Free Hiding Out (Hawks MC: Caroline Springs Charter, #2) by Lila Rose Page A

Zara, a baby... How has that man not killed you?"
    Everyone burst out laughing.
    Had I woken up in a different universe?
    "No, sugarplum, he won't kill me. I'm too handsome for that." Julian smiled.
    "There's also the fact that Matthew is my brother, making Julian my brother-in-law. And if Talon tried anything, he would be sleeping on the couch for the rest of his life," Zara said.
    Rubbing my hand against my forehead, I uttered, "This is all so strange."
    "The best way a family should be," Julian said.
    "Willow," Josie said to catch my attention. I looked to her. "Come sit down and I'll explain a few things." I did just that, thinking maybe more information would help my brain from exploding. "Zara and Matthew are biological brother and sister. I was adopted by Mum and Dad," —a small wince when she'd said Dad made me believe something had happened to him—"after my situation. Zara is having a baby for Matthew and Julian. It was their gift to them when they got engaged. Our family is...a little different to most. It's big and includes all members from the Hawks Motorcycle Club. That's how I met Eli and Caden, as well. We have a lot of love and a lot of desire to help each other out in any way we can. Since you became Hawks—"
    "Oh, has Dodge claimed her?" Zara asked.
    Josie shook her head. "Well, not in that way. Willow has had some trouble, and the men have taken it on. She's now under the protection of Hawks."
    "What happened?" Zara demanded.
    "Kitten," Talon barked when he appeared out of nowhere... Okay, he walked from the hallway with the other men following him. His deep gaze stopped on me. I held my breath when he said, "Dodge has told me of your situation. You stay here. You think of going to anyone, we'll bring you right back. We will fuckin' help with what's goin' down in our own goddamn backyard. No one is gonna deal with it like we can."
    "B-but, I could, um, I could find, like a detective or something, who isn't under the thumb of my owner—"
    "Owner?" Julian gasped.
    "No," Talon growled. "Besides, we have one in our fold." He thumbed to the guy behind him who offered a charming smile.
    "So, I could go with you?" I asked
    "Not fuckin' happenin'," Dodge bit out.
    Getting up the nerve, I stood and crossed my arms over my chest. I couldn't and wouldn't bring the nice people into it when I had a detective who could help me and keep me away from any trouble, even the troubles that could harm my heart. Lifting my chin, I said, "I appreciate the help so far, but I'm going with..."
    "Lan," the detective supplied.
    "Lan." I nodded. "I've brought enough trouble and I don't want any of this to sink into your lives."
    Dodge took a step forward, glared down at me and said, "No. You stay here."
    Leaning forward, I glowered and snapped, "I go with him."
    "Low," Talon said with humour in his voice. I looked to him. It was the first time a smile—well, more like smirk—appeared on his face. "Dodge is right. You stay here. Lan has his own crap to deal with and can't keep an eye on you all the time."
    "I'm a pain." I sighed and then said in a snippety tone, "No matter what, I'm a pain and I don't want to be. I'm tired of it, so if I can find another way to get out of your lives...lives that were just starting to look up, then I will."
    Holy fudgetruck. I just said that to the scary dude.
    Thank God, he was still smiling at my outburst. "Ain't happenin', girl, so get the fuck over it and let us help you. Look, we're in this no matter what anyway 'cause we have our own shit to handle with the Venom MC. So this is nothin' extra really, and it's a situation we can handle. So don't sweat it."
    The whole event was so frustrating, I wanted to growl to the room, stomp my foot and leap at Lan, to cry and beg him to carry me out of there.
    "Let's get back to the owner part," Zara said.
    "Kitten," Talon warned.
    "Do I need to call my posse in?"
    Posse? She had a posse? Wow.
    "You call your muffkateers and we're gonna have words." His