Twisted Steel: An MC Anthology: Second Edition by Elizabeth Knox (top 5 ebook reader txt) 📕

was best for it, but the second they met, my stomach tightened. I pressed my lips tightly closed as vomit threatened to spill out straight into the bath.

Instead, I cried.

I fucking cried.

I couldn’t tell you how long we stayed there with Hawk holding me, pressing his lips across the curve of my shoulder, making soothing noises like I’d make to Kadey when she was upset. I tried to focus on him, letting my breathing fall in time with his and allowing myself to ease back into his chest. He dipped his hand into the water, then brushed it back over my hair. “That feels good,” I murmured, not realizing how hot my face was from the tears and stress. “Always surprising me, Swayze.”

His chuckle rustled me a little. “I need you to remember how good I am to you.”

“Why?”

“We’re all set, Hawk,” a voice announced from the doorway. “When you’re ready.”

He was gone just as quickly as he appeared, his white coat the only indicator as to what was about to happen.

“Hawk…” I edged nervously.

“Dr. Yates is going to clean your burn and wrap it if need be.”

My face grew hotter instantly, my heart kickstarting that next round of adrenaline. “It’s gonna hurt.”

“Yeah, baby,” he answered, no softness or easing me into it. Instead, his hand curled tighter around my waist, his mouth skimming my neck as he spoke. “We get this cleaned, get you wrapped up, some pain meds, then take you home.”

Take you home.

Not, stay here where I can watch you.

Not, look out for you.

Make sure you’re okay.

“Right,” I agreed with a sharp nod. “I need to get home.”

I wonder if whatever painkiller he’s going to give me will be strong enough to ease this strange pain in my chest.

9 HAWK

Bang. Bang. Bang.

My entire body jerked awake like one of those dreams you get when you’re falling, and your body hits the ground.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

Blinking past the sleepy haze, I caught sight of the alarm clock beside the bed.

Seven-thirty.

Jesus Christ.

Sighing heavily, I slipped my arm out from underneath Missy’s head, my body aching at the first time I’d moved in hours. She’d gone to sleep with her head on my chest and her leg thrown over the top of mine. It was obviously a position that didn’t stretch her burn or make it hurt, so I let her sleep that way for the entire night, just happy she was getting some fucking rest.

I was going to pay for it in my neck and shoulders today, though.

Bang. Bang. Bang.

“Dammit,” I cursed under my breath, finally detangling myself and throwing my legs over the side of the bed, hopping toward the bedroom door while trying to pull on my jeans. I checked back over my shoulder for just a second, satisfied Missy hadn’t been disturbed by the incessant knocking before I pulled the door shut behind me and stomped across the living room to address the motherfucker who was pounding.

I flicked open four locks before reaching for the handle, making a mental note to find out what kind of area this was and why Missy would feel the need to lock the place up like it was fucking Fort Knox.

What I wasn’t expecting was the older lady on the other side of the door and Kadey standing at her side holding a pink backpack. The lady grabbed Kadey, pulling her back a step, her eyes narrowing on me. “Who the hell are you?” she snapped, her hand resting on the kid’s shoulder protectively.

Before I could answer, Kadey’s face brightened with a smile, and she pointed up at me. “Hawk!” she wiggled her little body, detangling herself from the lady’s grasp and rushing at me. “We play now?”

I smirked, tugging at one of her tiny pigtails before curling my finger under her chin. “Soon, baby girl.”

“Where’s Missy?” the lady questioned as Kadey clung to my leg, her shoulders relaxing now that she could see I wasn’t some stranger.

“She’s still asleep,” I answered, hefting the kid up onto my hip. “She had a… rough night last night, so she needs a lot of rest.”

The way her shoulders sagged let me know it wasn’t exactly what the woman wanted to hear, but she nodded. “I have to go meet my daughter, but I can take Kadey with me for a few hours.”

The kid gripped tighter, wrapping her arms around my neck. “I stay you,” she announced loudly, her bottom lip extending.

“She’ll be fine here with me,” I agreed, silence settling between us as she eyed me from head to toe, making me feel like I should’ve put a fucking shirt on, but also having me wondering if I was going to have to fight some old lady with a cane just so she’d let the kid stay here.

She tugged her handbag higher on her shoulder. “I’ll check in when I get back after lunch,” she conceded, but just when I thought that was it, she added, “You don’t want to know what will happen if you do anything to hurt these two girls. I may look old and fragile, but I know people.”

Any kind of response was lost on my tongue, not that she allowed me time to fucking find one as she turned and walked away, shuffling down to the elevator without looking back.

“Well, she’s fucking scary.” Kadey giggled, wriggling her body until I put her down on her feet. She rushed inside, dumping her little bag at the door and making a beeline for her mom’s room. “Woah there, kiddo. Freeze!”

She stopped. Her arms paused mid-run.

“You need to let Mama rest,” I told her, scooping her up under one arm and depositing her on one of the tall stools at the kitchen counter. “You had breakfast?”

“Nope.”

“You want some?”

“Yup.”

I fished some cereal out of the cupboard and the last few drops of milk from the fridge, placing it down in front of her before stepping into the living room and switching on the television.

“Simpsons!” she crowed loudly at the bright