Bent over looking for the frying pan, he knew Cara had come back into the room. The scent of spiced vanilla wisped around him, and his dick twitched. He stood up and saw her in black skinny jeans, a sweater that clung temptingly to her tits, and knee-high black leather boots. Her wavy chestnut hair spilled down around her.
“You look real good,” he said, his muscles tensing when she threw him a dirty look.
She took Isa out of the high chair, wiped her face, and slipped her arms into a plaid fleece jacket with a panda bear on the front. “All set?” Isa giggled and clung to Cara. “Have a good day with your father.” She bent over and kissed Braxton on top of his head.
When she walked past him to go to the garage, Hawk pulled her back and nuzzled his face into her neck. “I know you’re pissed at me, babe. I fucked up, but don’t be this way.”
With cold eyes, she stared at him. “Doris called me this morning.” Ice dripped from her words.
“You can’t believe the shit she told you. I was set up, and I threw the whore’s ass out of the club.”
“Watch your language around Isa. I’m not in the mood for excuses.” She jerked away from him and walked away.
A few minutes later, the rumble of the garage door opening and closing told him she was gone. She can’t stay pissed off at me forever. Or can she? Cara could be very stubborn, and he’d have to bide his time. But if she took too long, he’d have to remind her why she fell in love with him.
She was his woman to the end, and nothing was ever going to change that.
Chapter Fifteen
Chas
Jack sat on the couch, his head down, and Addie stood in front of him, her face taut, hands on hips.
“What’s going on?” Chas asked, entering the living room.
“Mrs. D’Angelo called about Jack.”
Tossing his jacket on the chair, Chas darted his gaze to Jack and then back to Addie. “Who’s she?”
“His principal. She said Jack got in a fight with a boy at school.”
Thrusting his chest out, Chas grinned and put his hand on Jack’s shoulder, squeezing it. “Way to go, Champ.”
Jack looked up and Chas high-fived him.
“You’re not mad?” his son asked.
“Fuck no.” Addie clearing her throat reminded Chas she was still in the room. He glanced at her furrowed brow. “What?”
“You’re applauding him for hurting another boy? Are you thinking this through?”
“I’m telling him he did a good job standing up to a fuckin’ bully.”
“Are you being bullied? You never told me.”
“That’s not the kind of shit a boy tells his mom. Anyway, I took care of it.” Chas sat on the arm of the couch.
“And how did you do that?” Redness mottled her face.
“By teaching him some moves to protect himself. I can’t believe you’re so bent outta shape over this. A man needs to know how to stand up for himself.”
“But he’s not a man, Chas. He’s a boy, or can’t you see that?”
“Every man was a boy. It’s never too early to show that you’re tough. You get respect that way and people don’t mess with you.” Chas looked at Jack, who had his head down again. He went over and ruffled his hair. “You did good. Did the fucker go down and stay down?”
A gleam shone in his eyes and he laughed. “Better than that, Dad. He ran away and everybody cheered and came up to me. It was awesome.” He glanced at his mother. “Sorry, Mom,” he mumbled.
“This is unbelievable. I was wrong in blaming you. This is your father’s fault.” Narrowing her eyes, she pointed at Chas. “You can meet with the principal at ten o’clock tomorrow morning.” She stormed out of the room.
Inhaling deeply, Chas watched as Addie put on her coat, grabbed her purse, and slammed the back door. A few seconds later, the Land Rover’s engine revved to life and the familiar clang of the garage door closing seeped through the walls.
“Mom’s pissed.” Jack leaned back and put his feet up on the table.
“She’ll get over it. Women are like that. They’re all into talking and shit because that’s the way they resolve stuff with their girlfriends. Us guys just throw a few punches and we’re good. Women don’t get it. So, you must’ve been practicing what I taught you.”
“I did, and when Owen came for me, I didn’t cower or run like I always did. I just stood there. He seemed surprised. Some of the kids came over to see what was going on. Owen came toward me and I knew he was going to punch me, so I did like you told me to do—anticipate his move and do the opposite of what he expected me to do. He missed me and I punched him in the gut real hard. Then the fight was on.”
Chas loved seeing the confidence in his son’s face, the way he became animated in talking about the fight, and his booming laugh made Chas’s heart swell. No matter how many arguments Addie threw at him about peace versus violence, he’d never regret teaching Jack how to defend himself. The glow over Jack’s face was priceless, and as he watched him hold his chin high and push his shoulders back, Chas knew Jack would never cower in another corner again. When six o’clock rolled around, Chas took out a package of hot dogs and put them in a pot of water on the stove. He opened a couple cans of chili beans and put them in another pot.
“You’re cooking?” Jack said, coming into the kitchen.
“I’m hungry, Daddy,” Hope said.
“I’m making dinner, sweet bear.” He looked at Jack. “And I used to cook all the time for us before your mom.”
“It was hot dogs and beans, pretty much,” Jack said as he pulled the kitchen chair out for Hope.
“Then it’ll be like old times because that’s what we’re having. You like hot dogs, don’t you, sweet bear?”
“I love them. Mama doesn’t make them too much.”
“I’m an expert with them.”
Addie didn’t come home until well after Hope had gone to sleep. Chas was watching television on the couch when his ears pricked at the sound of the garage door. As she entered the house, a rush of cold air coiled around him, making the flames in the fireplace leap and dance.
“You have a good evening?” he asked, his gaze still on the television.
“I did. I went to the mall, then went over to Clotille and Rock’s house. She made the best rice and beans I’ve ever had. Did you order a pizza for the kids?”
“I cooked. It would’ve been nice for you to have sent a fuckin’ text or something. I get that you needed some space to cool off, but not sending a text to me or Jack is shitty. The kids kept asking where you were.”
“I sent you one.”
Chas looked at his phone and saw a text had come in fifteen minutes before. When he looked at the time it was sent, it was two hours before. “These damn phones.”
“Did you get it?”
“Just recently.”
Sitting at the other end of the couch, she lifted his feet and put them on her lap. “I know we’re never going to agree with the fighting thing with Jack. I was so mad at you.”
“I know you were. And you’re right, we’re not going to agree. Women just see things differently. You’re pissed at Jack because he stood up for himself by punching the brat, and I’m proud. It’ll be like that forever. My mom is still appalled to know that I’ll beat the shit out of anyone who messes with me. My dad gets it. There you have it.”