“Oh, please.” Kit gave his arm a shake. “If every parent who yells at their child is a monster, then we’re all in that category. I’ve yelled at Aric, haven’t I, honey bear?”

Aric nodded. “An’ you said sorry, like Hawk.”

A snickering sound came from Regan. “Just like Papá. He yells and says sorry for yelling, but I shouldn’t’a done whatever, and so I have to say sorry too.”

“God knows Mako yelled at us,” Bull said. “And grabbed us.”

“How many times did we end up in a snowbank or the river shallows?” Gabe’s expression was wry—because the stubborn bastard had landed there more times than the rest of them.

“Wasn’t the sarge’s fault.” Hawk shot Gabe a glare. “He did his best.”

“We all do our best. We all mess up, apologize, and try to make it right,” Kit said softly. “No one is perfect.”

Even as he was trying to work through that, she frowned. “Aric and I have sessions together. To help with parenting techniques since we both have our own triggers that kind of bounce off each other. You obviously have some triggers…so you’d better come to those sessions with us.”

What the fuck. “I’m leaving.”

Even as Aric yelled, “No,” Kit said, “No, you’re not.”

He looked at Aric. Mouth set in a stubborn line, chin up and determined.

He looked at Kit, who wore an identical expression.

Every fucking person around him looked the same.

Christ, he was screwed.

But…now everyone knew. Knew what he had inside, what he feared. He looked at his brothers. More protective bastards couldn’t be found. Their women were the same.

And so was Kit.

Hawk rubbed the back of his neck as he considered. He’d stopped Aric when his behavior got out of control. Now, it appeared Hawk had a whole family to do the same for him if needed. He had backup. The knowledge was…freeing.

He tightened his arm around Aric and touched Kit’s cheek. “Guess I’m staying put.”

A few minutes later, Kit was sitting beside Hawk at the picnic table. Because her legs had gone wobbly.

Although Regan had dragged Aric away to help her put out the silverware, he checked Hawk’s location every couple of minutes.

She knew exactly how her son felt. Her insides were still shaking.

Hawk would have walked away, from his home, his family, Aric—and her.

The man was so very tough—and had so much pain inside him. She leaned against his side. “We’re a hot mess. All three of us.”

Putting an arm around her, he kissed the top of her head in silent agreement.

She curled her fingers around his hand. “We’ll figure things out. Maybe we’ll have a rough patch here and there, but none of us is a quitter.”