Chapter Twenty-Two

Chapter Twenty-Two

Hawk

WE'RE ALL HANGING out at the clubhouse today. Kendell opens her store tomorrow and I'm making her take the day off. She's been going all out, nonstop for the last month and it's time for her to take a break. The only reason I'm not having a total fit about it is because I've talked to Dr. Morris about how long and hard my wife has been working and she assured me it was okay. As long as Kendell isn't feeling any pain or bleeding, there's no reason for her to sit around and twiddle her thumbs while doing nothing but order everyone else around. So, I've been with her as often as I can to ensure that she doesn't overdo things and everyone has pitched in to help get the store just the way she wants it. The guys really came through for the renovations and building her the perfect shelves and cases to display everything. Cash has been there more than anyone else and done whatever my wife needed him to do. Once again, he's shown why he's my best friend in the world. Even if I hate it when he flirts with Kendell.

I know I have nothing to worry about when it comes to Cash and Kendell. They're more like brother and sister than anything else. I'm honestly glad they're close because of how close Cash and I are. He's the only one she trusts to watch us when we're our most vulnerable and that's happened a few times since we've been together. There's just something about being watched by Cash that does it for my girl. I wouldn't bring just anyone in to do that shit, but him I don't even hesitate. Maybe it's because I know he truly respects my wife and would never talk about the shit we do with anyone else. Or it's because he knows just how much I truly love my wife and that this is something I do on occasion because I know how much she loves it. No one else would understand so there's no point in letting anyone know what we do in the safety of our home where we don't have to hold back. I've never held back, but Kendell is still discovering what she likes and doesn't like when it comes to sex.

"Hawk," Gideon says, walking up to me with his stuffed hawk in his hands and his blanket trailing along behind him.

Our boy is tired as I wait for him to get close enough for me to scoop him up in my arms and hold him close so he can fall asleep. Most of the time he has no problem falling asleep in bed without one of us with him. When we're at the clubhouse, he seems to have a harder time falling asleep on his own. His counselor said it might happen because he's around a lot of people. Even though he knows them, he still might be living through the trauma of being in the house when Kelsey was taken and knowing she's not coming home again. So, he either comes to Kendell, Cash, or myself when he's tired and can't fall asleep on his own. None of us mind and will do everything we can to make him comfortable.

"Bein' a dad looks good on you, Hawk," my brother speaks up as he watches me with Gideon. "You're natural with him and it's easy to see how comfortable he is with you. You're his protector and safe space."

"It's the best feelin' in the fuckin' world, Eagle. He'd go to you too if you started spendin' more time with us. He doesn't know you the way he does Cash. Hell, he'd treat you just the same as he does Cash. What's been up with you lately? You've been gone or not around more often than you're here?" I ask my brother, wondering what's been going on with him because he's been disappearing more and more.

"I've been goin' out. Everyone seems to be findin' their ol' lady lately and I just don't know what I'm gonna do. Part of me doesn't want to get involved with a woman because all they do is bring trouble and chaos. Or they leave you behind without a thought. The other part of me wants an ol' lady of my own. I want someone to come home to because it's lonely and my bed is empty every night," he responds, thinking of how our own mother left us behind all because she couldn't handle club life.

"Goin' out to the bars and shit isn't gonna find you a good woman, brother. That will ensure you get laid, but that's about it," I tell him honestly because we've all been there.

It's true. Every single member of this club has been out at the bars and all that shit around town most nights because we don't want to deal with the Fallen girls but yet want to find an easy lay. So, the bars make the most sense for us to hang out in. It's not the place to be if you're looking for an ol' lady though. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there are plenty of women there who aren't out searching for a man to fuck for the night and would make a great ol' lady. However, I know my brother more than almost everyone else in the club and I know he's not gonna find an ol' lady at a bar.

"I know it's not. Just don't wanna be here seein' all you guys happy with your families and shit. Plus, I've been goin' and spendin' time with Dad. We've been fishin' in the pond and goin' for rides just the two of us. He's out, brother," Eagle informs me, his voice lowering to a whisper as he takes in Gideon sleeping in my arms. "How are they both doin' with everythin'?"

"They're doin' good. I mean the best as can be expected at the end of the day. Kendell still has days where it hits her all over again. I think a large part of it is the guilt because she couldn't save Kelsey. She had to sit there and literally watch her sister be killed a foot from her. We'd all be fucked-up watchin' shit like that and knowin' there was nothin' we could do to stop it from happenin'. I'd feel guilty as hell if the two of us had been in their positions," I answer my brother honestly as he listens to me with understanding in his eyes.

