Angel's Halo: Reclaimed Part 4

Reaching his bike, the same one I remembered riding on the back of over the years, he strapped my bag to the back and then offered me a helmet. I flinched when I saw my name on the inside of it. Jet had given me this helmet when I was seventeen, before he'd put me on the back of his hog for the first time and driven me to school.

Putting the helmet on, I watched as Jet straddled the powerful piece of machinery and put his own helmet on. Once it was in place, he turned to me and offered his hand. I ignored the zing of electricity that zapped from my palm up my arm and straight to that deep, dark place that only this man had ever touched.

Climbing onto the back of Jet's bike brought back so many memories that it took me a few seconds to get hold of my emotions before I wrapped my arms around his waist. Only then did he start the Harley. I felt the rumble of the bike all the way to my core and instinctively tightened my hold on Jet.

d.a.m.n it, why did this feel so good? I was p.i.s.sed and hurting from having to leave my newfound family. This monstrous man and his s.e.xy-as-h.e.l.l bike shouldn't have been able to turn me on so readily.

Jet's hands covered mine for a moment, his thumb caressing over my knuckles before I felt him blow out a hard breath. He shook his head and seconds later we were on the road heading toward Creswell Springs.

The drive back to the home I'd left more than a year before took less than two hours and by the time he pulled to a stop in the Hannigan siblings' driveway, my legs were killing me. It had been too long since I'd been on a bike and the ride had been torturous.

As I took my time climbing off the back of the bike, I noticed that most of the lights were off in the huge house. The light over the kitchen entrance was on and the living room light as well, but that was it.

My feet were finally firmly on the ground, but when I took the first step toward the house my body protested and I couldn't hold back the agonized groan that left me. Jet's strong arms caught me around the waist when I would have stumbled.

"Easy there, babe."

I shot him a glare. "Leave me alone," I snapped as I jerked away from his touch, not caring that it made my body throb in protest of the quick movement. I glanced around the driveway, wondering who would take me home. Jet should have just dropped me off at my mother's place on the way over, but I guess he wanted me to see Raven first.

"Hawk's home?" I recognized the other bikes and realized that all the Hannigan boys were home. "Who's closing the bar tonight?"

"The bar's closed this week," he told me with a shrug. "The new plumbing is acting up and that stupid plumber Uncle Chaz hired on has to redo the pipes in the men's room."

"Oh," was all I could say to that.

Dread filled my chest as I glanced back at the house. I wasn't looking forward to facing them. Sure I'd wanted to talk to Raven earlier that night, had been so desperate to hear my best friend's voice that I'd actually called her, but talking to her on the other side of a phone was a h.e.l.l of a lot different than coming face to face with her.

Hawk was the one I dreaded seeing the most, though. He hadn't been too happy the one time I'd called him. He'd known what me asking that of him could mean, that if his brother agreed to my favor Jet could be risking the rest of his life-his freedom. Hawk had been so good to me after I'd lost the baby. We'd gotten closer than we'd ever been in the past, but I wasn't delusional enough to think he had forgiven me for putting Jet at risk like I had.

"Are you hungry?" Jet asked as he opened the back door and held it for me, letting me go into the kitchen first.

"No." My stomach was a nervous mess. I couldn't have eaten if I'd wanted to.

"You must be thirsty. I should've stopped to get you something." It was like Jet was talking to himself rather than me. He shook his head and opened the fridge. Pulling out a bottle of water, he opened it and handed it to me. "Here, babe."

I took the water and swallowed a small sip under his watchful eye before handing it back since he still held the lid. "Thanks," I muttered.

"Come on. I'm sure the guys are waiting up for us." He caught hold of my hand again and held it carefully in his much bigger one as he tugged me toward the living room.

I heard the television and then a soft giggle, followed by the unmistakable deep laugh of Hawk Hannigan. Two other deep chuckles joined in.

"I call bulls.h.i.t," Colt Hannigan grumbled.

