Every time he’d seen her bruised face in the hospital, he wanted to dig the bastard up and kill him again.

The two children appeared, detouring to show Kit the basket of eggs, before crossing the courtyard to the houses.

“The eggs go to Bull’s house today. He gets extra cuz you and your mom live there now,” Regan told Aric. Followed by the boy and Bull’s dog, Gryff, Regan led the way up onto the deck to set the basket on a shelf. She and Aric stopped to pet her giant furball of a cat who’d perched on the railing to supervise.

Hawk shook his head. The Hermitage sure had changed in the last year. The sarge had been one paranoid survivalist-type to begin with. Then, having illegally brought Hawk, Gabe, Bull, and Caz to Alaska from a California foster home, he’d grown even more cautious. When he’d moved to Rescue, the only people permitted on the property were his four sons and Doc Grayson. Later, he’d allowed Dante, an old Vietnam vet friend, to visit and then…Lillian.

Hawk had to admit it’d been a shock to learn that Mako and Lillian had been lovers.

“Way to go, Sarge.” Hawk lifted his Coke in a toast.

But the sarge had crossed the river, and shit was changing.

Gabe had started the upheaval. A year ago, Audrey had arrived in Rescue, running from a hitman. The sweet, brainy librarian had surprising courage, and Gabe had fallen hard.

Then, needing help in the police station, Gabe brought in Officer Jayden at the same time Caz had discovered he had a kid. Regan was a hell of a gutsy little girl—and had almost killed herself trying to rescue that stray cat from a fucking blizzard. Good kid.

And JJ was a good woman, as Caz had learned.

Last spring, Bull rescued the brown mutt—a Bernese mountain-shepherd mix—from an asshole who was into dogfighting. Gryff deserved better. So, the Hermitage acquired a damn dog.

Couple of months ago, Frankie came to Alaska to rescue Kit and Aric. Hawk smirked. The New Yorker had a temper, and when she started swearing in Italian, it was the funniest thing he’d ever seen. She and Bull fit perfectly.

Now, Kit and Aric were here. The Hermitage was getting fucking crowded.

Aric trotted off Bull’s deck, collected a hug from his mother, and started for Hawk’s place, undoubtedly for another covert check.

Hawk raised a hand.

Startled, the kid stood for a second as if to ensure Hawk wasn’t planning to do anything unexpected—like leave—then ran to rejoin Regan.