Retribution (The Protectors 3)

“You can call me Hawke,” I said coolly, not bothering to offer my hand. “Chris’s boyfriend.”

The sheriff actually took a step back, the repulsion in his eyes clear as day. “And you are?” I asked.

The man finally seemed to remember he’d been trying to intimidate us and he puffed out his chest. “Sheriff Graham Holden.”

“Well, Sheriff Holden, to answer your question, Chris and I stopped by to get something he left behind when he got out of this piece of shit town of yours two years ago,” I drawled.

The sheriff’s jaw hardened and his gaze went back to Tate. “Seems I remember him leaving with something that wasn’t his. His father was real sorry to see it and Chris go.”

Tate tightened his hand on mine even more and I gently eased him forward past the sheriff. “Well, if you happen to see his father anytime soon, you tell him I’m going to stop by and see him real soon.”

The sheriff’s eyes widened for a moment and then held mine for several long seconds before he turned to enter the bank. I could tell Tate was barely holding it together so I quickly pulled him past the sheriff’s patrol car and got him settled into my truck. The second I got behind the wheel, I reached for his hand and gently tugged him towards me until I could snag my other hand around the back of his neck.

“Tate, look at me,” I said gently.

Tate was struggling to control his breathing and he shook his head. But a second later, he drew in a deep breath and opened his eyes. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

“For what?” I asked as I gently began massaging his skin with my fingers. The move seemed to help him relax somewhat.

“I wasn’t prepared,” he said. “I…was for Reggie, but not him.”

I knew he was talking about the sheriff. I leaned in and brushed my lips over his. “You did great,” I said.

Tate shook his head. “I froze,” he said. “I saw him and I was that scared sixteen-year-old kid again.”

“You were fucking amazing,” I said and then I dragged him to me and kissed him hard. Tate let out a rush of air as soon as I released his mouth, and then he was seeking me out for another kiss. I gave it to him and then gently pulled away from him. “Let’s get going.”

Tate leaned back in his seat and searched out his seat belt. “Laredo’s only a few hours away. We can get there before it gets dark.”

“No,” I said. “We’re heading back to the motel.”

“It’s still early-” Tate began to say.

“We’re done,” I said as I started up the truck. I looked at Tate and quietly repeated, “We’re done.” I put the truck in gear and forced myself not to look at Tate again when I said, “It’s time for you to go home.”

Chapter Eighteen

Tate

Hawke’s declaration should have excited me. Even though it had only been a few days since I’d left Matty, I ached to see him again, to feel his little body in my arms. But it wasn’t what Hawke had said that was bothering me so much.

It was what he hadn’t said.

“You’re going after them, aren’t you?” I whispered as I pressed my hand to my stomach to stem the physical pain I was feeling.

When Hawke didn’t answer me, I closed my eyes and tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall. Everything inside of me had turned numb when Reggie had said Buck and Denny had teamed up with a drug lord and I’d feared this exact moment. Because Hawke would never stop hunting the men who’d stolen his entire life from him. But when it had been just Buck and Denny, he’d stood a chance of walking away.

“Hawke-”

The truck lurched to a stop in front of the motel and Hawke was out of the truck before I could finish my sentence. I followed him into the motel room and watched in silence as he gathered our few belongings. When he tried to walk past me and out of the room, I stepped into his path. “Please don’t do this,” I said quietly, trying like hell to keep my voice from breaking. I held Hawke’s gaze as he studied me for a long time. Hope sparked to life in my belly when he reached out to cup my face, his big, warm hand settling just behind my ear. I held my breath as I waited for him to kiss me, but instead of pressing his lips to mine, he dropped them to my forehead and lingered there for a moment before pulling back and saying, “We should get going.”

And I knew in that moment that nothing I said or did would change his mind.

It was hours later when I finally became aware of my surroundings after I’d turned my gaze out the truck’s window and kept it there. I had no idea what city we were in, or even what state, and I found that I didn’t care. I hadn’t spoken to Hawke and he hadn’t said a word to me. I hadn’t called Matty either and I couldn’t even muster the energy to do that now.