Road to Peace (18 page)

Maisie

A
FTER HANGING UP with Hatch, I washed my face and rejoined my brother in the family room.

“You okay, sausage?” he asked.

“Yes, I’m okay. I just can’t believe they’ve let Alison out.”

“How does that work exactly?”

I sat in Niall’s chair and sighed. “Money and privilege.”

Beckett raised an eyebrow. “
We
have money and privilege, Maisie.”

“Well, I suppose if
I
tried to kill my best friend and her daughter because I went on a bi-polar frenzy, then I’d get out too,” I said a little more ungraciously than I intended. I burst into tears again and Beckett handed me a tissue. “Thanks.” I blew my nose. “I’m warring with these feelings of frustration because she’s my best friend and I love her, but she tried to hurt us—”

“Kill you,” he corrected.

“Becks, she’s not well.”

He pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Well, she’s not,” I stressed.

“Forgive me, Maisie, if I’m a bit biased and a little less willing to give the woman who tried to murder my sister the benefit of the doubt!” He roared the last bit and I blinked as I watched him try to bring his emotions under control.

“Sorry,” I whispered.

“No, I’m sorry,” he said immediately. “I want to be sensitive to what you’re going through, but I can’t forgive her. Not yet, anyway.”

“I understand, Becks.”

Before anymore could be said on the subject, Hatch and Poppy walked into the flat and Poppy flew at her uncle with an excited squeal. Hatch, on the other hand, made his way to me and pulled me up for a gentle kiss.

“You didn’t tell her he was here?” I asked as he wrapped an arm around me.

“Figured she’d like the surprise,” Hatch said. “You doin’ okay?”

I shrugged, snuggling against him. “I really wish you and I could go somewhere, just the two of us. I want to shut out the world for a while.”

“I know, baby.”

I lifted my head and whispered, “I really need you to make that happen. As in now.”

His eyes got soft and he smiled gently. “Yeah?”

“Please.”

“Okay, baby. I’ll make it happen.” He turned to face Poppy and Beckett. “Poppy, say hi to your Mom, I need to talk to her privately for a minute.”

“About…?” Poppy asked.

“Yeah,” Hatch said.

Poppy nodded and hugged me, then Hatch took my hand and led me into my bedroom. “Now tell me what’s going on,” I demanded.

He looked away.

“Hatch, you’re all tense. What happened?”

He let out a breath. “Alison was at the school today. She didn’t go anywhere near Poppy, but Poppy was confused… no surprise there. I filled her in, but she said Grace is scared to be at home, so now Poppy’s also scared for Grace and she wants me to fix it.”

I raised an eyebrow.

“The cryin’, the stompin’ of the foot, that kind of shit.”

“She
didn’t!
”

“Not sayin’ she isn’t valid in what’s she’s feelin’, Sunshine, but I’ve been there. I raised Cricket. It’s not fun. Poppy’s a little miffed that I’m not rushin’ in to rescue Grace from her “abusive” home.”

“Oh dear,” I breathed out.

“So, this now falls to you.”

“Yes, I suppose it does.”

“Not sayin’ you don’t have my back. Just sayin’ I’m not gonna tell you how to parent your kid.”

“I appreciate that.” I dropped my forehead to his chest. “Let’s just run away together. Beckett can finish raising Poppy. He can take her back to England. Kenna has kids, she can help. My parents would love it.”

Hatch chuckled and wove his fingers into my hair. “You’re obviously feelin’ better.”

“I always feel better when you’re here.”

“Yeah?”

“Yes,” I whispered. Hatch sighed and I leaned back to catch his eye. “What?”

“Gotta head home tonight after Church, Sunshine.”

Church was what his Club called their weekly Wednesday meeting.

“Oh.” I swallowed back tears with a nod, dropping my head back to his chest. “Okay.”

“I fuckin’ hate the Vicodin.”

“It’s not the Vicodin.”

“Really? The thought of me leavin’ you for a night brings you to tears?” he challenged.

“I’m not crying,” I lied.

