Chapter Thirty

Laura

I woke up early feeling refreshed and not a little stiff after last night's make up sex. Hawk had to leave early and go to the clubhouse. He didn't say what it was about, but I had a feeling it had something to do with Eric's evidence file.

I'd turned over what he'd said about it being Eric's doing in my mind, but I couldn't believe him. Eric was a cop for crying out loud! I hated him, and sure, I could see him using evidence he'd gotten on the Steel Demons MC to try and turn me against Hawk—but I really didn't think that he'd go so far as to try and spread rumors about Hawk being an informant. It seemed so damn petty.

I had the day off work today, though it was going to be spent stuck indoors. One thing that Hawk did tell me, was that he was going to see if Los Ochos would call off the hit. He couldn't prove he wasn't an informant, but the fact that no one had arrested them for the murder of Mark Winchester surely proved that I wasn't talking.

As I got breakfast ready, I glanced at the photographs still scattered on the coffee table. I believed Hawk when he said that they weren't how they looked. But I also knew that he was a criminal, even if he had limits as to what he would do. If our relationship was going to come to anything then I needed to accept this.

I froze when the doorbell rang, I wasn't expecting any visitors. Hawk had said that as Los Ochos's preferred method of dealing with people was drive-bys, I should be safe so long as I stayed in the house until he returned. I stared at the door half expecting it to burst open and let my enemies inside. The doorbell rang again, and a small squeak escaped. "I know you're in there, Laura. I can smell the spicy sausage links and I hope you have enough for two."

"Kristy?" I rushed to the door, and when I opened it, there was my best friend. "Kristy!" I wrapped her in a hug and held her tight. "What are you doing here? I thought they were keeping you in all weekend."

"Two reasons," she answered when she pulled back and brushed past me as she made her way to the kitchen. "First, because I'm free! I haven't gotten any answers yet, but I will, and I figured I'd spend some time with my bestie. Just in time for breakfast too, by the looks of things."

I watched her with a smile on my face, so happy to see her out of the hospital and smiling. "You said two reasons."

"Yeah, I did, didn't I?" She turned with a mischievous smile.

"You did," I replied, and folded my arms.

"The other reason is I'm worried about you. I spoke to Hawk yesterday, did he tell you?"

I nodded.

"So how are things between you?" she said and picked up some scrambled eggs with her fingers. "For the record, I like him, and I can't believe you're listening to Eric. Again."

"Things are okay, I'm not happy about what he does, but I believe him about what he doesn't do."

"That's a start," my friend said with a cheery smile.

"He said some things about Eric, saying that Eric was behind some rumors." I stopped, if I was going to be with Hawk, then I had to accept all sides of him. I took a breath, "Basically, word on the street is that Hawk is a snitch. A police informant. That's the reason Los Ochos went back on their word."

"Wow!" Kristy said.

I pulled out a couple of plates from the cupboard and put them on the counter waiting to see if she had anything else to say. When she remained silent, I added the stinger, "Hawk thinks that it's Eric who's spreading the rumors."

Finally she spoke, "I can totally see him doing it, the man is a prize asshat."

"He wouldn't," I protested. "He couldn't, I mean if he did know what was going on—and I have to assume that working in Organized Crime, he does—then surely, he'd know that it might put me in danger? That does not sound like the actions of a man who wants me back."

"It sounds like the actions of a man who wants to hurt you by any means possible," Kristy muttered as she piled all the food I'd made onto two plates.

I shook my head as I carried the plates through to the living room and put them on the coffee table, shoving the photographs aside.

With wide eyes, Kristy ignored the food and reached over for one of the photos. "So let's see what Detective Asshole gave you."

I shoved the evidence file towards her, she got a forkful of eggs with one hand, and rifled through the photographs with the other. After swallowing her mouthful she said, "These could be faked, you know?"

I frowned, "It's an official police evidence file from Eric's unit. He's not gonna do a photoshop number on me. Plus, Hawk explained what some of the photos were about, he didn't deny them."

Kristy looked up at me, "I love you Laura, but sometimes you can be so damn trusting. The man is a liar and an asshole. If he lies in one aspect of his life, then he's gonna lie in others."

I shook my head as I picked up one of the photos, it was one of Hawk, shirtless, that had been taken three weeks ago, going by the date stamp. Beside him there was a crate of guns.

He'd told me that he had club business that day, there was no glossing over the fact that the business involved gun running.

