That was…interesting. The hawk avoided women, at least ones who weren’t occupying his bed. “You said there was a problem.”

So they told him. A cave in a remote location. Getting Kit’s stuff, whatever it was. Three PZs came into the clearing and—

A noise caught his attention. On the deck, Kit was setting Aric up with a coloring book and crayons. As the boy lay down to color, Hawk and Kit came inside.

“Let me get this straight,” Gabe said slowly. “You took Kit and the boy onto PZ land—”

“We weren’t on PZ land,” Hawk pointed out. “It wasn’t in the compound.”

“Even if it was in the national forest, you were in an area they consider theirs.” Gabe crossed his arms over his chest…and saw Kit’s shoulders hunch.

Hell. He couldn’t yell at his brothers, not within her hearing.

Growling under his breath, he went to the fridge and grabbed a couple more Cokes. He set Kit’s in front of her very gently and smacked Hawk’s can down hard enough the bastard would get sprayed when he opened it.

Laughter lit in Hawk’s eyes. “Thanks, bro.”

“You’re wel—” Gabe’s eyes narrowed.

The sleeves of Hawk’s flannel shirt were streaked with blood.

Caz and Kit appeared intact, but Bull had a gash in his cheek. The air around them held the acrid sulfuric stink of gunpowder.

Seriously? Gabe rubbed the back of his neck, feeling the onset of a headache. “Are the three PZs alive?”

Bull grinned.

Gabe sighed. Back when they were kids, and Bull burst out laughing after being chased by a fucking moose, Gabe should have known he was crazy. Should’ve backed away then.

Too late now. He kept his voice level with an effort. “What happened to the PZs?”

“They ran,” Hawk said. “All three. No bodies to worry about.”

“Mmmhmm. And how many holes did they have in those bodies?”

Caz snorted a laugh.

Kit’s eyes were wide, and he wasn’t sure if it was a reaction to what had obviously been a firefight or if she expected him to whip out handcuffs and haul them away.

The thought was fucking tempting.

“Holes, hmm…” Bull counted on his fingers. “Eh, only four holes between the three of them.”

“Only four.” Gabe kept his voice level.

“They sprayed the area down, Gabe. No talk, no warning. Just hosed the place,” Bull said.

“No bodies,” Caz pointed out again. “Hawk didn’t go for the kill.”

Because Hawk could easily have slaughtered them all.

“Hey, I shot one,” Bull protested with a wink at Kit.

When it came down to it, all three of his brothers were deadly. Gabe sighed again. “Thank you for not littering the borough with corpses.”

“And for doing it outside of the town’s boundaries?” Bull downed half the Coke in one long gulp.