"Yeah. I can't imagine havin' to see shit like that. And we've all seen some horrendous shit in our lives bein' around the club and all the shit we do. Kelsey and Kendell aren't usually around the same stuff and I know it's gotta be weighin' on her. Has she thought about talkin' to someone about it?" Eagle asks as our dad joins us and takes Gideon from my arms.

Yeah, our dad is coming around and loves Gideon. He wants to take him fishing, out on his bike, and everything else he did with us over the years as we were growing up. For him, he wanted to make sure Kendell wasn't gonna run away after everything that happened to Kelsey since coming here. Now that he knows they're my family, he's stepped up to be a papa to our boy. Kendell actually talked to my dad and he told her that he couldn't allow himself to get close to them for her to disappear with G and leave us all behind without a thought. She understood where he was coming from and told him that she has no plans of leaving us behind because we're all becoming her family and she wouldn't have it any other way. That was just one more day I fell even more in love with her than I was before.

"Do you guys want something to eat?" Rebel asks, walking up to our table with a few plates in her hand for Reaper and Titan as they sit at their normal table in the back of the common room.

"I'm always up for a good meal, sweetheart. Take your time though," my dad answers as he smiles up at her while holding Gideon close in his arms.

"I'll take some lunch too," I answer as Eagle nods his head that he'll take a plate too.

"I'll be back soon," Rebel states, running her fingers through G's hair to get it out of his face.

Everyone around here loves Gideon. He's got us all wrapped around his little finger. I know more than just my dad was concerned about Kendell taking off and leaving the club behind once everything was over with Martin. The guys have all kind of held back on getting to know her and Gideon so it didn't hurt when they left. Now, they aren't doing that. Every person here is spending time with G and he's soaking up the attention. Kendell is too. For the first time in her life, she's got a true family and knows we're all here for her no matter what we have going on. That's why everyone stepped up to help in Spin Again. They all want her to know they'll do whatever it takes to help her now that they all know she's staying here. I thought they would've realized it when I told them she was pregnant, but I guess they felt she could still take my baby away from me and leave Clinton City. It's happened in the past so why not now when I've been her only tie to here.

"Hawk, you got a visitor here at the gate. I don't know if I should let him in or not," Jay comes in the clubhouse, leaving our newest Prospect out at the gate alone.

"Who the fuck is it?" I ask him, standing up from my seat and silently asking my dad if he's got G. I don't move until he nods in response.

"It's some mayor. Not the mayor from here, but says he's a mayor and you helped him out with somethin'," Jay tells me, his voice a whisper because Alex, Rebel, and Zoey just walked in the common room.

"I'm comin' out now," I tell him, letting him lead the way for me as we make our way down to the gate.

Walking to the gate, I see a blacked-out car sitting in front of the gate. A large man gets out of the passenger seat and goes to the back door to open it. Standing from the back of the car, is the mayor of Kendell's hometown. He looks around while straightening his suit jacket and then turning to face me.

"Are you Hawk?" he asks, his demeanor nothing but friendly as he steps up to the gate so we're face-to-face.

"I am. How can I help you?" I return, not truly understanding why he's here at the clubhouse over an hour away from his town.

"It's more like what I can do to help you and your club. I owe you more favors than I've ever owed anyone before," he states with a smile on his face.

"I'm not sure I'm understandin' why you think you owe us any favors," I tell him, confusion filling me because I do know what I did, but it doesn't require him to pay us back in any way.

"That's where you're wrong. You let me know of a man who was abusing his wife and more than likely his son. My entire campaign is against that. Because of you, I have no doubt the asshole in question has been taken care of. To think that I believed the lies he told me truly makes me feel like a piece of shit. Movin' forward, I would like to hire you to do complete background checks on everyone in my office, my security staff, and anyone else who potentially comes into my life. I will pay you a monthly sum, even if you don't have to complete any work for me. If this had come out any other way but you sending me the information, I would lose my job and it's one I love doing. So, not only do I owe you personally a favor, but I owe your club, and I'd like to offer you the job," he states, making me nod to Jay so he'll open the gate so we're not talking through it.

"I will gladly accept your job and I do have a personal favor to ask of you," I tell him, my mind already whirling with making this entire process as easy as possible for my family. "My wife and I currently have custody of your ex-employee's son. He killed his wife directly in front of my wife when he held them both hostage. We've already had an officer here questionin' my wife about his whereabouts because he's been reported missin' by his parents. My wife and I would like to adopt Gideon and make him our son to ensure no one from that family is able to get their hands on him. His father is the same exact way and has never been charged with a crime in his life because he tosses money around and buys his freedom. So, my personal request would be any help you could give to ensure we get to adopt our boy with no hassle or attempts to take him from us.

