Lincoln had to have texted them that she was here. He was always trying to score points with Mom, so she’d drop off a casserole or pot of chili for him.
Hawk hoped he choked on it for surprising Lucky like this. Not really. He loved his brother. But he’d wanted to prepare Lucky, not ambush her.
After what she’d been through, he couldn’t fault her for her caution around new people, even if they’d figured out that Desiree was responsible for all of her heartache and pain.
He had no idea how she handled it so well, being betrayed by the person closest to her. If one of his brothers betrayed him like that, he’d be devastated. He wouldn’t trust anyone ever again. Because if the person who was supposed to be the one personyou could count on hurt you like that…how could you ever trust anyone.
But Lucky trusted him. Right?
He’d just have to keep on proving himself to her. He had no intention of ever letting her down, let alone hurting her. She was quickly becoming his whole world.
He wanted forever.
He needed to come up with a plan to make her his.
First, they needed Desiree behind bars where she belonged.
They were going to need some help with that because local law enforcement couldn’t be trusted—and he knew the perfect person, besides Jase. Someone who could take down everyone who’d betrayed Lucky.
He'd have to invite his cousin for dinner. Soon. Because he didn’t want Desiree to have another chance to hurt Lucky.
Hawk tuned back into the impromptu introductions going on in front of him.
“We’re so pleased to finally meet you.” His mom looked over Lucky’s shoulder at him and winked.
Lucky looked a little shell-shocked to find his parents waiting for her when she came downstairs with Lincoln on her tail. As usual, she stepped back, giving herself some space. “It’s lovely to meet you, too. Uh, Hawk talks about you a lot.”
He hoped Lincoln had warned his parents about Lucky’s aversion to being touched. Though she seemed to handle it with him and Lincoln. Mason had kept his affection short and sweet when he’d kissed her forehead during his visit, and it helped that Hawk had warned her it was coming.
His mom, Donna, beamed, looking very much like she was already planning a wedding in her head. “Really? I can barely get two words out of him most of the time.”
“Mom.” He gave her a look she read all too easily.
She put her hand to his cheek. “I’m just saying that you’re the strong, silent type.”
Lucky tipped her head to the side. “Really? We’ve had some really great long talks.”
“Then you must be magic,” his dad said, extending his hand to her.
Lucky only hesitated for a second before she shook it. “I think Hawk’s got some kind of magic. He found me in the middle of nowhere.”
Mac put his free hand over their joined ones. “And wasn’t that lucky for both your sakes.” His dad released Lucky and shared a look with him.
Hawk had confided in his dad about Lucky and the pseudo relationship they’d formed over the last two years. His father hadn’t pushed him to turn it into something more formal and intimate. Instead, he’d encouraged Hawk to take his time to get to know her, to go at his own pace while he healed and focused on himself, so he’d be a better version of himself for her, too. He told Hawk if it was meant to be, she’d still be waiting for him when he was ready.
He’d needed that time to get his head on straight and figure out if he still had enough of the pieces of his heart to share with someone else. He hadn’t been hurt by others, more like his heart had taken a beating watching so many atrocities play out. It made him wonder if there was anything good left in the world where he’d somehow survived as he watched others perish.
And the answer seemed so easy when he’d come home to find a note, a book, a meal, whatever it was she left behind in his home, something that made him feel like someone cared. Something that made him want to smile and believe in good things again.
Little by little, she’d helped him rebuild his heart, and begin to want something more than surviving.
And now, seeing her chatting with his parents about the ranch they’d built and she’d barely gotten a glimpse of, he saw it. She fit. Him. His family.
She was everything he wanted and more.
And if she needed to hold his hand while she opened her sweet heart to his parents, well, that just meant they were a team, supporting each other.
“How are you healing?” Donna asked. “You’re so beautiful, I’d never guess you’re still recovering from your injuries.”
