Banger’s Ride(142)
“Yeah, but Les wants a big piece of it. He’s taking almost fifty percent,” Hawk said.
“What? When did this happen? I gotta talk with him. No way are we paying him fifty percent. Fuck that greedy bastard!”
“Agreed. We should replace him with Cara. I know she wouldn’t cheat us.”
“How do you know she’d want to come in?”
“I can talk to her. Feel her out, you know?”
“Is this suggestion a hundred percent for the club, or you got personal reasons, too?”
Hawk narrowed his eyes. “What the fuck does that mean?”
“Don’t get your ass in a hitch. As prez, I need to know. I’ve noticed that you’ve taken an interest in her.”
“It’s for the club. My personal life is my business.”
“It is, but when it clouds your decisions, then it becomes my business. You have it bad for her. I ain’t ever seen you like this before. Hell, we’ve known each other for over eleven years, and you never let a bitch get to you. I see it’s different with this lawyer lady. Why don’t you just claim her? You want in her pussy and she wants you in it, so do the grown-up thing and claim her. Make her your ol’ lady, if you want.”
“My reason isn’t clouded by any bitch, okay? Again, this isn’t your fuckin’ business. I know you mean well, but stay the fuck outta my personal life. I don’t want an old lady.”
“Just sayin’, brother. I know what it’s like falling hard for a bitch. It grabs you. When I met Grace, shit, I knew I’d never look at another woman again. She was the best ol’ lady a poor sonofabitch could have. I lost her too soon.”
“Yeah, Grace was the best. You were lucky.”
“Ain’t that the truth. All I’m sayin’ is that you should either claim the woman, or move on. Although, why you’d want a smart-mouthed woman like her is beside me. She also comes from a different background, so she’s not used to the lifestyle. My Grace was born into it. This lawyer won’t give you a smooth life.”
“I don’t like smooth. I’ll figure it out.”
“I’m just sayin’, ’cause if she comes ’round here, she’s open game if she ain’t claimed. You know that.”
“No one’s gonna touch her. I’ll make sure of that.”
“Then claim her. No reason to have trouble over a bitch, right?”
Hawk’s jaw tightened as he nodded. “Good talkin’ to you, Banger.”
He opened his door and stepped aside. Banger shook his head and walked out before Hawk slammed it behind him. It took all of his strength to stay steady while Banger butted his fucking nose into his business. Hawk almost punched his president’s face in when he started his shit about Cara, and he seethed because he knew Banger was right—this woman was in his system. All his decisions revolved around her, and she was always in his head. He knew she was cautious because of their client relationship, but he didn’t think he could wait until his case was done. Just thinking about her made his cock spring to life. Fuck.
* * *
Yellow tape roped off the core area. The CSI tech arrived, blocking off an area larger than the core as deputies huddled, heads down, murmuring about the atrocious way the victim died. From their position, they could see the ligature marks around her small throat. The CSI began his systematic search for incriminating evidence, standing over the body of Hannah Jackson while performing a visual examination. He noted that she had been strangled. The cuts to her ankles and wrists indicated she had been tied up, as well as beaten and tortured, which he could tell from the other marks on her body. The blood between her thighs and at her anus pointed toward a strong possibility of rape and sodomy.
After hours of bagging evidence, combing the nearby woods, and sifting through the dirt for any clues, the battered and bruised body of Hannah Jackson was laid on the gurney. A white sheet covered her corpse. The ambulance doors closed. The lifeless form began its journey to the town morgue.
* * *
Hawk: How r u doing?
Cara: Ok, too busy.
Hawk: Why haven’t I heard from u? Been 3 days.
Cara: Nothing new. Trying to get photos. Will let u know if something new on your case.
Hawk: Don’t care bout that. Let’s get together to talk.
Cara: Can’t, busy with a murder case. Sorry. Will let u know re photos. Got to go. Bye.
Hawk: Bye babe.
Cara almost weakened by agreeing to meet Hawk and canceling her dinner date with Luke. She so wanted to see Hawk again; she missed him. For the last few days, she wondered if he was going to contact her, then his text came and her heart surged with joy. The previous night, when she was feeling lonely and empty, she made her decision: she would sleep with Hawk one time. She had a notion the sex would be mind-blowing, but one time was all she would give herself.