the son of a bitch, I better not catch one Knight rocker in my state.” He glanced around the table. “Does anyone have anything to add?”

When Kaleb didn’t get any argument, he said, “Then we move onto the next order of business, Viper’s mate, Cara.”

Viper sat forward. “Back up, bro. My mate is not an order of business. You bring this to the table and I’ll personally kick your ass.”

Kaleb smiled. “You’ll have fun trying. Sit back, Viper, and calm the fuck down. As much as I relish the idea of you trying to kick my ass … which by the way, ain’t happening … I’m not here to ostracize Cara. On the contrary, she and I have had our differences, but this time I’m actually on her side. The rest of the Sons need to be aware of what’s going down, though. Because if I’m right, we could be in for a shit-storm before this is over.”

All eyes at the table turned to Kane, who still looked as if he wanted to beat Kaleb’s ass.
Let him try
, Kaleb thought with a chuckle. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time the two had resorted to fists. Hell, his nose still hurt.

Kaleb cleared his throat and gained the room’s attention back. “We all know Cara returned to her job at the Sheriff’s Office. We allowed it because, let’s face it … she’s eyes and ears on the inside. We can use her to our benefit just as the sheriff helps keep us informed.”