Page 38 of Cryptic Curse (Bellamy Brothers #7)

DANIELA

I should be ecstatic, driving to Hawk’s place. This is where I was heading anyway. I’m free of my marriage to Vinnie. Free to be with Hawk.

Instead? All I can think of are the cryptic gifts and messages I’ve been receiving.

And this last one?

It could have killed me.

It could have killed the people around me.

Whoever is doing this means business.

But I have no idea who it could be. Those men who worked for my father are in Colombia. My father is dead. Diego Vega is dead.

And here in the States, no one even knows who I am.

“Did you call Vinnie?” Hawk asks out of the blue.

“What?”

“To let him know you won’t be home tonight.”

“Oh, God…” I shake my head. “You’d better take me home, Hawk. I can’t tell Vinnie I’m staying with you.”

He narrows his eyes. “You’re a grown woman, Daniela.”

“I know. But I haven’t told him about the other gifts.”

He raises an eyebrow. “You haven’t?”

“No. I didn’t want to worry him. I didn’t want to be more trouble for him, you know?”

Hawks nods. “I understand. I’ll call him.”

“Hawk, no.”

“I’ll just say I was in Austin, and I saw you at the courthouse, and… Fuck it all, Daniela. I’m a grown man too. I’m not going to lie to my sister’s fiancé.”

I nod. He’s right. I can’t put him in that position. “I’ll call him.”

I dread it as I dial Vinnie’s cell.

I get voicemail.

Crap.

“This is Vincent Gallo, Jr. I’m unavailable at the moment. Please leave a detailed message and I’ll get back to you as soon as I can. If you need immediate assistance, please contact my executive assistant, Bertie Levine.”

I gulp. “Hey, Vinnie, it’s me. Daniela. I’m on my way to Summer Creek. Hawk and I… Well, we… Oh, just call me. I’m fine.”

Then I end the call.

“Voicemail?” he says.

“Yeah. I guess I should call Raven.” I squeeze my eyes shut, rub at my temples. “Someone ought to know what’s going on, and I didn’t want to say it in a message. That’s the kind of information you need to hear in person.”

Hawk simply nods.

I dial Raven.

“Hello,” she says.

“Raven, it’s Daniela.”

“Oh! I didn’t even look.” She pauses. “Where are you? I thought you’d be home by now.”

“I told Vinnie I’d stay in Austin and do some shopping.”

“Did you find anything good?”

“What?”

“Shopping. Did you find anything good?”

“Oh. No, I didn’t. I’m on my way to…” Fuck, Daniela. Just say it . “I’m on my way to Summer Creek with Hawk.”

Another pause. “Hawk? What’s going on?”

“Nothing. I mean…”

“Can I talk to Hawk?”

“Uh…yeah. Sure.” I hand him my phone. “She wants to talk to you.”

“Hey, sis,” he says into the phone.

Pause.

“She called me.”

Pause.

“Yeah, she’s fine. Just a little overwhelmed. She’s going to spend the night at my place.”

Pause.

“So what if we are?”

Pause.

“Why would I do that? I happen to like her.”

Pause.

“I’m well aware of how old she is and how old I am. Listen, Ray?—”

Pause.

“Of course.” He hands the phone back to me. “She wants to talk to you.”

“Hi, Raven.”

“What’s going on, Daniela?”

“Like your brother told you. I’m going to his place.”

“Are you and he…?”

I look over at Hawk, lower my voice. “I…don’t know yet.”

“Are you sure you’re ready for this? I mean, Hawk is a great guy. He’s my brother. I should know. But you…”

“I know, Raven. I’ll be careful. I just… I feel safe with him.”

“You’re safe with us.”

“I know that. But this is…different. Will you kiss Belinda goodnight for me?”

“Of course. Just be careful, Dani. Vinnie and I, and Belinda, we all love you so much.”

“I love you guys too. Trust me. I do. And I’ll never forget everything you’ve done for me.”

“Goodness, Dani, you’re not going off to war. We know you appreciate everything.”

“Look on the bright side,” I say. “Your fiancé is no longer married.”

She laughs at that. “True enough. You call me if you need anything. I mean anything.”

“I will. Bye, Ray.”

I end the call.

“What a mess,” I say to Hawk.

He reaches over, rubs my shoulder gently. “It doesn’t have to be a mess, honey.”

“I’m afraid if I tell Vinnie what’s been going on, he’ll level the state of Texas trying to protect me.”

He glances at me, his eyes burning. “You think I’m not going to do that?”

I sigh. “I just don’t want to be any trouble for anyone.”

“You’re not trouble to people who love you,” he says.

My eyes widen. Did he just say he loves me?

No, he was talking about Raven and Vinnie. About Belinda.

Then he clears his throat. “So… three notes.”

“Yes. Each with cryptic messages. And the chocolates were probably poisoned—at least one of them was, according to the note.”

“And then that teddy bear,” Hawk says, “which could’ve blown up the entire block. Each gift increasingly dangerous.” He strokes his chin. “But where could they have come from?”

I shake my head. “I honestly don’t know. Maybe one of the men I entertained in Colombia? But none of them were obsessed with me. They threatened me sometimes, but my father would never have…”

Hawk’s hands are tense on the steering wheel. “None of them were obsessed?”

“Well, one was, but he’s dead.”

“Did any others show a particular interest in you? A particular fondness for you?”

I don’t answer right away.

Instead I close my eyes. I don’t like to think about them. Some of them were nice-looking enough, but they were always cruel.

And some of them…

Bloated stomachs, hairy backs, coarse tongues that they forced into my mouth, and in other places. One of them had long salt-and-pepper pubic hair, which was really gross.

But the only one who was really taken with me was Diego Vega. He was the one who insisted that I be promised to him.

I remember my father was shocked when he told me. He couldn’t believe Vega would want someone as used up as I was.

“Only one,” I finally say.

“He must’ve been really pissed when your father let Vinnie take you.”

“He may have been,” I say. “But the gifts can’t be coming from him because Vinnie had him killed. Along with my father, and Belinda’s as well.”

“And you’re sure they’re all dead?”

“I assume so. Vinnie told me they were all gone and would never bother me again.”

Hawk pauses a moment, his eyes straight ahead on the road.

Is it my imagination? Or is his jaw tensing a bit more?

“All right,” he finally says. “I don’t want you worrying about this. I’m going to take care of you tonight, Daniela.”

I squirm.

He wants to have sex with me.

And I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want that too. That’s the reason I didn’t go home with Vinnie, after all. But if I change my mind, already I know that he won’t force me.

He clears his throat. “I just heard in my head how that must’ve sounded to you.” He runs his hands through his hair. “I… I don’t have any expectations. But I will take care of you. I’ll make you some good old-fashioned comfort food and make sure you feel safe tonight.”

I smile.

I feel safe already.

As safe as I feel with Vinnie and Raven, I feel a hundred times safer with Hawk.