"Me too," Raven agreed. "This s.h.i.t is f.u.c.ked up. I hate these paranormal activity shows."

"Scaredy-cat," Raider teased. "Hey! Don't waste the popcorn."

I stopped when I saw them all sitting on the couch and watching television. It seemed so natural, the way they were all sitting around, eating popcorn and teasing each other. No one would have known that this was a rare thing for the Hannigan siblings. They had never done this kind of thing in the past, anyway.

Raven was snuggled up against Bash on one end of the couch, a bowl of popcorn on her lap that they were sharing. Colt sat beside his sister with Hawk on his other side and a sleepy-looking Gracie Morgan tucked against his chest. Raider was sitting on the floor in front of them, his own bowl of popcorn beside him and a beer in one hand.

Jet cleared his throat, catching everyone's attention for the first time. Four blond heads snapped up quickly followed by the darker head of Bash Reid and Gracie's red one. My gaze went straight to Raven, whose eyes-that were so much like her brother's-were bright with what could only be relief.

"You're home," she cried as she jumped off of Bash's lap and threw her arms around me.

She landed against me with so much force that it nearly knocked the air out of me. My arms went around her of their own volition and held on to her as hard as she was holding on to me. The hug surprised me. This was not the girl I remembered, the one who had hated this kind of affection. Raven had hugged me a total of ten times in our entire lives, and that included the hug I was getting right then.

Pulling back, Raven grinned down at me. "I'm so glad you're here, Flick. Things have been crazy without you." Her eyes traveled over my face and then down my body, as if she were looking for injuries or something. "Are you okay? That crazy b.i.t.c.h didn't hurt you too, did she?"

I quickly shook my head. "No. It was just Gabriella."

Blond brows lifted. "The rocker chick?" I nodded. "How is she?"

"I'm not sure how she is right now. Last I heard she was in stable but critical condition." I hadn't heard much about how she was doing since Emmie had came back to the bus and promptly gone 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 a.s.sessing 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 s...o...b..ry 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 f.u.c.k 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 rea.s.surance 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 sa.s.sy 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 b.i.t.c.h."

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 my gut, but it also set flame to my anger.

What did she expect? What did any of them expect? It had felt like no one-not one d.a.m.n one of them-had cared if I was around or not. I wasn't the kind of female to beg for attention from anyone. I'd left because I'd needed to for my own sanity and wellbeing.

From the couch, Bash pushed to his feet and stepped toward me. His electric blue eyes were full of understanding. I lowered my eyes to Toby who sat contentedly at my feet. "It's late. It's been a long day for everyone. No one's temper is stable when you're tired. Get some rest and we'll welcome Flick home in the morning like we should."

"Yeah, let's do that." I nodded and glanced at Colt. "Do you mind driving me to my mother's house?"

"You're not going to Marcie's," Jet said, quick to stop me. "You're home, as in this house is home."

My eyes widened in surprise. "You have got to be kidding me." Seriously, he had to be. There was no way I was sleeping under the same roof with him. "That's not happening. I came back with you, be thankful for that much. There is no way I'm sharing a roof with you. I can barely stand to share the same air with you, let alone a house."

His eyes narrowed and he took a step closer to me. Feeling my sudden tension, Toby stood and growled at the big man. Jet ignored the dog. "You will be staying here, Flick. In this house. In my room. In my bed. There will be no negotiation, no compromise. This is where you belong and it's where you're going to f.u.c.king stay. Don't like it, too d.a.m.n bad."

"You can't make me stay here," I shot at him, practically shaking with the anger making my blood boil. "I'm not some prisoner, Jet. You told me I had to come back with you. Not once did you mention that I had to live with you."

"If I had would that have changed your mind? Knowing you would have to share the same house with me, the same bed, would you have walked away and risked me telling the world what I've done for you?" He had the gall to grin when I remained quiet. He knew f.u.c.king good and well that it wouldn't have changed anything. I wouldn't have risked Emmie. If he'd said he wanted me to join the circus as a freaking trapeze artist, I would have complied.

