Cara ran up to him and hugged him. “Nothing. I’m just making dinner, they’re watching the race, and everything is good. Very good.” She tried to sound perky but failed; she could never do perky very well.
“Who the fuck are you?” Hawk came behind Cara, grabbing her hand.
Before the whole room turned into a boxing match, Cara said, “I want you all to meet my cousin, Eric.” Motioning to each of the bikers and slipping her hand out of Hawk’s grip, she said, “This is Hawk, Banger, and Jax. Now, why don’t you guys go back to watching TV, and Eric, you come with me into the kitchen so we can catch up.”
Eric, taking calculated steps, followed Cara. Turning to Hawk, she said, “Can you give us some privacy?”
Glowering, Hawk swaggered to the living room. Cara exhaled after realizing she had been holding her breath. She didn’t need any trouble, and Eric could be just that, especially since he had become more difficult than usual in the past several months. And the biker guys, well, attitude was written all over them.
“I didn’t know you were coming over.”
“That’s obvious. What are these scumbags doing in your house?”
“I invited them to dinner, and they’re fine, so be nice.”
“How do you even know them? Do you know who they are?” The bikers glared at him from their places in the living room.
“Come on. Let’s go out to the back porch.” Cara walked out back, closing the door behind them. Looking at Eric, she said, “Stop being a pain in the ass. You’re being rude.”
“Good, I want to be rude to those scumbags. They’re Insurgents—you know, outlaw bikers. Do you get what that means?”
“I’m a defense attorney, remember? One of the guys is my client and they came over to talk about his case. I asked them to stay for dinner. What’s the big deal?”
“The big deal is that they’re pieces of shit. They’re involved in illegal activity like running guns, drugs, women, and children. Are these the kinds of people you want to eat dinner with?”
“You’re kinda exaggerating, aren’t you? I know they aren’t choirboys, but trafficking? You’ve got the wrong MC.”
“And that asshole Hawk is the worst.” He looked at her, shaking his head. “I never thought I’d see the day that you’d have such scum in your home.”
“I told you, one of them is my client. How do you know Hawk?”
“I know all of them. They’re criminals. I’m a judge. I know what goes on in my county.”
“You’re overreacting, Eric. They’re okay guys. Hawk is my client.”
“Do you have all your lowlife clients over for dinner?”
“I didn’t plan it, it just happened. It’s pouring rain, and I didn’t want them riding in it. There’s no harm here.”
Eric let out a long sigh, his mouth constantly twitching. He seemed weird—too hyper, too animated, and too angry. “What would your parents say?”
Cara swallowed. “They wouldn’t like it, but I’m a big girl now. I’m not a cut-out figure of my parents.”
“And the way he grabbed your hand. The nerve of that bastard. It was repulsive!”
“He didn’t know who you were. He thought I was in danger.”
Eric cracked his knuckles. “You know what really disgusted me was the way you looked at him. You’re not falling for this trash, are you?”
Cara blushed. She hated that her eyes gave her away, and even though she didn’t want to admit it, she did feel drawn to Hawk. The more she saw him, the more she wanted him, and being in his presence was intoxicating. She looked down. “No, I’m not falling for him.”
“You better not be. You know that would ruin your family name, and your mom would probably have a heart attack.”
“And you know you’re over-the-top on this one. What’s going on with you?”
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, you’ve been so moody and angry. You’ve changed from the fun cousin I hung around with in high school and college. What’s up with you?”
“I have a lot of shit I have to deal with. Being a District Court judge isn’t easy, and I’ve got my upcoming wedding. Nancy is making it into a huge deal. Now I have you hanging out with trash.”
“I know it must be hard being the youngest judge on the bench, but it’s something you wanted. You know that’s all you talked about when you were in law school. As for Nancy, well, she’s into appearances, so I’m not surprised that she’s planning the socialite-studded wedding of the year. You wanted a rich girl, so you have to realize that she’ll always suffer from Princess Syndrome.”
