Page 25 of Hawk

Hannah choked on air while Pippa burst out laughing.“Oh my God, Hawk has his hands full with you, doesn’t he?”

“I sure hope so,” I replied with a wink, enjoying their reactions.It felt good to joke with them, like I was part of something.Like I belonged.This place was warm and welcoming while my own home had been cold and hostile.

Hawk came up behind me, wrapping an arm around my waist.“You ready for this, baby?”

I took a deep breath and nodded.“Yeah.I’m ready.”

We walked to the gate as a group.Knuckles led the way with Gunnar on his left and slightly behind him while Hawk kept my hand firmly in his as we followed behind the other two men.The rest of the brothers hung back, but I could feel their watchful presence.They were ready to move at a moment’s notice if things went sideways.

As we approached, I saw him.Victor stood just beyond the gate, looking exactly as I remembered.Tall, broad-shouldered, his dark hair cut short, his face expressionless.But I knew him well enough to see the tension in his jaw, the careful way he held himself.The men acting as guards didn’t let Vic inside.Instead, Vic stood on the other side of the fence, waiting patiently.

“Vic,” I said, my voice steadier than I expected.

His eyes found mine instantly, and for just a moment, relief flashed across his features before he adopted a fierce mien.“‘Bout fuckin’ time, Knuckles.”He turned his gaze back to me.“You good, Carrie?”

“Yes.”I didn’t offer any more than strictly necessary, just like I’d been taught.I could tell Vic was frustrated, but wasn’t sure why.

“I said I needed to talk to her alone, man.You don’t keep your word?”

“Ain’t up to me.”Knuckles jerked his head in my direction.“She’s wearin’ Hawk’s property patch.He gets a say in her safety.”

Vic scowled.“She’s my baby sister, Knuckles.You know I ain’t gonna hurt her.”

“I know that because I know you, Vic.Seems your sister isn’t as sure of you.”When Vic opened his mouth, probably to tell Knuckles to fuck off, the other man cut him off.“She wants to trust you.Even told us how you watched out for her and that you wouldn’t always follow your father’s instructions if he ordered you to do something you didn’t agree with.”

“I didn’t have much of a choice when she and Zach were little.Our relationship is complicated, but I would never hurt Carrie, or allow her to be hurt.”

“She told me some about her training growing up.”Hawk sounded pissed as hell.He’d let go of my hand but stayed as close to me as he could with his body between Vic and me, a barrier to what he saw as a threat.

“Did I need to be as hard on her as I was?”Vic snapped.“No.But if I hadn’t pushed her, Flagg would have.Anyone he brought in wouldn’t have pulled anything and Carrie would have been seriously hurt.I taught her what she needed to know while appeasing our father.”Vic turned to me.There was real anguish in his gaze, something I’d never seen before.“I’m sorry, Carrie,” he said, taking a step forward until he gripped the iron of the gate separating us and him.“You deserved better than you got.”

“Father never wanted a girl.Girls are weak.”

Vic shook his head.“Not you, honey.I saw what you did.How you handled yourself.You gave those fuckers more opportunities to attack you than you should have, but I know you.You were trying to give them every opportunity to leave you alone and walk away.”

“Father says compassion is a weakness.If you let an enemy live, you’re inviting him to attack again.”

“I think you know Flagg is a fuckin’ dick.”

A small smile tugged at my lips.“Yeah.He is.”

“He wants you back, but I think I can convince him to let you walk away.If that’s what you want.”

“I don’t want to go back to him, Vic.”My voice cracked at the mere thought.It wasn’t that I was afraid of my father, though that was part of it.“I can’t lose what I’ve found here.This is what a family should be.”

To my surprise, Victor nodded.“I know Knuckles.He was one of my contacts inside the prison in Terre Haute.His word is unquestionable, Carrie.If he tells you something, you can bank on it.And if you’re claimed by a man in his club, Knuckles will make sure you’re protected.And you’re right.”Vic gave me a sad smile.“That’s what family should be.”

“I’m sorry, Vic.How mad do you think Father will be?I don’t want you to take the brunt of his anger.”

To my surprise, my brother snorted a laugh.“Don’t worry about me, honey.I’m actually counting on him being angry with me.”For some reason, that sent a chill up my spine.No one wanted to deliberately incur the wrath of Flagg.

“What have you done, Vic?”

“Nothing you need to worry about, Carrie.”Then Victor looked over my shoulder and addressed Knuckles.“In return for not razing this place to the ground because you kept my sister locked in here, I’m gonna need somethin’ from you.”

“You’ve lost your Goddamned mind, Vic.”Knuckles actually chuckled, though it didn’t sound pleasant.“I don’t owe you anything.”

Victor kept going like Knuckles hadn’t said anything.“You can pay me back by providing a place for my brothers to lay low if they need it in the next few days.”

---