“Hey brother,” I said, coming out more quietly than I intended.
Hawk’s face distorted and while a tear didn’t fall, his eyes were watery.
“Hey, no crying, remember?” I joked weakly.
“It went through, but she needs a doc,” Mama Hen said.
“Where–is–Shiv–when–you need her?” I tried to be funny. The look on Hawk’s face showed me he didn’t appreciate it. “Wait. The women!”
“Shh, shh, shh. Kat, don’t talk.” His hand was shaky as it pressed my cheek. “I love you, Katarina. I’m sorry I dragged my feet. But you can’t leave me now, Goddammit.”
Tears quickly filled my eyes, leaking from the corners. “Hawk–”
“Stop talking like that,” Mama Hen said. “She’s gonna be fine, but we gotta get her out of here.”
He said he loved me. I had to tell him. “I–lo–” I coughed as it got harder to pull in a breath and things went blurry. I was so sleepy.
Hawk shook me, but I couldn’t speak, and I couldn’t keep my eyes open.
Instead, I listened as he and Mama Hen shouted my name over and over until everything went dark.
Chapter 37
Hawk
“She’s just weak, she’s gonna be okay,” Ma said. “But we gotta get her somewhere– now.”
The clubhouse was too far. Plus, this wasn’t one of the members, it was Kat. She had to go to the hospital.Seriously, where the fuck were Jackal and Shiv when you needed them?
“Let’s go.” I picked her up.
Petrov walked with me. “Hawk, they’re going to call the police. You can’t take her.”
“The fuck you say? I’m not leaving her.” Looking downat Jeannie as we walked out, I fought the urge to kick her. One, she was a woman. Two, she was lifeless already. But I definitely had plans for that trash. “Someone toss her in the truck with my bike.”
Ma was right behind us as I stepped outside. “He’s right, son. I can take her. I’ll just say I escaped with her. Someone find the keys to that SUV right there.”
“I’m going with her!” I shouted as I pulled Kat closer. “This is my woman, and you’d all do the same, and I wouldn’t fucking stop you. Now, who the fuck is gonna drive me?”
Petrov sighed. “We can take my car. But I’m going to have to make a call. I need you to trust me.”
My brows furrowed. “Whatever. We gotta go.”
Eagle opened the door to the car and I slid into the backseat with her. “Sweep as best you can and get Keys to cut the last bit of the recording. And take this.” I passed him my Desert Eagle.
Keys came over, reaching inside. “The necklace. They’ll take it off. Give it to me.”
I yanked it off and handed it to him. He said it wasn’t worth anything and the thin leather strap popped easily. “You cut that feed down. You can do that right?”
“I’ll head back now and seriously, man, I got it,” Keys said as he headed the other direction.
“Ma! Get in the fucking car!” I yelled out before I closed the door.
She got in on the other side and Petrov was in front withthe driver.
“Hawk,” a small voice said. Looking down, it was my Kitty Kat.
I swept my thumb over her pale cheek, fighting back the wave of emotions roaring through me. “Hey, we’re going to the hospital. I gotta keep pressure on this. Just try to breathe and keep your eyes open if you can.”
