Thankfully, she didn’t object when he opened the door for her and Tommy to slide into the back seat. Hawk quickly rounded the hood and sat behind the steering wheel. As soon as Draco plopped into the passenger seat, Hawk drove out onto the street, fighting every instinct to step on the gas.
“Draco, tell our pilot to be ready when we get there.”
When he rolled up to a stop sign, cops sped past them, leaving their car in the dust. Hawk glanced in the rearview mirror to watch them stop right in front of Hannah’s house and run inside. No one followed him as he turned onto the busy street. Before he knew it, they were on the main road to the airport, out of danger.
Or at least,theywere out of danger.
Judging by the icy sweet-tea-colored eyes glittering back at him,hewas in major trouble with the woman behind him.
“Apilot? Just where are you taking us, Hawk?” she spat.
He met her gaze in the mirror before returning it to the street to navigate the traffic.
“Home, Hannah. I’m taking you home.”
CHAPTERNINE
“Hannah, this is my team.” Hawk’s calloused hand gestured around the large, modern, industrial-styled common room.
The black leatherL-shaped couch held a surprising number of people. Ten sets of eyes—each varying in emotion—stared back at her as Hawk introduced everyone.
Of course, she’d already met Draco. Despite the hours they’d spent in the car, plane, and helicopter ride to the BlackStone Securities facility, his silent demeanor had made it impossible to get to know him. And she’d met Phoenix nearly a decade ago when she dated Hawk.
But Nora, Callie, Wes, Devil, Ellie, Jules, Jason, and Marco were all new faces. There were almost too many odd call signs to keep up with, and if it weren’t for her years of teaching, she would’ve never gotten the names right. She was also able to piece together the few stories Hawk had told her before he left her for MF7. Now she was getting to meet the rest of his adopted family.
His family.
A pang of jealousy stabbed into her chest. She rubbed the tender spot above her heart, a wound she’d felt acutely ever since Hawk had told her who she’d be meeting “at home.”
She’d always craved a big family. It’d basically just been her and her mother when she was a child. Every time her power-hungry father had gotten a promotion in his military career, he’d lug them around like two travel-worn carry-on bags. After her mother died from a heart attack, Hannah was all alone.
At one point, she’d thought Hawk would be her family. But this team—thisfamily—had stolen all that from her.
No… Hawk gavemeup forthem. It’s not their fault.
That reality had been needling her for nearly ten years. But that needlepoint had sharpened and grown to the size of a dagger with the evidence in front of her. It’s easier to forget someone doesn’t love you when you never have to face your replacement.
She inhaled deeply and raised one hand to the crowd. “Um, nice to meet you. I’m…” She paused for a second, realizing she could use her real name for the first time in the past two years. “I’m Hannah. This is my son, Tommy.”
Hannah squeezed his shoulder lightly. He glanced up at her, obviously trying to read how he should be reacting to all of this.
Hell if I know.
“Está bien,avecito,” she reassured him out loud, instead. “Podemos confiar en ellos.”
It’s okay. We can trust them.
“You call Tommy ‘Little Bird?’” Hannah startled as Marco, the assistant district attorney Hawk’s team worked with, interpreted her endearment for Tommy. “That’s adorable.”
Tommy frowned. “It’s notadorable.”
A genuine smile lifted Hawk’s lips. “It’s actually really cool, Tommy. That’s what we call our helicopter, too.”
“Really?” Tommy asked, his face lighting up for the first time since he saw said helicopter.
But just as soon as the excitement flashed over his face, uncertainty replaced it, like he still wasn’t sure if he could let his guard down. It broke her heart to see him be so distrustful at such a young age. He’d been through so much already.
“Mi abuela es del norte de México. Cerca de la frontera con Texas,” Marco spoke again, telling her his grandmother was Mexican, and from the Northern border near Texas. “¿Tú?”