"Ain't gonna lie, he's a damn fine looking man," Kristy said as her gaze followed mine.

I went to put the photo back on the pile.

"Wait, when was that taken?" she asked. Her breakfast now forgotten as she leaned forward.

"Three weeks ago," I said pointing at the date stamp.

She grabbed the photo and waved it in my face, "Look!"

"What?" I asked, not sure what my friend was getting at.

"Your hot biker's side. His damn fine, unscarred side," she said triumphantly.

I still wasn't sure what she was getting at, until it suddenly dawned. "He's still got the scar from where I stitched him up in the ER. If this photograph was taken three weeks ago then he should have had a scar!"

"Exactly!" Kristy exclaimed.

My elation suddenly burst, "But what he's doing in it, is still shady as fuck."

"Forget about that for the moment. What this shows is that at least one photo has been faked, which means that your asshole ex is not above tampering with evidence."

"But why would he do that?" I asked.

"I don't know, to try and win you back? To make you think he was doing this recently? To try and cause trouble for your new man? You've got to talk to Hawk."

I sighed as it slowly dawned on me that Eric might not be as clean as I'd thought, "Do you really think Eric would knowingly put me in danger?"

"I wouldn't put it past him, I never liked the man."

"I'll call Hawk and tell him, though I'm worried he'll do something crazy to Eric." I felt like a wimp saying that out loud, and Kristy's expression of disbelief confirmed that feeling.

"You did not seriously just say that. Did you?"

I rolled my eyes. "Not because I care about Eric, but because if they hurt him—or worse—all the law enforcement in the state will come after him." Hawk could be hot headed, and I wouldn't put it past him or his friends to go after Eric.

"Laura, bad guys who specialize in hurting people want to hurt you. Don't be crazy. If this is Eric's doing, then you need to call Hawk and tell him what we've found."

"They haven't come yet."

The words came out too soon, because a furious hand pounded on the front door.

"Shit."

"I'll get it," I said as Kristy tried pulling me back. "Stay here."

I rushed from the living room to the hall and opened the door, then regretted it immediately. My ex was standing on the porch with a revolver pointed at me. "Eric. What are you doing here and why do you have a gun aimed at me?" I said the words just loud enough for Kristy to hear, I only hoped she didn't get all superhero on me and try to come to my rescue.

I was also hoping that she'd have time to alert someone as to what was happening. But then it dawned on me, she didn't have Hawk's number and who was she gonna call, anyway? The cops?

Instead, I prayed that she'd get out of sight damn quick.

"Come with me without a fight and I won't put two bullets in your head and blame those Mexicans for it."

My limbs grew shaky, but I willed them to keep me upright as Eric motioned with his gun. "Eric, think about this."

"I have. Plenty." He shook his head, his boy next door smile on full display.

I'd had time to think too, and Eric turning up on the doorstep with a gun had made everything a hell of a lot clearer. "Why are you trying to set up Hawk?"

"Because he's not having what's mine," he said through gritted teeth.

"I'm not yours, not now, not ever!"

"I'm good at persuasion, I know what you need, Laura."

My heard was hammering in my chest, "Los Ochos, was that all you?"

He laughed, "Not all, turns out you did piss off a bunch of gang bangers, but I thought if I scared you some more then it might convince you to come back to me. Instead, you went running into the arms of that fucking biker piece of trash."

"You tried to run me down in the parking lot," I said accusingly.

"Just trying to scare some sense into you. Anyway, you're coming with me. Easy way or hard?"

I didn't look back in the direction of the living room, he'd not realized Kristy was here. I had to get him away from Hawk's place to save my friend. "Fine. Let's go. Don't touch me!"

"Come on, you used to like when I touched you."

I laughed bitterly. "Yeah, and you liked touching every woman you came across. Things change." I shook my head in disbelief that I was being kidnapped by my ex. "I knew you were a liar, but manufacturing evidence? I hope you don't use that in a court of law."

"Worried about me?"

"Hell no, it was obviously fake, and you'll go to prison. Actually, you know what? Go ahead and use it so you'll be out my hair for good." I grunted when he shoved me into the passenger seat and strapped the seatbelt around me.

"Don't do anything stupid," he warned, and tightened plastic cable ties around my wrists.

"You mean other than you?"

"Bitch," he muttered angrily before he lifted his gun and hit me on the back of the head with the butt.

Before I could cry out in pain, everything went pitch black.