"Didn't think so," he said with a smirk.

"I hate you."

The smirk disappeared and his jaw tightened. "That's okay. I hate me too."

It looked like I was stuck there. I clenched my hands into fists and glared at him with all the hate that was burning through my chest. "Fine. I'll sleep in your bed. You can take the couch. No negotiation. No compromise." I pushed past him. "If you step foot in that room, I'll scream this place down. Pretty sure you don't want me waking up the kids." I started up the stairs.

"Flick..." I paused on the second step at Raven's voice and glanced back at her. She looked as if she were at a loss for words for a moment and then she blew out a long breath through her nose. "I'm glad you're home. I really have missed you."

"I missed you too, Rave."

Chapter Five.

Jet Max's squalling woke me the next morning. I grunted and turned onto my stomach, pulling the pillow I'd gotten out of the linen closet over my head. I'd had to sleep on the couch the night before. Flick hadn't been kidding about putting me there. When I'd tried to go into my bedroom, the door had been locked.

I could have broken the door down but didn't want to chance waking Lexa and Max. Raven would have done a lot more damage to me than Flick would have and it was for that reason alone that I'd camped out in the living room rather than try my luck with my own bed.

My nephew was really letting the world know just how strong his lungs were this morning. My pillow was doing nothing to block out his screams. Grumbling, I threw my pillow across the room in my frustration and tossed back the covers. Scrubbing a hand over the day-old scruff on my face, I groggily entered the kitchen where Raven was already making breakfast while her eight-month-old son screamed the house down, as always wanting nothing more than his mother's attention.

I glared at the kid as I dropped down into the chair next to his highchair. "I don't know who you get that temper from, boy, but I'm gonna beat it out of you if you ever patch into the Club."

"How're you planning on doing that when you claim you're out of the Club?" Raven sa.s.sed at me from the stove where she was flipping pancakes.

I grimaced. She was right. I hadn't returned to the Club after I'd gotten out of prison. So far, I'd kept my promise to Flick and stayed out of the MC's business, knowing that if I had to choose, I would pick her over anything this time around. Didn't mean I didn't miss it, though. The Club had been a part of me for my entire life. I'd patched in at eighteen after prospecting for more than a year. It had been my entire life, the only thing I knew. But it was the Club that had gotten between Flick and me and I wasn't going to let that s.h.i.t happen again.

"Shut up, Rave." The thing about being so close to my baby sister was that she saw way too much. Things I didn't want her to see. Like how hard it was to continue keeping my promise when things had been so difficult for the Club over the last year. I knew she didn't want me to stay out of the Club, but getting Flick back was more important to me than anything. Including my MC.

Senator Samson might have backed off-for the most part-but I still felt a little uneasy about how quiet things had been from the senator's corner. I'd seen the look in that f.u.c.ker's eyes before he'd agreed to back off. He wasn't convinced that the Angel's Halo MC hadn't killed his son. Kevin Samson had gotten off easy if you asked me. He'd stupidly set fire to my family's bar and in the process had caught himself afire too. He'd died from the burns but, if he hadn't, I could have promised him a death ten times more painful than the one he'd met with.

Bash had done an exceptional job as the Club's president during all of the senator's bulls.h.i.t. His calm had been one of the reasons I'd wanted him to step into my shoes while I was in prison. That still hadn't made seeing what was going on in the Club easy to watch from the outside. Whether I wanted to admit it or not, the Club was part of my soul and I was struggling to stay away.

Raven set a plate of pancakes, bacon, and eggs in front of me. Dropping the warmed maple syrup beside my plate, she gave me a soft kiss on the cheek before returning to the stove. "So...what exactly did you use against Flick to get her to come back with you?"

I paused with my fork halfway to my mouth. I could have told Raven what I'd done and knew that she wouldn't have told a soul, not even Bash if I asked her not to, but I didn't want my sister dragged into the drama that was Flick's and mine alone. Well, I guess Hawk's too, but it wasn't like the Club's new VP was going to say s.h.i.t about it. I was pretty sure that Gracie didn't even know what Hawk had come to tell me when I'd still been in prison.

