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“I think you need to re-introduce us to my niece, Val. It’s been so long, she probably forgot who we are,” he says gently.
Wren steps up beside her, a twin to her gorgeous mother in nearly every way. Valentina makes the introductions as each family member takes their turn giving Wren a hug. They finally make their way to where Hawk and I still sit. But when they get close, we stand.
Valentina hugs her son and takes his face in her hands as if to assure him everything will be all right, much like she would have when he was a child. But I guess no matter how old you get, you’ll always be your mama’s baby. When you have a mom who cares, I suppose. She lets Wren hug Hawk while she turns her attention to me. To my surprise, she pulls me in for a hug too. She whispers in my ear, “Don’t give up on my son, Brittney. None of what’s about to happen will be easy, but you must trust him. He loves you.”
When she pulls back, she swipes the few tears which managed to break free at her words. Hawk has hinted hecouldlove me, that hemight, and he thinks he’sfalling,but he hasn’t ever directly gazed into my eyes and said those three little words to me. If it were anyone else, I wouldn’t believe love could happen this quickly, but when you have the past we do, I absolutely believe it’s possible. I only hope it’s enough for us to get our second chance.
Wren moves toward me, but her greeting isn’t nearly as warm. “I’m not sure what to say since you’re the reason my brother is here, in a place he swore he wouldn’t come back to.”
Hawk scolds her, “Wren, that’s enough. You don’t know what’s going on.”
She turns on her brother, “You’re right, I don’t. And it’s because none of you think I can handle anything on my own. But I’m here now. I want the truth for myself, not your version of what you think I need to know.”
“Wren.” Valentina glares at her daughter, but it doesn’t faze her. She simply pulls out a chair on the other side of mine and sits. Everyone else follows as we eat in silence.
Hawk finally speaks up, “I have a friend coming to help us. He’ll be here around lunchtime.”
Marco and Vincent share a look before focusing on Hawk again. “Is that wise, Hawk? I’m not sure we need outside help for this. It could get…” Marco trails off, but Vincent fills in the blank. “Bloody and ugly.”
Marco glares at his son as Vincent doesn’t seem to notice or doesn’t care. “What I mean is, we have guards here. They’ve all been with us for years. They’re trustworthy.”
“Well, I don’t know them, and I need someone I know I can trust to protect Brittney, Mamma, and Wren when I can’t. Someone with training unlike what any of us have and knows how to stay cool under pressure. We’re all too close to this,” Hawk says.
“Who’s coming?” I ask curiously.
“Hart Thorne,” he replies.
“He’s Sterling’s partner. How are you swinging that?”
Wren audibly sighs and rolls her eyes.
“Don’t worry about the details. He’s coming and everything is fine. I spoke to him this morning.”
Everyone else finishes breakfast quickly while Hawk and I linger. He shifts his chair so he can see me better. “What’s going on in that beautiful head of yours?” he asks.
I stop pushing around fruit on my plate and face him. “This is all my fault. Your sister is right. None of this would be happening if I had listened to you instead of running in the exact direction you told me not to. Now it’s not just me and you, it’s your entire family. They must hate me.”
He stands and pulls me with him, pressing me close to his chest. “No one is blaming you. I shouldn’t have been a jerk and pushed you in that direction. If I’d come clean about my feelings for you and who I am, things may have turned out differently.”
“What are your feelings, Hawk?” I can’t help but ask. I need to hear him say it. My heart and soul crave the words.
He gazes into my eyes before kissing my lips. Then, he opens his mouth to speak, but he’s cut off by Vincent striding back in. “We need to talk, Hawk. Now.”
His brows furrow in concern. “I’ll be right there.”
He presses a kiss to my forehead before following Vincent.
I’m left alone with my thoughts until my phone alerts me to a message.
Matteo:I hope my bride-to-be slept well last night, and I hope you were thinking about me.
Me:You lied to me. You tricked me. Why would you do that? I trusted you.
Matteo:It’s time for Hawk to be back where he belongs. And if the means to achieve it, also gets me a wife and rising star for our label, I’d say it’s a win-win.
Me:Hawk won’t marry Angelica. He won’t lose. He wants to be with me.
Matteo:Oh, sweetheart. You don’t know, do you? Ask him about his darling Angel. He proposed to my sister. When he left her, she spiraled out of control. It’s time for him to fix what he broke. We don’t go back on our word, and he gave his.
