The severity in his gaze makes me pause. “I’ll never regret Violet.”
“I’m not talking about Violet,” he murmurs.
“Then, what are you talking about, Hawke?” I demand.
The muscle in his jaw jumps, and he sets the frame back onto the mantle. “Sometimes, I think we sacrifice so much for the people we love, the resentment builds until we forget why we love them in the first place.”
“What’s your point?”
“All I’m saying is, I don’t want it to happen to you.” His shoulder lifts in a shrug. “Call me crazy, but I think Violet would rather have you than the house with a million haunted memories tainting it.”
“And a million good ones,” I argue.
“I get it,” Hawke concedes. “If she was my girl, I’d do the same thing.”
He’s right. He would. Hawke’s the most loyal person I know. One of them, at least. Between him and Roman, it’s a close race, though neither of them are competing. Still. If I know anything about Hawke, it’s that he’d die for the people he loves, and if he ever finds a girl, I’ve no doubt he’ll burn the world to the ground for her.
Analyzing him, I say, “So, what’s the problem?”
His head rolls forward. “The problem is, I know you, man.”
I frown. What the hell does this guy know?
“Some things you can’t control,” he clarifies, moving toward me. “I just wanna make sure you’re choosing the right battles.”
“And if I’m not?”
“Then, we’ve got your back. Like always.”
Silence grows in the stifling family room, nothing but the crackling fire to break it.
Finally, Hawke slaps his hand against my shoulder. “You should call her. Tell her the good news.”
He’s right. Again.
The weight of his palm leaves my shoulder, and he starts toward the door, but I call out, “Hey, Hawke?”
“Yeah?”
“Thanks, man.” I hold his gaze, unsure what else to say. “I know you mean well.”
He nods. “You’re always so busy looking out for everyone else, I think you forget we’re capable of looking out for you, too.”
My head bobs, but I don’t say anything else, afraid I’ll blurt out the truth, even if he’s already privy to it. I don’t know. It’s like, if I say it out loud, if I admit how I potentially ruined our entire business by agreeing to throw the fight, it’ll be true. It’ll be final. There won’t be any going back. It messes with my head.
“Call your girl,” he repeats. His knuckles rap against the doorjamb, and he disappears from view.
With a deep breath, I find myself in front of the crackling fireplace as I pull out my phone and dial Violet’s number.
“Jag?” she answers. Her voice is rusty with sleep. “Hey.”
“Shit, I didn’t even think about what time it is,” I mutter. “Go to sleep. I’ll talk to you in the morning.”
“Uh-uh.” She clears her throat. “No deal. You’ve awoken the beast. Now you have to talk to her.”
My mouth lifts. “Pretty sure you’re the beauty and I’m the beast.”
“You do get pretty growly sometimes,” she teases. “So, what’s up?”