"It's nothing," I muttered before shoving the forkful of eggs and pancakes into my mouth.

"That bad, huh?"

I shrugged and continued to eat my breakfast, trying-unsuccessfully-to block out Max's temper tantrum as he kicked his legs and stretched his arms toward his mother while screaming at the top of his lungs.

The back door opened without a knock and Matt Reid walked in with a glower on his face. "Listen, little dude," Matt grumbled as he crouched down beside Max. "I can hear you all the way across the driveway in my house. I can hear you in my room. My room, kid. That should be impossible. Stop being such a momma's boy. Man up."

Max didn't seem to care what Matt thought of his crying and only screamed louder. Raven kicked at Matt's legs as he stood and walked around the table to take his usual spot on the mornings he joined us for breakfast. Lately that wasn't nearly as often. Something was up with Matt, but I couldn't bring myself to give two f.u.c.ks what it was. I'd been too caught up in missing Flick. "Leave my son alone, Matt. He can be a momma's boy all he wants. You f.u.c.kers can start turning him into a biker as soon as he's able to ride. Until then, leave him alone." She bent and brushed a kiss over her son's forehead, which appeased him.

For about a minute.

The screaming started again. Knowing I would be no help to the little guy, I lifted my mug of scalding hot coffee and took a long swallow, letting the heat burn my throat and sit warm in my belly. I figured a full pot of this s.h.i.t would help me through the rest of the day.

"Good gracious." A female grumble came from the door that led into the living room and my head snapped up to see Flick groggily enter the kitchen.

Her hair was s.e.xily rumpled from sleep. She pushed a few wild strands back from her face, making her all the more delectable to my eyes. Her eyes looked slightly puffy, making me wonder if she'd cried herself to sleep. That thought had the coffee sitting a little too hard in my stomach and I pushed my half-eaten breakfast away.

My eyes weren't the only ones drawn to the breathtaking G.o.ddess. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Matt's head snap up and I shot him a killer glare that he ignored. It was Max's reaction to her, though, that had us all glad to see Flick. He shut up as she walked toward him, his big blue eyes seeming to take in every inch of her.

Flick avoided my side of the table as she went around to Max and crouched down beside him. She offered the eight-month-old her hand and he latched on to her finger like it was a lifeline. "What's all the fuss about, little guy? Are you Momma's alarm clock or something? I'm pretty sure you woke up the entire house, maybe even the whole neighborhood."

"Kid's a momma's boy, Flick," Matt informed her with a grin. "Raven is letting him call the shots around here these days."

Flick shot him a quick grin in return. "If you looked this cute, I'm sure she would let you call a few of them too." She turned her attention back to the baby. "Right, Max? Tell the mean old biker. Say, 'I'm cuter than you, dude. Deal with it.'"

Max's mouth opened and he grunted, as if he were trying to say just that, making Flick and Raven both laugh. Carefully, Flick tugged her hand free and stood. She was just starting to take her seat when Max opened his mouth and started screaming again.

She lifted a brow at my nephew. "What's the matter, buddy? Wanna play?" She held her hands out to him and he lifted his arms, wanting her to hold him. Smart kid. Shaking her head, she lifted him from his highchair and sat at the table with him on her lap, facing her. "What's he like to play, Rave? Peek-a-boo? Patty-cake?"

"He likes to play what all bikers like to play," Raven a.s.sured her with a laugh just as Max grabbed for Flick's t.i.ts. I felt the grin tug at my lips. Looked like Max was more like me than I'd realized. He looked so much like his father that I'd begun wondering when or even if he would inherit anything from his uncles. As soon as I saw the baby grab on to the one part of Flick I'd always found a way to grab on to in the past, I knew he was going to be h.e.l.l on wheels when he got older. "He's a lot like his daddy in more than just looks."