Bull elaborated. “The volunteer who let them in has a gash on her head. The lady at the front tried to fight and got knocked out. She’s got a concussion. Two others were caught in the edge of the explosion. Nothing life-threatening.”

“Let’s go,” Hawk gave Aric a small bounce. “The kid needs cookies.”

Rather than laughing, Aric laid his head on Hawk’s shoulder—without releasing his grip on Kit’s hand.

Her boy had been traumatized. Again.

Anger stewed inside her, even as she nodded agreement. Then she sighed.

Aric would heal, especially since he had his own personal protector right there to hold onto. Because of Hawk and Frankie and the others, her son was with her, not held hostage in the PZ compound. They were free.

Kit squeezed Aric’s hand and smiled at Hawk. “Yes, we totally need cookies.”

After soaping down several times in the shower—because damned if any kind of combat left him feeling as if he was covered in blood—Hawk paced around his house, trying to relax.

A text from Bull dinged on his phone. ~We’re all eating at Mako’s. Come on over. ~

He scowled at the display and tried to decide if he wanted to join the others.

Eating might be smart, and being around his brothers after a fight would settle the uneasy feeling in his lizard brain. He could relax because it wasn’t only him watching for danger.

But being around others? Despite showering, it still felt as if anyone seeing him would spot the darkness in his soul.

He was a killer. The son of an abuser. A fucked-up mess by any standard.

Jesus, get over yourself, dumbass. Pulling in a breath, he ran through the talk with his counselor after the rescue at the PZ. His counselor was a combat vet and had seen some shit. The doc had given Hawk two questions to ask himself to work through the aftermath.

One: Why did I kill today?

The answer was plain enough. To keep helpless women and children from being murdered.

Two: Could I have done anything else?

Not without risking the lives of the innocent.

Okay then.

Another text came from Bull. ~ Can you stop by my house and bring Kit and Aric? ~

Ah, Kit still didn’t have a phone. Once she started getting out on her own, she would need one.

He texted back. ~ K ~

Over at Bull’s house, he called out, letting her know she had company. “Kit.”

“Back here.” She poked her head out of her room in the back hallway, then leaned on the door frame.

He joined her and saw why she hadn’t left. At the kid-sized dresser, Aric was wearing only briefs as he pulled a red T-shirt and dark blue overalls out of the drawer. Dressing was a serious matter at four years old.