"I guess I'll have to take your word for it," I said, wanting to change the topic.
"Truth is, sis," Ricky wasn't relenting, "I hope someday you'll find someone with Hawk's qualities. Just not Hawk. Besides what I've already mentioned, he's a good friend, and if anything were to ever go sour with you two it affects us all."
"I don't even know what you're talking about. There's nothing between Hawk and me. He's just joining me at the wedding, so I don't look like a complete knob."
I couldn't reveal that the man in question had just molested my mouth. And I certainly couldn't mention that I had enjoyed every microsecond of it.
"Geez, don't get so defensive. What's for dinner? It looks like you're not planning on going anywhere now."
I shrugged. "The usual... pizza?"
"You order pizza, and I'll ring Slate."
I nodded and placed the order, and then as I waited for Ricky to finish, I replied to a text my mom sent earlier in the morning asking if I was going to join the family for Sunday dinner. My mom especially was still coming to terms with me moving out. It'd become a novelty for her when I re-inhabited my old room after I split with Roman. While I'd been broken-hearted and somewhat embarrassed, I was returning home to my parents, and my mother had rejoiced. I was her only daughter, and she often complained she never saw me. It was true. Not that I wanted it that way. It'd been months already since I found my own place and every week Mom texted to see if I'd join them. Roman had fucked my life up so thoroughly, I'd effectively lost my future husband and my best friend all in one go. Not only that but my sanity, confidence, and trust. He'd been sleeping with Rebekah for months before I found out. It broke me. Shattered my soul.
When my brothers found out, each and every one of them rose to the occasion. They all wanted a piece of him and often created new ways of torture. And then they showed me how empathetic they could be. The day I was barricaded in my room by the four of them, they demanded to know the truth. When I revealed the reason for my constant flow of tears, they brought in mattresses from the spare room, and together we camped out and watched horror movies until the waterworks stopped.
I loved them all, but sometimes, just sometimes, their love was too much.
There was a warning knock on the door before Harry walked in carrying a six-pack of beers.
"Has Ricky laid down the law?" he asked, no doubt referring to the wedding. He placed the beers on the counter, pecked my cheek in greeting, and opened a can.
"Yeah, we've talked." I smiled, not at all interested in discussing Hawk.
I needed a night off from... everything.
"You can burn the invitation."
Another knock at the door and Harry made his way down the hall.
I started to massage my neck, feeling the tension of the day taking hold.
At the door, I heard a rumble. It was a familiar rumble. One that struck fear in my soul and a throb between my legs. I froze, my eyes looking to Hawk standing on the threshold. He was dressed in dark blue jeans and a hoodie, his eyes traveling the length of my body as he followed Harry into the kitchen.
My body betrayed me.
I was instantly turned on, and terrified it showed.
Our gazes locked. He licked his lips, and my heart pounded loudly in my ears. I recalled his kiss, how he tasted of whiskey and all things sweet. How he pushed me hard against the wall. His erection pressing into me.
I ached in places I'd never ached before.
Ricky ended his call with Slate and shook hands with Hawk. His eyes were alight as they flicked between all of us. Words were on the tip of his tongue.
"So..." he begun. "What are you up to this weekend, Hawk?"
I groaned and turned to the fridge in search of more wine.
I could hear the smile in Hawk's voice before he even started talking. "Crashing a wedding."
I rolled my eyes and pursed my lips together to hide the smile. It would be just like Hawk to cause a scene, and everyone be in awe of it. He merely walked into a room and mouths dropped.
"How'd you score that gig?" Harry asked. "Britta was adamant she was going at it alone."
Hawk turned to me and winked. "You wanna tell them?"
My palms grew sweaty looking at the three men standing in my kitchen. "Hawk's coming with me because he's going as my fake fiancé."
They all continued to stare. Two wearing concerned faces, one trying hard to wipe the smirk off his face.
"Fake fiancé?"
I nodded. "More like cocky fiancé..."
Hawk gave another wink at the reference to his cock.
"Why your fiancé?" Harry wasn't here for the earlier conversation with Ricky, so he was rightly confused.
