Kill For Me (Snakes Henchmen MC 5)

“What good does sorry do, Hawk? You had no right to behave the way you did tonight.”

“You're right, and I'll admit that. I love you, Brooke, so damn much.” I let out a huge breath and run my fingers through my long hair. “I know you're disappointed in me right now, and I don't blame you one little bit, but I don't want to lose you because of my stupidity.” Not that it wouldn't serve me right if she did leave me.

She rolls her eyes and shakes her head. “I'm not going to leave you, Hawk, but you can't do this every time a man looks at me. You made me feel ugly tonight.”

Fuck!

Gently, I take her face in my hands and lift her head. I want to look in her eyes. I never meant to hurt her or make her feel anything but beautiful. My dad was right; women don't like the jealous type. He's never been that way with my mom, and men are always staring at her.

I don't want Brooke to feel trapped with a man who can't control his temper when another man shows her some attention. It's not like she's going to run off with them, she's all mine, and I should be proud to have her on my arm and know all they can do is stare and envy me for being her man.

“I hate myself for making you think you are anything but beautiful. I'm also sorry for behaving like a neanderthal. I was jealous and stupid, but I love you, baby. I love you so much, and I promise this won't happen again.”

She looks at me, beautiful big blue eyes staring right in me. “I love you, too. You don't need to do these things, Hawk, I am all yours. I will always be yours. No other man will ever turn my head because you are everything to me.”

I pull her to me and kiss her. I'd never been in love before I met Brooke, I had no clue what it felt like. However, I'd known Brooke two days before I knew I was in love with her. I lost her once, and I can't lose her a second time because it would finish me off.

“You're everything to me, too, beautiful.”

She looks up at me, and I smile because she has that effect on me every time. “Can we not do this ever again?”

“Well, that all depends,” I ruined the night I had planned for us, and I'm not sure she's completely forgiven me for being a dickhead, but I don't want to wait another moment.

“Hawk, don't make demands after the way you've acted. You should be on your knees begging for forgiveness.”

I drop to one knee in front of her, her hand in mine. She's looking at me expectantly, and I fall even more in love with her. “I'm sorry, Brooke, for everything I've done tonight. For the way, I made you feel, and for acting like a jerk. If you want me to grovel at your feet for the rest of our lives, I will. I'll rub your shoulders when you're tired, dance with you in the rain, make love to you in all our special place,” And there have been a lot since we met. “Even when we're old.”

She starts laughing, and it makes me laugh too. I'm not good at this romantic crap, but I try for her because she deserves it and much more.

I slide my hand into the pocket of my jeans and pull out the ring box. I look at it for a moment before looking up and seeing her wide eyes and shocked face. “Brooke, you are everything a woman should be. You love so easily, and you are one amazing mother. Gabe is a lucky boy to have you; I'm lucky to have you, that's why I want to know,” I open the box and hold it up to her. “Will you marry me?”

“Are you crazy?”

“For you.”

I watch her throat move with the effort to swallow. She finally looks away from the ring and at me with a smile on her face – a smile so perfect it melts my heart. “Of course, I'll marry you!” I slip the small diamond ring onto her finger, get to my feet, and wrap her up in my arms so fast I'm not sure I didn't crack her ribs.

Her little feet dangle off the ground as I hold her to me, my face in her hands as she kisses the hell out of me. She laughs against my mouth as my brother and Roman, whom I'm guessing have been watching us for some time, cheer and holler.

I won't wait to marry this woman. We're going home in a couple of days, and I want to marry her as soon as is humanly possible. Why wait? She's my one and only, and I'm hers, and soon enough, she'll be my wife.

What to do about her father? Now that's the question, because he won't stop until he has her back. I'll kill him first, but there's always the possibility that he could kidnap her and hurt her.

Don't think about that right now, Hawk, the woman you love just agreed to be your wife. It's your time to be happy. Hank Webster can wait.

Yeah, but not for long.

* * *

Brooke has laughed every single day this week; she's loved every minute of the time we've spent here. I took her to the lake and told her stories about when I was a kid. She laughed along with me, and she told me how she can’t wait to see me showing Gabe how to fish here. I can’t wait for that either. Brooke gets on with my brother like a house on fire. They've become good friends.

We arrived home the other night after I asked her to marry me, to a ‘congratulations’ party set up by my grandmother. Because she just knew Brooke would say yes, She told me. Made me laugh, but she was right. We partied most of the night away. I had no idea my elderly grandparent's had so much stamina.

They danced, laughed, drank, told stories. Made me feel guilty that my parents were back home and would have loved to be here for this. I put a call into them and let them know I'd asked Brooke to marry me. My mother screamed down the line so loudly I thought my eardrum would burst! They were both happy for us, and Mom can't wait to go dress shopping with Brooke. I apologized for not inviting them to be there when it happened, but Dad told me not to be stupid, he understood and so did Mom. They both told me never to feel guilty, and to just enjoy the moment.

I was a little worried Brooke would be upset that her mother wouldn't be there for her, but Brooke said as long as her sister is there, she doesn't care about the rest of her family. The only trouble is I'm not sure Marnie will be able to sneak away from her husband to come to the wedding. If I can make it happen for Brooke, then I will.

“What you doing out here all by yourself?”

I lift my head and smile at my brother. I'm standing on my grandparent's porch with a bottle of beer in my hand, looking out at the night sky. Brooke is asleep upstairs with Gabe; my grandparents went to bed an hour ago. Roman is out somewhere, probably with some girl he picked up at the bar. Wrench was out with him, but I guess he's had his fun, hence why he's home so early. “You're back early.”

He shrugs, comes to stand beside me and bumps his shoulder with mine, making me laugh. He used to do that a lot when we were kids. It would drive me crazy, and we'd end up fighting, as kids do. “So why are you out here?”

“Just thinkin’,”

“Wanna talk about it?”

I shake my head. There's nothing to talk about, I'm just thinking about the future with my beautiful wife-to-be, and it's a bright future — one filled with love, happiness, even another kid or two. Just the thought of watching my kids running around our yard, the yard of the house I'll eventually buy for my family, makes me smile to myself.

I can see Brooke smiling at me. She's older in my vision, Gabe around the age of seven. His dark hair blowing in the slight breeze as he plays ball with his younger brother. Yeah, I see a little brother in Gabe's future.

“There is something I wanted to ask you.”

“Oh, yeah?”

I nod at my brother. “Think you might be up to being my best man?”

His eyes widen, mouth agape, and I can't help but chuckle. “I thought you'd ask Roman.”

I narrow my eyes. “Why would you think that?”

He turns his body and leans back again the wooden beam that holds up this old porch. “Just thought you would. You two have always been close. I just never seemed to fit in with the two of you.”

What the fuck?

I stare at my baby brother; he's not looking at me, he's looking down at his feet, arms wrapped across his chest. Have I really pushed him out and made him feel like we're not close?