He tilted my head back and kissed me gently. “I’ll be back first thing in the morning.”

“You’re leaving
now
?” I sounded far too desperate, even to my own ears. “I mean, if you need to go…”

Hatch chuckled. “I just figured you’d want time with your brother. I’m not on a clock, so I can stay for a while if you want me to.”

“It’s fine, love. I know you have a life outside of me and I can’t expect you to be at my beck and call every minute of the day and night…” I ran my good hand up his chest. “Even if I’ve come to really like it.”

He slid his hand to my neck. “You want me to stay, Sunshine?”

I nodded.

“Then I’ll stay.”

I smiled. “Thank you.”

“Wanna make out a little?”

“Ohmigod, yes please.”

He grinned and locked my door, taking my hand, leading me to the bed, and pulling me down beside him.

That was as far as we got because my gorgeous, sweet, kind, lovely, generous, pain in the ass child began knocking on my door, jiggling the doorknob, calling through the door, and wondering out loud why the door was locked.

“I’m gonna find a place we can be alone together soon, Sunshine,” Hatch promised.

“That would be really good.” I slid off the bed and pulled open the door. “Poppy, we’re trying to have a private conversation.”

She glanced at me and then Hatch. “You never lock your door.”

“Well, it’s because we didn’t want to be interrupted.”

“So are you going to get Grace?”

“We can’t go and get Grace, Poppy,” I said.

“Why not?” she demanded.

“Because it would be illegal, sweetheart.” I sighed. “We don’t have any cause to take her from her home. Her father has to protect her from Ali, love. I can’t.”

“Hatch can.”

“Baby girl, I can’t,” he said.

“Why not?” she demanded as tears welled up in her eyes. I felt Hatch at my back and leaned against him.

“Baby girl, Grace is not—”

“Club business,” she interrupted. “You said that.”

“What exactly does
that
mean?” I asked.

“I don’t really know,” Poppy admitted. “But somehow we’re club business but she’s not.”

“I’ll explain another time,” Hatch said.

“Look, we can’t do anything about Grace, love.”

“But she’s
scared
.”

“Fuck me,” Hatch whispered for my ears only.

I stared at Poppy. “You’re really serious, aren’t you?”

Alison had never threatened her kids and there had never been any indication that she would harm one of them, but Poppy seemed genuinely concerned, so I took notice.

“Yes, Mum. This isn’t like the time she and I did our drama pact to get matching iPhones, I promise.”

“I’ll call Jax and see if he can do anything,” Hatch said.

“Is he the FBI man?” Poppy asked.

“Yes.”

“Okay, thanks, Hatch.” Poppy smiled as she turned and walked away.

I faced Hatch and groaned. “Don’t let her strong arm you into anything you don’t feel comfortable doing.”

“She’s not. I already asked Jaxon to see if he could find something. If he does, he may have some sway over child protective services or getting her in with family.”

I sighed. “I need to watch out for you, huh?”

“Can’t get anything by me,” he said. “Keep that in mind.”

“I’d never try to get anything by you,” I retorted. “Keep
that
in mind.”

“Love that, Sunshine.”

I stared up at him. “I don’t think it’s a good idea for Poppy to think she can manipulate you, though.”

“Baby, let her have this one. She’s been dealt a shit sandwich. We can work on her attitude at a future time, but for now, just let her do her thing and once the trial is over, you’re fully healed, and we’re in a normal schedule with whatever we’re doin’ relationship-wise, we can lower the hammer. She needs to feel like she’s in control of something. I’m fine with her “controlling” me for the moment.”

I poked at his chest. “Do
not
let her hear you say that.”

“Okay, baby.” Hatch chuckled. “She’s worried about her friend and if we can help, we will. From what you’ve told me, it’s not always a good situation, so if Jax can step in, he will.”

“Okay.” I hugged him tighter. “Did you thank him for his help today?”

“Why would I?”

I frowned up at him. “Really?”

“Babe, just drop it. He and I know where we stand.”

“Well, then if I write him a thank you note, will you deliver it?”

