Hawk (Stag) Read Online Free PDF

moment, she parked the
vehicle and got out, her feet sinking into the white sand.
    Cass walked down to the shoreline and picked up a
shell before looking out to the ocean. Stay safe, Hawk. I couldn’t bear it
if anything happened to you. I don’t want to hurt you but this will kill me.
When you get back you’ll get over me. I doubt I’ll ever get over you.
    The drive back to her cottage was the hardest journey
she had made. Parking the four-wheel-drive in the staff car park, she grabbed her
bag and headed to her own quiet sanctuary.
    For the next four days, she kept to herself, only
leaving the privacy of her cottage to walk alone on the beach. On the fifth
day, she reported for work.
    “Plans didn’t quite turn out how I wanted. If you
don’t mind, I’ll keep those extra days for another time.”
    “Sure, we can use the help. Heidi called in sick today
and we’re down and busy as all heck out there.” Her manager smiled. “You know
I’m here if you need to talk too, Cass. We’ve worked together for a long time
and I thought we were friends.”
    “Thanks, Helen. I really don’t want to discuss it at
the moment, if you don’t mind.”
    “Sure. Anyway, I’m here if you need me.”
    Cass headed out to reception and got back into her job
selling tours of the island. Staying busy was the only thing that kept her
sane.
    For the rest of the week she showed up for work,
living in hope that the pain in her chest would eventually fade but it didn’t,
it got worse. If anything, she stressed out more than she had the last time
he’d gone away. Was he alive? Hurt or captured? Was he thinking about her? What
would he say when he read her letter? Would he come after her or leave her
alone?
    The wind was no more than a small puff of air on a hot
day that didn’t do anyone a lick of good. Tempers were short as a storm built
up out to sea and everyone prayed for a good dose of rain to cool things down.
A particularly fussy tourist demanded she go through every tour on the books,
and when he finally chose a beach tour for the following morning around the
island, Cass breathed a sigh of relief.
    “Next please.”
    “Cass?”
    She looked up into the eyes of a tall blond-haired man
with a painful-looking scar running across one cheek from his temple to his nose.
Her stomach rolled as she recognized the same look in his eyes Hawk had—the
constant search for danger, the body ready at any sign of attack.
    “What is it? Is he alright?” Her blood ran cold as her
mind raced ahead, envisaging all or any of the things that could have happened
to Hawk.
    “You need to come with me.” He reached for her arm and
she stepped back.
    “Larry, I need to take a break. Call Helen if you need
any more help, I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
    She grabbed her handbag from under the counter and
looked at the man watching her. The corner of his mouth twitched and she saw a
flicker of humor in his eyes. He didn’t look funny; he scared the crap out of
her. Bigger than Hawk, he had muscles most men could only dream about. He had
to be one of Hawk’s men.
    “I can give you five minutes, that’s all.” She walked
past him, and headed outside to the back of the resort where they could speak.
He followed her, his mouth grim. When she stopped by the pathway leading down
to the beach, he stood over her. “Right, tell me what you have to say and go. I
need to get back to work.”
    “He needs you. You’re coming with me.”
    “No!” She took a step backwards. “It’s over. There’s
nothing more to say.”
    “Wrong answer.” He stepped forward and scooped her up
in his arms. With Cass frozen in fear, he walked down the path to the beach
where a four-wheel-drive was parked. He dumped her in the front passenger seat
and clipped in her safety belt. “Stay.”
    Trembling more with rage than fear, Cass watched him
climb in the driver’s seat. “We’re done, it’s over.”
    He headed down to the low tide line and drove without
looking