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Colt, Tanner, and Matt snort. “That chick has him all kinds of knotted up,” Colt mutters, taking a swallow of his coffee. “Never knew Hawk to let a little piece of tail get under his skin like that.”
“Don’t,” I snap at the youngest of my brothers. “Just don’t. Gracie is different. You show her some respect. Hawk has something special, something you’ll be lucky to find. So keep your degrading comments to yourself, Colton Hannigan.”
“Relax, Rave,” Tanner says, wiping powdered sugar from his lips. “Just because Hawk is suddenly all pussy whipped doesn’t mean you have to cut us all new ones.”
Bash’s hand slams down on the table so suddenly I jump. Lexa yelps, reaching for my hand and holding on instinctively. “Be careful what you say, cousin. I won’t think twice about ripping you a new one myself if you continue to speak like that in front of my girls.”
Tanner doesn’t seem to take him seriously. He meets Bash’s gaze head on with a douche bag smile on his face. “Which girls would that be, Bash? Willa and Lexa? Or is Raven tossed in there somewhere?”
I can actually feel the rage boiling inside of the beast of a man standing behind me, can feel the tension grow so thick I could have cut it with my butter knife. Pushing my plate away, I tug on Lexa’s hand. “Let’s find something to watch on the television in my new room, Lexa. Your daddy bought me a big flat screen and I bet cartoons will look awesome on it.”
As I stand with Lexa’s hand secured in my own, I brush against Bash’s arm. “Don’t kill him,” I whisper.
“Turn the television up as high as you can,” he whispers without taking his eyes off the man behind me. Part of me feels bad for Tanner. A bigger part hopes that Bash kicks his ass until he can’t walk. That poor idiot never does know when to keep his big mouth shut.
When Lexa and I reach the kitchen door, I glance back at Willa. “You like cartoons too?”
“Nope, but I’m sure they’ll be more entertaining than the blood bath about to ensue down here.”
Bash
As soon as I hear the door shut upstairs I count to twenty—plenty of time for Raven to have turned the television on loud enough for Lexa to not hear what’s about to happen. During that time Tanner could have made a run for it. If he had, I wouldn’t have followed, at least not until I know that Raven and Lexa are out of harm’s way.
Tanner doesn’t run. Despite how nervous I can see he is, he’s manned up and sits there willing to take the punishment I was going to relish dishing out. No one says a word. They know the penalty of interfering. I’m president now. It’s the law in the club. Until right this second, I’m sure that at least one of them had forgotten that little detail, which is why he didn’t stop to think before running his mouth.
“To answer your question …” The words come out in a pant from the effort it takes to keep still and not break his fucking neck right then and there. “Raven and Lexa. It has always been Raven,
understand? Willa might be under my protection, but don’t mistake that for what’s between me and Raven. You just disrespected not only my daughter but the woman I’m going to marry … Know what that makes you?”
“Dead?” Tanner shoots back, sounding both cocky and terrified.
“She asked me not to kill you, cousin. When I’m through with you, you’ll be begging her to let me end you.”
Chapter 19
Gracie
Felicity stops in front of the Science Building and gives me a warm, if tired, smile. Not for the first time I wonder what—or who—broke her so completely. I used to see that same smile on my mom’s face each morning after my dad came home late from work the night before. It had been every morning in the end, and it had hurt to see that smile on my mom’s pretty face.
It hurts to see that smile on Felicity’s face, too.
“Do you have a lab today?” she asked, turning off the radio from a button on the steering wheel.
“I have an independent lab with the professor’s aide who teaches the normal lab. I made a deal with him to give me some extra help and I would help him with his English paper. That’s not until Monday afternoon though.” I’m lucky to have a lab teacher that’s brilliant with Chemistry but dropped his English 102 class because he kept getting poor grades on his papers. Since the beginning of the semester back in January we’ve both done exceptionally well in each subject.
Felicity actually grins even if it doesn’t quite reach her amazing blue eyes. “What is your major again? Going to be a lawyer and mediate tough deals?”
I shrug. “It is one of several different career paths I’ve been thinking about.” My father had been a big time corporate lawyer back in Boston. His entire family had been lawyers. My grandparents have always tried to drill it into my head that I should be a lawyer too, follow in the footsteps of my ancestors. Corporate Law is not what I wanted. If I decide on becoming a lawyer, which is the most likely of my options since I transferred to Creswell University this semester. They have an exceptional law program while offering a small school atmosphere. I want to do something like legal aid. Help those that need help the most but can’t afford the higher prices of the crooked lawyers—something I’m sure my father had truly been.
I pick up my Chemistry book. “See you later.”
“I’ll wait for you at the coffee shop. We can grab some lunch or something before we head home,” Felicity offers.
“Sounds good. Bye, Flick …” I grimace. It looks like I’m getting in the habit of calling her by her nickname just like all the Hannigans tend to do. “Sorry. Felicity.”
She laughs. “I don’t mind you calling me Flick. You’re family now, whether you know it or not.”
Stupidly, that brings tears to my eyes and I quickly open the door and step out before she can see them. I’ve cried far too much in front of her and everyone else lately. Felicity waves as she drives off, heading across campus to her class. I don’t have one for another forty-five minutes so I have some time to kill.
