Because I’d shocked him, Hawke never had a chance to react. I seized the opportunity to pop him in the mouth right before he managed to scramble to his feet.
“What the fuck is wrong with you?” he asked, wiping the blood from his lip. “You’re the one who brought the enemy here, and this isn’t the first time you let them in.” His reference to Tag hadn’t gone over my head.
“She’s not a Reaper,” I shouted, ready to run at him again, but Jagger appeared out of nowhere and stepped between us. Brick hung back, watching with an amused look on his face. I didn’t think he cared much for the guy and seemed fully on board with me clockin’ him.
“Hawke,” Jagger said in warning, shaking his head before leaning into him, telling him somethin’ I couldn’t hear. Whatever it was made Hawke glare at me as he pulled his hair back off his face.
“You assholes are soft. You don’t have the balls to do what it takes.” What did Jagger say to him?
“Why? ’Cause we’re not killers?”
Hawke didn’t respond; instead, he arched his brow, the corner of his lip curling upward. I couldn’t tell if what I said offended him or proved his point. He mumbled something to Jagger before he turned and walked out of the clubhouse.
“What the hell is wrong with that guy?” Brick asked, taking a seat at the bar.
“Hawke remembers all too well, like I do, the life we had to defend years ago. He doesn’t want us to invite that back in.”
“Coulda fooled me. Seems like he longs for the good ol’ days,” I said sarcastically.
“He doesn’t. None of us do. Which is why tomorrow Marek is gonna be furious about that girl.”
Shit!
For a moment, I forgot all about Maddie. I rushed down the hall without another word and barreled into the room I left her in, only to be stunned by what I saw when I entered.
13
I couldn’t remember the last time anyone treated me kindly, and even though I wasn’t sure yet of Lincoln’s motives, I relished in the warmth of the shower, biding my time until I found out for sure what my new life was gonna entail.
Once I finished drying off, I stood in the middle of the bedroom completely naked, ready for what came next. My only hope was that he wasn’t as rough as Griller or any of the other guys.
As soon as I heard the click of the door, I lowered my head, keeping my eyes on the ground. Oddly enough, one of my first thoughts, other than what was to come, was how clean the carpet looked and felt against my feet. It was weird what the human brain concocted when in survival mode.
The shouting from moments before was a noise I was unfortunately used to, but what I wasn’t familiar with was the unnerving silence surrounding me right now.
Lincoln stood ten feet from me, the heat of his stare burning through me.
The click of the door sounded again, but this time it was louder, Lincoln having shut the door with more aggression.
“What are you doin’?”
“What I’m supposed to,” I answered softly, hoping he heard me because I didn’t wish to repeat the words.
“What do you mean?” He moved closer. “Look at me.” Shaking my head, I refused. “Maddie.” He said my name softer this time, and there was something laced in his tone that made me raise my head. Up… up… until I met his soul-searching eyes.
“What do you mean you’re doin’ what you’re supposed to?” He studied me, but he wouldn’t find any answers plastered on my face. I’d learned how to hide my emotions behind a mask. It was the only way I survived as long as I had.
“I’m thanking you for helping me.” I’d often had to thank Griller and his friends for the simplest of things, such as being allowed to use the bathroom, or for the necessary act of eating. It was their way of controlling me, demeaning me, and because I couldn’t fight back physically, I surrendered emotionally.
“What exactly are you offerin’?”
“Me.”
Realization dawned, and he nodded slowly before his gaze perused my body. I kept my stare straight ahead, but seconds later, he was gone from in front of me, reappearing with the T-shirt in his hand, shoving it at me before he gave me his back.
“Put it on.”
I scrambled to pull the fabric over my head, the hemline falling less than an inch below my knees. A soft noise erupted from my throat, and that’s the moment he turned to face me again, looking over me from head to toe, his expression flat and unreadable.
“I’m sorry you don’t find me desirable,” I mumbled, a tear drifting down my cheek. None of the other guys had told me to cover up before. In fact, there’d been a time when I wasn’t allowed to wear any clothes at all, nothing to shield me from their lecherous stares, invasive groping, and worse.
“Is that what you think?”
I gave him a curt nod, another tear falling down my face.
He reached for my hand and pulled me toward the bed, motioning for me to take a seat on the edge. The mattress dipped with his weight when he sat next to me.
“I find you very desirable.”
My head shot up. “You do?” I didn’t know why I sounded surprised… and pleased?
“Yes. But that doesn’t make a difference. I won’t touch you like that. No one here will. You can trust me. You’re safe here with us.”
“No one will force me to have sex?”
“Of course not.” He sounded offended. “Is that what they
