Free Reclaimed by Terri Anne Browning Page B

straight to sleep with Mia in her arms.
    My heart ached thinking about Emmie and Mia and I wondered if she’d woken up and found my note yet.
    “Stop hogging the girl, Rave.” Colt was standing beside us now, his eyes full of warm welcome as he pushed his sister aside and wrapped his arms around me. “It’s good to see you, Flick. I’m glad you’re home.”
    I clenched my eyes shut as stupid tears burned them and threatened to spill over. Not for the first time I wondered why I hadn’t been able to fall for the youngest Hannigan brother rather than the eldest.
    Colt pulled back, his eyes assessing me. “How are you?”
    “She’s fine,” Jet bit out at his brother.
    Colt muttered something in the older Hannigan’s direction but my attention was pulled in another direction and I missed what was said. The scratching of nails on the stairs had my head snapping up and I turned to find Toby bouncing down the stairs, his ears flopping and his big head looking in all directions as he hurried toward me.
    My heart stopped at the sight of my precious dog. I dropped to my knees as Toby grew closer and let his slobbery tongue kiss my cheek. He whined happily and I wrapped my arms around his huge body. “Hey there, big guy,” I breathed into his shiny coat. “I’ve missed you.”
    “Bro, you should be worried that she seems happier to see the dog than you,” Raider muttered and I lifted my head from Toby’s neck to glare at him, but Raider’s laughing eyes were on Jet.
    “Shut the fuck up, Raider,” I heard Jet snarl.
    “Just sayin’, brother. Just sayin’.”
    Giving Toby a scratch behind the ears and a firm pat on his back, I stood and finally let my gaze go to the couple still sitting on the couch. Gracie offered me a small smile but it was the hardness in Hawk’s eyes that had my jaw clenching. I wasn’t going to let him intimidate me, though.
    I wasn’t sorry I’d done what I had, and if given the chance I’d do it all over again. I’d done it to offer reassurance to someone I cared about. Not just for Emmie, but Lucy Thornton as well. She hadn’t had that haunted look in her eyes in months now, ever since her parents had set her down and told her that her biological father had been killed in a prison fight. Layla had confided in me that her daughter was sleeping better at night now. It was that reason alone that I would never be sorry about asking Jet to kill Vince Grady.
    “No welcome home?” I asked with a sassy bite to my tone.
    “Welcome home, Flick.” His tone was bored, his eyes full of loathing, but there was something else in there as well. Something I couldn’t put my finger on. Surely it wasn’t relief?
    Hawk relieved that I was home? Yeah, I doubted it.
    “Gee, thanks. If I’d known I was going to be welcomed so warmly I would have done it months ago,” I snapped at him.
    His jaw clenched and he started to say something but Gracie slapped him firmly on the chest. “Be nice,” she murmured softly.
    “I’m nice, baby. She’s just a bitch.”
    I couldn’t keep from flinching and I gritted my teeth. Having Hawk call me names was something I figured I’d have to get used to.
    “Don’t,” Jet commanded in a tone that everyone seemed to take heed of. “Flick’s home and you’re going to respect her. Call her that again and I’ll make sure that you don’t use your mouth again for a few weeks.”
    Hawk stood with Gracie still in his arms and slowly set her on her feet. I heard the other woman telling him to ‘play nice’ before she stepped away from him. Hawk turned to face me. “I’m sorry, Flick. Welcome home. Will you be staying long or do you plan on leaving in the middle of the night without a trace again?”
    I shrugged. “I’m here as long as Jet says I am. If you think I came back willingly, think again. I don’t want to be here.” My reply was honest and I didn’t regret it until I saw the look on Raven’s face. She looked hurt and that had guilt churning in