Page 33 of Torn In Two

Hawk turned around and faced the room. “Quit gawking at them! I don’t give a shit how any of you feel about Chaos being here. This ain’t a fucking…” He shifted Hayley Jade in his arms. “I mean, a fudging democracy. If you don’t like the decisions War and I have made, feel free to show yourself out the door.”

Nobody moved.

Nobody looked very happy though.

Rebel and Bliss came to my side. Rebel picked up my hand and squeezed it, staring up at Hayden with unabashed interest. She cocked her head to one side. “Well, I’ll give it to you, Sis. You like the pretty ones, don’t you? All cleaned up and not reeking of mud, I can see the appeal.”

“We’re right here, Roach,” Vaughn called from the couch where he sat between Kian and Fang.

All three of them were staring at Hayden like if he dared to so much as glance at Rebel wrong they’d be on him in a heartbeat. Bliss’s guys were no better. Vincent or Scythe, I couldn’t tell which, stood to one side of the room, absentmindedly turning over a blade in his fingers. Nash and War nursed drinks at the bar, all of their gazes fixed on Hayden.

I wasn’t sure if this was going well, or very badly. But nobody had pulled a weapon, so that was a start.

With a bright smile, Bliss hugged me. “It’s going to be okay. Some of the guys changed rooms, and we moved all of your stuff up from the cabin. Hawk set up the room next to yours—”

War interrupted. “Hawk might want to tell Kara about that himself.”

Bliss clapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes going wide. “Oh, of course. I’m sorry. I got overexcited.”

Confused, I shook my head questioningly at her. “What’s going on?”

She smiled. “He’s really sorry for whatever it is he did. I’ll let him show you, but just know he’s been working nonstop since you agreed to come back.”

She moved away to War’s side, who seemed much happier to have her in arm’s reach.

Hayden cleared his throat and held his hand out to War. “I appreciate you having me here.”

War stared at his hand and then up at his face. “You haven’t earned that handshake yet. Offer it again in a few weeks when you’ve proved you aren’t a threat to anyone here, and I’ll gladly shake it. But right now, you’re a fox in my henhouse. For reasons I can’t possibly comprehend, Hawk went to bat for you, and that’s the only reason I’m allowing it. But it’s against my better judgment. So you want me to shake your hand, earn it.”

Hayden’s mouth twisted into a grim line, but he dropped his arm and nodded. “I will.”

It was on the tip of my tongue to defend him, but Hayden had asked me not to. So I bit my tongue, even though it killed me. This was War’s club, and he only had the best interests of the people who lived here in mind. That included me and my daughter. I could hardly begrudge him that.

War jerked his head down the corridor. “Your room is the fourth on the left. If you’re smart, you’ll stay in there until everyone has had some time to process this.”

Hayden nodded once and kissed the top of my head. “I’ll see you in the morning, okay?”

He walked away, taking a room halfway down the hallway. It left two doors between his and Hawk’s. Probably a good thing to have some space between them.

The rest of the room went back to their conversations and pool games now the entertainment was over. I found Hawk watching me, still holding my daughter. She had her head lying on his shoulder.

“She’s tired,” he confirmed when I approached them.

I nodded.

“You want to help me put her to bed?”

I stared up at him. “You do that?”

He shrugged. “Me or Queenie. Rebel if she’s here. She’s missed you though.”

My heart ached at the lie. Hayley Jade wouldn’t even look at me. She was more comfortable with anyone else. But I wouldn’t let that always be the case. I’d healed. And Hayley Jade needed to know I was still here. That I’d struggled to find myself, to work out how to help her, but I wasn’t ever going to give up or love her any less. “I missed you too, Hayley Jade,” I said quietly. “I’d love to tuck you into bed, if that’s okay?”

She raised her sleepy head and stared at me with those eyes that haunted my dreams.

My heart nearly broke in two when she nodded.

Hawk ruffled her hair gently. “That’s my girl.”

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