Free Edge of the Heat 7 by Lisa Ladew Page A

emotion.
    Dani's got it wrong though, she's trying to make Vivian be sad. Vivian's already sad enough. She needs to get angry!
    Emma took a moment to wonder if she had ever seen her sister get angry and then pushed the thought away. It didn't matter, because she was about to. "That guy took everything you had. It's okay to be upset. Angry even. I would be livid if someone blew up my house and tried to kill me."
    Still no reaction from Vivian. Emma opened her mouth to try again but Vivian arched suddenly, like a cat. She slammed her hand on the table and let out a scream then stood up, knocking her chair to the floor. Out of the corner of her eye, Emma saw JT drop his silverware and stare openly at Viv in surprise.
    Vivian's hands clenched open and closed like she wasn't sure what to do with them. Emma stood up too, thrilled to finally see Vivian responding. Vivian looked around the table, her eyes flashing in anger. Emma acted without thinking, snatching Hawk's empty bowl off of the table and thrusting it into Vivian's hands.
    Vivian looked at the bowl like she'd never seen one before and then heaved it across the room at the wall, where it shattered with a flat, unimportant sound, the pieces falling to the floor. Emma grabbed a plate and gave it to her sister. Vivian threw this one on the floor, an agonized, hurting sound coming from her throat.
    "That ... that ... MOTHERFUCKER!" Vivian screamed. Craig stood up and took a step backwards, his face showing his disbelief and uncertainty. Vivian snatched up her fork and knife and threw them into the corner of the room, another anguished cry coming from her.
    The front door slammed open and everyone jumped but Vivian. Hawk took a powerful step into the room. "What in the hell is going on here?" he thundered, his eyes on his trembling wife.
    Hawk rushed to Vivian's side and she collapsed into his arms. "Hawk, he took everything we had. He blew up our house. He robbed us of everything we owned in the world."
    Hawk held Vivian close, caressing her hair and kissing her cheeks. "He did baby, he did. But he didn't take you and he didn't take me. And he didn't take the most precious thing we have."
    Hawk dropped to his knees and kissed Vivian's rounded belly with incredible tenderness. The gesture was so intimate, Emma had to look away. "He didn't take this baby that you're providing such a safe and perfect home for."
    A wracking, tormented sob built up in Vivian's throat, spilling over into the room. Her body shook as the tears poured out of her, her hands clenching Hawk's shoulders. Hawk held her around her waist until she quieted as everyone in the room stayed silent, feeling Vivian's pain. Hawk stood and picked her up. "I'm taking you to bed."
    "No," Vivian said quietly. "I've spent enough time in bed. Put me down."
    Hawk did and Vivian grasped his cheeks, staring into his eyes. "I've never wished harm on anyone, but you promise me something Holden Kincaid," she said, her eyes burning. "You promise me you'll catch him. Make him pay. Make sure he'll never do it again to anyone."
    Hawk looked back solemnly. "I promise."
    "Good, then let's eat. Sorry about your plates, Emma."
    "No problem," Emma said. She stood and ran to get the broom. Dani got up to help and as they passed each other, their hands met in a subtle, sliding low-5. Vivian was back!
     
    ***
    Hawk filled his soup bowl to the top and took four pieces of bread. He managed to take a few bites of food before the eyes on him forced him to start talking. "I don't know much more than I told you already. A lot of this is just a feeling on my part, but if you add in JT being followed to everything that happened to us—"
    "What?" Dani said. She turned to JT. "You didn't tell me you were being followed."
    JT shrugged. "I didn't want to worry you."
    Vivian caught Hawk's attention. "But who? Why? What connects the three of us but our father? And he's dead."
    "That's what we have to figure out."
    "What did the private investigator tell