"We've been workin' with a caseworker and she's impressed with everythin' we've been doin' to help him since losin' his mom. I can get you a copy of her notes and recommendations. My wife is still a mess on most days and she's pregnant with our first baby together. We want to ensure Gideon never feels as if we don't love him like the rest of our children and he's an amazin' little boy who I would adopt in a heartbeat without any questions. I might belong to a motorcycle club, but family is the most important thing to each and every man in that clubhouse. They all love Gideon and would give their life to protect him from any harm."

"Consider it done. You get me all the notes you have from his caseworker, the guardianship papers if you have them, and anythin' else you feel is relevant to the adoption. If you also get me any information you have on the grandparents, I will ensure a thorough investigation is made and they won't be able to pay me off or anyone I work with. I have a team in place for just this purpose. We'll expose everyone involved and your name will never be mentioned. I assume you'll get with your club about a favor for them?" he returns, ideas already forming in his mind as so many emotions flash through his eyes fast enough I can barely catch them.

"Yeah. I'll have to take it to church and we'll discuss it as a club. Like I said, I'll do the work for you as long as it doesn't interfere with my club work and we'll go from there. You don't have to pay me monthly. Per job is fine. It's what I would charge anyone else outside of my club. If you want me to start with your current staff and security team, send me a list of their names and other relevant information and I'll get it started for you. Give me two weeks dependin' on the number of staff you have and you'll have complete files on everyone," I tell him as I realize I should run this by the club, but it would be done on my own personal time so I know Reaper and the guys won't really care.

"I'd appreciate that. You'll have a list from me by later this afternoon. Thank you, Hawk. You've saved my job and I will do as much as I can to ensure your adoption and anything else goes through without a hitch. I'll be in touch," the mayor says as he holds his hand out for me to shake.

I stand where I am and watch as he gets back in his car and they leave the compound. Turning, I head back to the clubhouse as Jay closes the gate behind me. This is not what I was expecting to happen today, but I'm not gonna complain about it at all. If he can help us with this entire adoption process then I'm all for it. I'll take whatever help we can get so Kendell isn't completely stressed out and worrying every second of the day. She's got enough to worry about and shouldn't have to add that to her growing list.

"What was that all about?" my dad asks me as I enter the clubhouse and head for him and Eagle.

My dad is still holding Gideon in his lap and Kendell's sitting right next to him with a plate of food in front of her. I lean down and kiss the top of her head before taking the last seat next to her.

"Reaper, you mind joinin' us for a few minutes? You're gonna be interested in this information as well," I ask my President as Eagle pulls another chair over for him. I don't continue talking until Reaper's joined us. "So, you all know I sent the information we found on Martin to the mayor he was workin' for. Well, that was him showin' up to offer me a job where I won't have to leave the club, give me a favor, and the club a favor as well. I've already told him what I want for my favor and he understands that we'll have to discuss the club favor in church before gettin' back to him. He completely understands and will wait to hear from us."

"What personal favor did you ask for?" Kendell asks me as I lean closer to her and place my hand on her thigh.

"He's gonna help us make sure nothin' happens to stop the adoption of Gideon. I have to send him a few things and then he'll get on the case. He's also gonna launch an investigation into Martin's parents. One where he won't be able to throw money at the problem to make it go away," I answer her honestly.

For several minutes, Kendell doesn't say a word. Slowly I watch as her entire body relaxes one muscle at a time before she allows a smile to spread across her face. Leaning forward, Kendell kisses me with all the love she feels for me and she doesn't care who sees right now.

"Thank you, Hawk. I love you, so much. You continue to give me so much every single day. There's nothing I can give you to pay you back for everything you've done for me so far," she says, a few tears spilling over her lashes to roll down her face.

"You're my queen, Sparky. You don't ever have to pay me back for this shit. I love you more than you know. And you've given me more than I've given you. You have given me a son I love with my entire heart already and a baby on the way. Plus, I have you. That's all I need besides my club," I tell her not caring who overhears our conversation.

For a while we all just sit and talk about the shit that happened today with the mayor. Reaper agrees with me that we'll take it to church before making any decisions about where to go moving forward. Since it's a favor he wants to owe the club, it will be a club decision about what we do. That's how we always handle things like this. Not that we've ever had a mayor declare that he owes us a favor before. I don't leave my wife's side until I get an email from the mayor. Heading to my room, I start running the names he's given me through the programs I have while sending him all the information I have about Martin's parents and for the adoption. Now, I can spend the rest of the day with my family and not worry about all the bullshit that we've had going on. It's all I want—two seconds of peace before the next shitstorm hits because we all know something will pop up before too long.