“You don’t. Your dad is wealthy, but you’re not like Nancy or her friends. You’re almost too open, like having these jerks over to your house. It makes me sick, Cara, it really does.”
“That’s just what I’m saying. If this were a few years ago, you’d have laughed your ass off at finding these macho men sitting on my cushy couches. I miss the old Eric.”
Her cousin looked at her with shining eyes as tenderness softened the fury on his face. He opened his mouth like he was going to say something, but the softness disappeared and the hard fury returned. “I want you to tell them to go.”
“What? Are you serious? I won’t do that. You know, I’ve supported you through a ton of shit over the years, and I was with you even if I didn’t agree with your decisions. You have no right to tell me to ask guests to leave my house. No way.”
“So you’re choosing scum over me, your family?”
“How did this turn into me choosing you or them? This is stupid bullshit, and you know it.”
“I’m out of here.” Eric turned around, went into the house, walked past the bikers, and slammed the front door. Cara ran after him, trying to catch him. Standing on her front porch, she watched Eric’s car fade into the misty rain. What just happened here? I can’t believe we had a fight over three bikers in my house.
Was Eric telling her the truth about the extent of the MC’s criminal activity? Was that why the police were after Hawk? She couldn’t believe that. He didn’t strike her as someone who’d sell women and children, but how could she be sure? Maybe she believed what she wanted because of the budding feelings for Hawk.
“What the fuck’s wrong with your asshole cousin?” Hawk’s gravelly voice startled her.
She shrugged. “He’s just stressed and over-protective.”
“Stressed about what?”
“He’s getting married in a few months, and he’s only been a judge for a year. There’s a lot of pressure with that. I don’t know. He’s just stressed.”
“That fucker’s a judge?”
“Hey, you’re talking about my cousin. Yeah, he’s a judge. Let’s forget about all this.”
“He’s damn lucky I’ve got the hots for you, otherwise your cousin would be a bloody pulp on your nice floors. Insurgents don’t tolerate disrespect from anyone. You better educate your cousin on that, ’cause next time, we won’t be so patient.”
Brute anger blazed in Hawk’s eyes, and Cara didn’t doubt his words for one minute. A strained silence veiled the room as the bikers’ angry glances bored into Cara. Twirling her hair around her finger, her knees weak, she pointed toward the kitchen. “Dinner is ready.”
* * *
Eating around the kitchen table, Banger raved about how good Cara’s tomato sauce was and told her he wanted Cara to give his daughter, Kylie, the recipe so she could make it for him. So that’s who Kylie is, Banger’s daughter. Does Hawk have something with her? I doubt it. Banger said she’s still in high school, and I can’t see Hawk banging the president’s teenage daughter.
“These are the best meatballs I’ve ever tasted,” Banger said.
“It’s my father’s recipe. He loves to cook.”
“Well, he taught you good.” Banger took some more meatballs.
Jax and Hawk had three helpings, so she presumed they liked her food. Desire rippled through her body every time Hawk looked at her with smoldering eyes, and when he licked his lips, she could feel them on hers.
Cara packed four jars full of tomato sauce for the guys to take back to the clubhouse. She’d have to make another batch the following morning for her family dinner that evening. Hopefully, Eric will cool down by tomorrow night, or dinner could be a disaster. She didn’t want to think about that right then, though. The bikers were leaving, and being a good hostess, she followed them out.
Swathed in cool night air, Cara wrapped her arms around herself as goosebumps covered her skin. The rain had stopped, and she inhaled the damp freshness which clung to the pine needles and saturated the ground. Hawk put his arm around her shoulders, lifted her chin with his hand, and kissed her hard—his tongue pushing its way into her mouth as she kissed him back. In her driveway, Banger and Jax’s Harleys screamed to life.
Hawk jumped down her porch steps then swung his long leg over his Harley’s seat before he roared his bike to life. As they pulled out of her driveway, he and his fellow bikers shattered the tranquility of the night. Hawk turned to look back at Cara and, as their eyes met, an electric current passed between them.