Page 63 of Hawk
When Colton walkedinto my brother’s apartment, I felt guilty. I should’ve called to let him know what I was planning, but I didn’t want him to try and stop me. He’d never been anything but kind and understanding with me, even all those years ago, but it’s tough to break the conditioning I’d been forced to endure.
The counseling my redeemer insisted I utilize helped with some of my issues, but some were deep-seated and I feared I’d never move past them. The biggest was that I always seemed to look to others to guide me and give me direction, but with Colton, it seemed all he wanted to do was support me.
I knew he was a good man the night he promised to help me escape my prison, and over the years, I’d always thought fondly of him. Now, sitting with him, looking out at a beautiful lake with his hand in mine, felt like a dream. The cup of coffee he made for me sat untouched in front of me, and I smiled, thinking how he’d done more for me in the few days since we reconnected than anyone ever had.
“Are you still nervous?” he asked as he handed a joint to me.
I raised my hand, declining it as I thought about his question.
I should’ve felt like jumping out of my skin, but there was something deep inside me that gave me peace. I didn’t know if it was having Colton with me, if it was the revelation about Devlin, or possibly even his adorable son. Whatever it was, I was calm and eager to meet Hailey.
I turned to look at Colton and admired how handsome he was. His gray-blue eyes stared back at me and, on instinct, I leaned over and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. His cheeks rose in a full smile as I sat back and answered his question.
“I’m not so much nervous anymore as anxious. I . . . what if I’m not what she expects?”
He pivoted in his seat and reasoned, “Hailey expects nothing from you but the chance to connect. I know some of what you both experienced and I can tell you this. You’re both so alike, it’s a little scary.”
“I don’t understand,” I admitted.
“Let me just say, I wouldn’t want to mess with either of you.” Leaning closer, he whispered into my ear, “You’re both total badasses.”
“I wouldn’t say that, at least about me,” I returned, and he urged me to look at him instead of the lake in front of us.
I turned as he brought his hand up to my cheek, stroking it softly. “You survived and, in the process, eliminated the people who could do your daughter harm. You’re stronger than you give yourself credit for, and if it takes the rest of our lives, I intend to show you how . . . enamored I am.”
Smiling at him, I couldn’t respond. When he left my house in Alabama, I’d feared the emotional connection we had was a figment of my imagination. Sitting here with him, counting the minutes until Hailey and her boyfriend arrived, showed me how mistaken I was. Colton seemed to be feeling what I was, maybe more, and I vowed I would see how far this could go. Everyone kept telling me I deserved to be happy, and when I was with him, I was.
The memories of what he witnessed were absent and I prayed they stayed that way. A ping came from his phone, and he retrieved it from the little table in front of us to read the message.
“They’re pulling into the garage now.”
A flight of butterflies took off in my stomach as I stood from my seat. Colton stood next to me, and as I went to step around him, he pulled me into his strong arms, hugging me close to him. His whispered words were reassuring as I returned the embrace. “I’ll be right here, no matter what.”
Leaning back from him, I pressed to my toes and pecked him on the lips before he released his arms from around me and linked his hand with mine. We walked into the apartment, and I didn’t know if I should sit, stand, or pace the floor. Zeus walked up to me and pressed his head under my hand, offering me comfort. I focused my nervous energy on him as we waited for the door to open.
A minute or two later, a soft knock sounded into the apartment, and I gave Colton a look that must have conveyed my anxiety. He lifted my free hand and kissed the back before releasing me and walking to the door. Opening it, he stepped to the side and tears instantly filled my eyes as I looked upon her beauty.
Hailey walked into the apartment with a young man wearing the same vest as Colton, only his had the name ‘Hatchet’ on the front. Devlin was behind them, waiting in the open doorway as Colton and Hatchet—or was it Jacob?—clasped hands and patted each other on the back.
Hailey and I stood about ten feet apart, both of us with tears in our blue eyes, just staring at each other. I guess Colton realized we were both at a loss as he stepped away from the door and rejoined me.
“Hailey, this is Stella, your mother,” he said to her before turning to me, stating, “Stella, this is Hailey and her old man, Jacob.”
“It’s . . . it’s nice to meet you, Hailey,” I managed to get out before she took a step closer to me.
I was expecting to see some of Adrik in her, but looking at her, she was absolutely my child. Without a word, she walked straight to me and wrapped her arms around my neck, pulling me into a deep hug as the tears flowed freely between us. I managed to lift my gaze and saw Devlin wiping under his eyes before he turned and walked to the elevator.
Jacob closed the door and stepped closer to Colton as Hailey cried in my arms. I brought my hand to the back of her hair and rubbed her head like I did when she was a baby.
“It’s okay,” I said to her. Slowly, she allowed the hug to come to an end. I brushed some of the tears from her cheeks as I spoke. “You are so beautiful.”
“How . . . where . . .” she tried to ask, and like her, I didn’t know where to start.
“Why don’t we take a seat so you can visit,” Colton suggested, and I nodded at him.
There were two couches in the living room, and I took one, expecting her to sit with Jacob on the other. Instead, she took the seat next to me and joined her hands with mine as the men took the seat across from us. Jacob seemed like a nice young man as he watched on with obvious love for Hailey.
“I . . . I don’t know where to start,” I said, looking to Colton for guidance.