"It just slipped out when I was saw Roman on the street the other day. He kind of threw me in the deep end when he asked me to the wedding. It was obviously the last thing I expected, and the lies just snowballed from there. Next thing I know... Hawk's my fake fiancé."
"You're really going to go through with it?" Ricky asked Hawk.
He shrugged. "Would you prefer she go by herself?"
Ricky and Harry shook their heads in agreement. "So, I'll accompany Britta. End of story."
There was a knock from down the hall, and Harry, who seemed somewhat displeased by the conversation, went to answer the door.
Ricky, who was the most outspoken remained silent.
"Well..." Hawk began, "... after that bombshell. I'm out."
He stood to leave as Harry returned with pizza. "You're going?" Harry asked. "You only just got here."
"I've got other plans tonight," Hawk said, and the irrational side of me hoped it wasn't with one of the lingerie models. One who was easy, and who he didn't have to keep secret. "I'm just here to drop this off."
Hawk reached into his jean's pocket and dropped a shimmering gold card on the counter. "It was delivered to the office about thirty minutes after you left."
I picked up the invitation and studied the cursive text of Roman and Rebekah's names.
That should have been my name, not Rebekah's.
That, however, was now just a memory I was keen to forget.
I'd moved on from Roman and his cheating ways.
"Enjoy your weekend, Brit." His eyes found mine and he was smirking, giving no shits if my brothers saw what was going on between us. "See you Saturday."
"Yeah, bye," I returned, realizing I couldn't wait until I saw him again.
I watched as he shook hands with the boys and headed down the hall.
"I'll pick you up at ten," he yelled from the door.
"Okay," I said but mostly to myself.
"I love you, sis, but you're an idiot."
"What?" I asked, still caught up in Hawk's heady cologne.
"I said, you're an idiot," Harry repeated. He most certainly didn't seem pleased. "Each and every one of us picked up the pieces of you when you split from Roman, and now you're engaging in celebratory mode with him only to have the emotions of the day possibly dredge up emotions from the past."
"I'm over Roman," I said with finality.
"Claiming to be over him and going to his wedding to another woman... yeah, that's an entirely different thing," Ricky butted in.
"Why let him think he's won? He hasn't won. No matter what he did, he didn't win." I sat back and stared at them both, waiting for their next comeback.
"Verdict's still out on that one. Roman asking you to his wedding less than a year after shattering your heart seems like he's trying to find another way to hurt you."
"He can't hurt me. I'll be with Hawk."
Harry sighed. "And there lies problem number two."
"You guys are really starting to annoy me with the whole ‘steer clear of Hawk' spiels. The guy has my back, and I'd appreciate it if you two could also."
"We see the way he looks at you. The way he's always looked at you."
"Thank you for your concern, but I'm a big girl."
"Britta," Ricky was all serious. "We're not mucking around with any of this. We can't stop you from going to the wedding, but Hawk... he's a no-go."
Chapter 8
Hawk
As far as weeks went, this one was long and arduous. With Britta gone, the entire atmosphere was different. Dull and boring. But today she returned. Her voice filtered down the hall, warm and cheery as she greeted her colleagues. Moments later, she walked into my office, her smile bright, skin freshly bronzed. Although she was smiling, her beautiful almond eyes meant business. Closing the door, she sat opposite me and crossed her legs.
I raised my brows in amusement when she remained silent and expectant. "Good morning, Britta," I began. "How was your leave?"
"Morning, Hawk," she smiled, and I was reminded for the millionth time how much I missed it. "It was... refreshing and..." Her eyes gave me a subtle once over. Not subtle enough that I don't notice. "New suit?"
"Yes."
Her lips pursed together before she responded. "It looks great on you."
I smiled knowing her palms would be sweaty and her heart would be pounding. That was Britta.
"I'm happy you approve."
She wiped her palms on her skirt and looked around the room. "Is the AC not working? I'm heating up here."
I smiled to myself at how predictable she was. Using the controller, I lowered the temperature for her.