Forsaken (The Protectors 4)

Not like what I felt whenever Mav’s eyes raked over my body.

Even the thought of his dark green eyes touching every part of me had my body drawing up tight with excitement. Fuck! How could I miss something I’d never had?

“You’re really good with him,” Hawke said to me as we made our way towards the parking garage.

“He’s an amazing kid,” I murmured. “You and your partner must be really proud,” I said.

The smile that spread across Hawke’s face was distracting because it changed his entire countenance. With the burn scars that marred his cheek and neck, he always had an air of danger about him but now he looked…

He looked like all the men and women in my family after they’d found their other halves.

“That’s all on Tate,” Hawke said.

I’d met Matty’s other father several times, but lately it had been Hawke who was with Matty when I did my rounds.

“Is Matty…” I began, but then hesitated when I realized the man might not like the question I’d been about to ask.

“Is he what?” Hawke asked.

“Nothing,” I murmured. “It isn’t any of my business.”

“Eli, I know how much you care about him. Ask your question. It’s fine.”

I hesitated, but my concern for Matty was greater than my need to not make this man angry by asking intrusive questions. “Matty, is he in danger?” I asked. “I mean, there’s always someone outside his door like Dante or Mav…”

My voice dropped off as I said Mav’s name and I hoped to God that Hawke hadn’t noticed.

“It’s just a precaution. Some guys from mine and Tate’s past posed a threat a couple of months back and we’re just making sure they didn’t have any friends who might want to take up their cause now that they’re gone.”

The fact that he used the word “gone” was an ominous sign, but I ignored that as my concern for Matty and his family grew. I stopped, forcing Hawke to stop as well and when he faced me I said, “There’s a security firm out here – they’re really good. I know the guys who own it. If you need help, I could talk to them.”

Hawke studied me for a moment and then said, “Thank you. We’re covered right now, but if we need any more guys, we’ll take you up on that.”

I nodded and began walking again. My thoughts drifted to where they’d been for the last three days and once we reached the stairwell to the garage, I found the courage to ask, “Did he ask you to do this?”

“Do what?”

“Walk me to my car,” I murmured. I glanced at Hawke who was watching me curiously. “Two days ago you also forgot something in your car and yesterday Matty’s grandfather conveniently happened to be leaving at the same time I was and also happened to be parked on the same level as me.”

I hadn’t talked to Magnus DuCane who, at forty some years old, seemed nothing like any grandfather I’d ever known. The man had the build of a football player and the only hint of his age were the threads of silver in his dark hair.

We’d reached the bottom of the stairs where I’d been attacked nearly two weeks earlier. “Mav told you what happened, didn’t he?”

Hawke studied me for a moment and then reached past me to open the door to the garage itself. “He told me,” he finally confirmed.

Disappointment went through me as I wondered what else Mav had told this man about me. But I couldn’t help but feel a sliver of gratitude too. Because even though I’d felt a modicum of control return to me after learning the self-defense moves, I was still terrified every time I entered this same stairwell. And the idea that Mav was still looking out for me even when he wasn’t around…

“Did he leave?” I asked as Hawke and I walked to my car.

“He took this week off,” Hawke responded. “I think he had plans to explore the coast. Head down to California.”

“But he’s coming back,” I said, hoping I’d managed to hide the mix of disappointment and eagerness in my voice.

“Not sure,” Hawke responded as he glanced around the parking garage. I bit back the urge to question him further.

“Thanks,” I managed to say as I climbed into my car.

“See you tomorrow.”

My throat hurt too much so I just nodded and closed the door. I wasn’t sure what I’d expected after I’d dismissed Mav like I had. I’d been humiliated and horrified that he’d found out what I’d done to survive as a kid and all I’d wanted to do in that moment was escape and go hide somewhere until I could pull myself together. But now?

I missed him.

The revelation was so startling that I could only sit there in my car, the key in the ignition, my foot pressing the clutch down.