Total pages in book: 72
Estimated words: 72969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 72969 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 365(@200wpm)___ 292(@250wpm)___ 243(@300wpm)
Because I don’t want to leave this little girl.
Am I her big sister? Her mother? Does it matter?
She’s become the most important person in the world to me.
I never want to be without her in my life.
5
HAWK
“You’re going to wear out those tiles, man,” Vinnie says to me, stopping me as I’m pacing up and down the hospital corridor.
“I’m good,” I say.
“What’s eating at you, Hawk?” my sister asks.
“For starters, the fact that they won’t let you in to see our own damned father,” I say.
The private security guard arrived a few minutes ago, and he’s standing sentry at the door of my father’s room. I give him the evil eye.
“I’m fine,” Raven says. “You heard Falcon. If the security team and the attorneys think it’s a good idea…”
“Yeah, whatever.” I start on my second lap around the corridor.
What Falcon says goes.
I don’t begrudge him that. He’s the oldest, and damned if he hasn’t done his time to earn his place as our unofficial leader. Eight years in prison to protect our younger brother who can’t even be bothered to be here.
I’ve called Eagle’s cell phone three times now, and it’s gone to voicemail each time.
Fuck. If anything ought to be able to get his attention, it’s his father coming out of a damned coma.
One more time. The last time. I punch the phone hard to call his number.
“This is Eagle. You know what to do.”
That smug voice of his.
“Get your ass to the hospital now, you fucking ingrate,” I grit out. “Dad’s awake, finally. And bring your damned ID.”
I shove my phone back in my pocket.
I’m done.
Why is it my responsibility to get Eagle here? Why is it always my responsibility to do what needs to be done?
I get it. While Falcon was incarcerated, all of the oldest child duties fell to me, as the next oldest boy.
Falcon’s been out for nearly a year. But now he’s engaged, going to start his own family.
So I guess everything will still fall to me.
I walk up and down the corridor several more times, passing Vinnie and Raven each time. I don’t make eye contact.
As I’m heading around the corner, going the other way, Grace stops me. “You doing okay, Hawk?”
“Yeah, I’m fine.”
“Can I get you something? Coffee?”
I shake my head. “Trust me, caffeine is not what I need.”
“Valium?” She grins.
That gets a chuckle out of me. “I’m good. Just dealing with my little brother’s shit, as usual.”
“I’m sorry.” She lays a hand on my upper arm. “Why don’t you try to relax? Go sit on the couch at the end of the corridor where the vending machines are. I’ll bring you a soda or something.”
“That’s sweet of you, but I don’t think relaxing is happening for me today.” Then I think of my sister, who’s standing outside in the hallway not allowed to see her father. “You have any Orange Crush?”
“I think we actually do in our breakroom,” Grace says. “Go sit down and I’ll open one for you.”
“No, not for me.” I gesture toward my sister. “It’s Raven’s favorite, and my brother and his damned security team are making her wait outside to see our dad. I know she’d appreciate it if you took her one.”
“What about her gentleman friend?”
I frown. “I don’t know what he likes.”
“Okay. I’ll just bring him a bottle of water.” She pats my hand. “I’ll take care of it, Hawk. But please, go sit down. For your own good.”
She’s so pretty, so sweet. And even though she doesn’t give me that feeling of “it,” I like her a lot, and I do need some companionship in my life.
“Grace?”
“Yeah?”
“Would you like to get a coffee with me?”
Her eyebrows pop up. “You mean now?”
“Whenever it’s your break time,” I say.
She checks her watch. “About an hour.”
“Great. It’s a date. Just come grab me when you’re ready.”
“I will. And Hawk?”
“Yeah?”
She beams. “I thought you’d never ask.”
I hope she’s not thinking this is more than what it is. I’m up for some casual dating, but I’m certainly not looking for a long-term relationship. After all, I’m the Bellamy fixer. The guy everyone depends on. If I get waylaid by a relationship—like Falcon and Raven have—everything will fall to Robin and Eagle.
Of all of us, Robin is the most dedicated to her career. She’s a veterinarian, and she oversees all of the veterinarians and techs at Bellamy Ranch.
And Eagle?
He can’t so much as scrape his knee without calling me up and crying about it.
He’s always been a fuck-up.
But he’s the baby, so he apologizes and gets away with everything.
If my mother only knew…
She knows about his original issues with drugs from when he was back in high school. At least, I think she does. I suppose it’s possible my dad handled that himself. They cut him off from his allowance when they found out he was using.