He dropped his head back and swore.

“Hatch.”

“Yeah, Sunshine, I’ll deliver it.”

“Thanks.” I kissed him again and he smiled.

“Let’s figure out what I’m cookin’ for dinner.”

“You’re going to cook for us?” I asked, my stomach rumbling.

“Unless you want to make your brother go grab take-out.”

“Is it too soon in this relationship to tell you I love you?” As soon as I said it, I gasped, slapping my hand over my mouth. “Sorry. That was really dumb.”

Hatch’s arms came gently around me and he kissed my forehead. “Don’t do that, Maisie. Don’t censor your thoughts. Nothing you say is dumb.”

“It’s the Vicodin.”

“Okay, baby, it’s the Vicodin.”

But it wasn’t the Vicodin and I knew it as I settled my cheek against his chest. I was falling in love with him. Maybe it was too soon to confirm that earnestly out loud, but this man, this man who dropped everything to take care of me and my daughter when he hardly knew me, was everything to me, and the thought of him not being near me even for a night bothered me. If that wasn’t love, I didn’t know what was.

“You could always show me how to make one of those jam things,” I said to his chest.

“PB&J?”

I nodded.

“So you liked it?”

I grinned.

“So all that drama before was just ball bustin’?” he accused.

“I really had never had one before,” I said. “But I couldn’t very well tell you I loved it right off the bat, could I? You would have won.”

“What exactly would I have won, Sunshine?”

“I don’t know. Something.”

“You’re a fuckin’ nut, baby.”

“Guilty,” I agreed, kissing him gently.

“Did you and Cricket coordinate tomorrow?” Hatch asked, breaking our moment.

“Yes.” I pulled away. “She’s going to be here at ten.”

“I’ll swing by and pick up Poppy at the normal time, then give you the day.”

I followed him out to the family room. “That works.”

He smiled at me over his shoulder. “You
can
call me, you know.”

“Oh, stop. I
will
survive without you for one night, Connor Wallace.”

We walked into the family room to find Beckett with his laptop settled in front of him and Poppy sitting cross-legged on the sofa watching television.

“Homework status?” I asked.

“Done,” she said.

“Great,” I said. “Let me have a look at it while you help Hatch with dinner.”

“Do you need a third?” Beckett asked.

 My mouth dropped open. “Since when do you do anything domestic?”

He set his computer aside and rose to his feet. “You’ve been gone a long time, big sister. Lots of things have changed.”

My heart hurt. “Direct hit, Becks.”

He frowned. “Sorry, sausage. I didn’t mean for that to be a dig.”

“Poppy, why don’t you grab your homework and take it out to the island for your mom?” Hatch suggested, and ushered Poppy out of the room.

Hatch and Poppy left the room and I slid into my brother’s hug. “I’ve been really slack in keeping you in the loop.”

“Yeah, you have,” he confirmed. “I miss you, Maisie.”

“I miss you, too. I’ll be better, I promise.”

“You need to come home,” he whispered. “Not forever, but for a little while. It’s like Niall died and you disappeared, physically and emotionally.”

I sighed. “I know.”

“Lecture over, saus. Love you.”

“I love you too.” I smiled up at him. “I really do.”

Feeling more settled than I had in a while, I followed Beckett to the kitchen and joined in in the domestic bliss of homework and dinner and all around joking amongst ourselves as we bonded closer together. By the time Hatch left, my cheeks hurt from smiling so much, but I also felt the pit in my stomach knowing he wasn’t going to be close in the middle of the night. It didn’t matter that he’d been sleeping on the sofa. Now that I was back in my own bed, he’d been within shouting distance and I’d come to cherish it.

With one final kiss, he walked away and I locked my door and joined my family, settling in to watch a movie and call it an early night.

* * *

Hatch

Hatch walked through his front door to find Cade sitting at the kitchen table, beer bottle lifted to his mouth, computer open in front of him, and some weird-ass furball thing sittin’ on his lap. “What the hell is that?”

Cade set the beer down and grinned. “This is a dog.”