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“You don’t-”

I put up my hand to stop Hawke’s words “I’ll keep my end of the deal, but I’m not a charity case The money is a loan,” I said firmly

Hawke didn’t respond in any kind of way and I wasn’t sure what that ain distant and unreadable I forced aze as I said, “If we find Buck and Denny, I need you to make sure-”

“I won’t let them near you, Tate”

A shiver ran down my spine at his declaration How many times had I wished there’d been someone to say those exact words to me? How many times had I curled in on myself as blow after blow had fallen across my battered body and dreamed that someone like the man across from me would step in and stop it?

Too many times

Too many to believe his words

But I had to hope that whatever connection he’d e with my son would carry over to what I was about to ask of him

“I need you to et to Matty,” I said firmly “No matter what happens to me, Matty comes first I don’t care what you have to do…Buck never lays a hand on hi exposed to Buck’s brutal “lessons” made me want to throw up “Promise me,” I whispered unashamedly

Hawke studied e to squirm in my seat I hated that my mind feared the power he had over me, but I hated even more that my body craved it and him in a way I’d never known before

“No one touches Matty,” Hawke finally said “Or you,” he added And then he leaned forward and pinned me with his hard eyes “Ever”

I forced back the dual need to believe him and to tell him not to make me a proo pack,” I said

“Eat soot up before I could respond and then he was setting the Cheerios and carton of ry, but there was so for the bowl and spoon he slid in front of , but for the first time since he’d forced his way into my life, I actually didn’t feel afraid of him