Page 106 of Leading Conviction
Hawk barked a laugh, startling both Callie and Hannah. Her heart warmed at the realization that even in a moment like this, Hawk could still find happiness. He was resilient, like Tommy.
He would be the perfect dad.
“Whoa, settle down, girl,” she muttered.
“What was that?” Hawk asked as he waved to Callie and turned them toward the elevator.
“Oh, um, nothing. Just talking to myself.” Her cheeks heated with embarrassment, but as they kept walking, confusion filtered in.
Was Hawk honestly escorting her to her nap? There were still tons of FBI agents, CSI, the coroner, attorneys, the new team,histeam. And yet he was walking her to the elevator?
When he pressed the “up” button, she couldn’t hold back her question any longer.
“Hawkins, what’re you doing?”
He shrugged. “Going to nap with you, I thought? That sounded perfect.”
Hannah’s jaw dropped. She turned slightly in his hold to point behind her with her thumb. “The FBI agents are still here. You know that, right? They still have questions for you.”
He shrugged again, such odd body language for a man who was always so serious and self-assured.
“They’ll have questions tomorrow. And the next day. And the next day after that. I’ve been dealing with the same shit over and over for nearly a decade, and I’ll probably have to deal with it for the next few years, too. But right now, my woman wants a nap, so I’m napping with you.”
Hannah’s chest fluttered. It was something so simple—a nap together—but once again, he was choosing her, and that meant everything.
“All my life, I’ve felt like a backup plan. Even with how awful my father was, there was still this crazy part of me that silently begged him to pick me over his career. I know it sounds strange—”
“He was your father,” Hawk murmured as the elevator doors opened for them. “That’s not crazy or strange. It makes sense that a child would hope the best version of their parent would choose them.”
Hannah blew out a breath and stepped inside. “And then when you and I were together, you always put me first, until…”
“Until MF7,” Hawk finished.
“Until MF7,” Hannah agreed before backtracking. “Or, at least, that’s what I thought.”
As soon as the steel doors closed behind them, Hawk tugged her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her like he was clinging to a lifeline.
“I’m so glad you and Tommy are okay, dove.” His heartbeat thundered against her, making her realize for the first time just how much he’d been holding back until they could get a moment alone.
“We’re okay, Hawk. Thanks to you,” she whispered against his chest.
“All those years… I couldn’t check on you out of fear that our enemies would find you,” he rumbled into her hair. “I had to trust that without me in your life, you wouldn’t be in danger anymore. When I realized you were missing and I tried to find you, it really hit me that I might never get to hold you again. And to think he was the one behind it all… Fuck, Han, those things he said about not choosing you—”
“I know they weren’t true, Hawk,” she replied fiercely, hoping he heard her sincerity. “You’ve always put me first. I get that now.”
He pulled away and studied her face before the tense muscles in his back relaxed under her fingertips. Seemingly comforted by her reassurance, he circled his arm around her hip tightly and pressed the button for the second floor.
The air in the elevator grew thick with emotion despite the short ride. Hawk’s thumb dipped underneath the hem of her blouse and gently brushed over her skin, making her shiver. By the time they’d reached the second floor, her stomach fluttered with arousal and she was beginning to question whether she’d get a wink of sleep if she slept beside Hawk in his bed. But voices on the other side of the steel doors brought her back to the moment.
As soon as the elevator doors opened, a delicious sugary aroma wafted over to greet them. Once they walked out, Hannah glanced toward the common room to see Tommy’s eyes glued toSportsCenteron the big screen, and Thea pouting across from him on theL-shaped couch, her arms crossed over her green princess dress. Naomi waved at Hannah from the kitchen before setting down a cup of sauce that looked suspiciously like caramel and meeting them in the hallway.
“Hey, how’s it goin’ down there? Y’all okay?” she asked softly.
Hannah nodded. “Everything’s fine right now. I was just thinking of taking a nap. Would you be alright watching Tommy for a bit longer?”
“Oh, yeah, sure, of course.” Her chestnut eyes darted from Hannah to Hawk and back again before a mischievous smile lifted her lips. “Take all the time y’all need. I know how… um… necessary anapcan be after all that adrenaline leaves your body.”
Hannah’s cheeks warmed with embarrassment, but her lower belly flipped at the implication.
