Darkest Before Dawn
Page 89

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BIG Eddie Sinclair got off the phone and turned to his sons, Raid and Ryker.
“That was Eden,” he said in a puzzled voice. “She wants us to sit on Hancock and make sure he goes absolutely nowhere until she gets here. She says she has the cure for what ails him.”
“Well, thank fuck someone does,” Raid said darkly. “I’ve had all the self-loathing and pity a man can take.”
“A-fucking-men,” Ryker said in a fervent voice.
CHAPTER 46
EDEN led the way to the front door of her family’s home. It was a good thing dusk had fallen, because there was no way they wouldn’t have drawn attention with over twenty badass operatives trailing Honor, Eden and Swanny, who never left his wife’s side.
The door opened before Eden could even knock, and standing in the doorway was a man Honor assumed was her father and her two older brothers. Guy’s family.
The three men’s gaze swept from Swanny to Eden and then finally settled on Honor, shock reflecting in their eyes.
The older brother shook his head. “No way,” he murmured.
“No fucking way,” his younger brother agreed.
Eden’s father smiled when before his features had been etched with worry and grief. He suddenly looked younger, the deep grooves easing as he stared at Honor.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” he said in an awed tone. “Never thought I’d see the day.”
It just pissed Honor off and she put both hands on her hips, glaring down the male members of Eden’s family.
“What is wrong with you people? Treating Guy like he’s not human or capable of humanity. I don’t know which is worse. Him believing himself to be lacking a soul or his family believing it.”
Eden’s brothers burst into laughter, but her father’s entire grizzled face softened. He took the two steps toward Honor and pulled her into a bone-crushing hug that had her holding back. She might have disguised her pregnancy well, but a hug that hard would reveal the taut baby bump she carried.
“Welcome to the family, my dear. We’ve waited a very long time for someone like you to turn Hancock’s world upside down. My name is Eddie and these are my sons, Raid and Ryker.” He pointed to indicate who was who.
And then as if just noticing the horde of burly men standing several feet behind Eden, Swanny and Honor, Eden’s father gave his daughter an inquisitive look.
“Eden? Who are all these people in my front yard?”
“Oh, they’re here to witness Guy’s downfall,” Eden said cheerfully. “It’s dark so you can’t see them, but they’re KGI.”
“Nathan? Joe?” Ryker asked as he stepped in front of his dad to see who all had accompanied Eden and Honor.
Eddie’s face lightened in recognition as he saw the rest of his son-in-law’s team step forward to greet the Sinclairs.
Skylar was forcibly hugged by Eddie and Ryker while Zane exchanged handshakes with the men.
“It’s good to see you, sir,” Joe spoke up. “As for why the entire KGI organization is here? There was no way in hell we were going to pass up the opportunity to witness Hancock brought to his knees by a woman barely over five feet. We intend to make sure he never lives it down. Not even Steele provided this much entertainment when he got his balls served on a platter to him by his wife.”
“Fuck you,” Steele said rudely from the shadows he hadn’t yet emerged from.
“Hello?” Honor growled, impatience and frustration evident in her voice. “Where is he?”
“I’ll be more than happy to take him to you myself,” Raid said smugly.
“Well, come on in,” Eddie said to the large group assembled. “I suppose we’ll see the two of them eventually. We’ll be much more comfortable in the living room.”
Leaving the others, Raid led her up the stairs and down a long hallway to the room at the very end. He paused and then looked down at her, his expression utterly serious.
“If you can bring him back to us, you will forever be in my debt. He’s given up, Honor. He has absolutely no will to live, and he’s in so much pain that I can’t even bear to look at my own brother.”
“Oh, he’s coming back,” she vowed. “If I have to knock him out, tie him up and drag him back home, I’m not leaving here without him.”
Raid chuckled and leaned down to kiss her brow. “You know what? I believe you, little sister.” Then his expression became serious again. “Do you want me to go in first?”
She rolled her eyes. “Guy would never hurt me. You should be worried I’ll hurt him. But, no. This is private. I don’t want anyone in there but me and him.”
Raid nodded and started back down the hall. She waited for him to disappear before she turned back to Guy’s door. Her hand hovered over the knob, afraid the door would be locked and he’d refuse to let her in. Then she shook her head. There were over twenty people downstairs who could easily break down the door. One way or another she was going in.
To her relief, when she quietly twisted the knob, it was unlocked and the door opened a fraction. Still, she hesitated, because for all her bravado and determination, she was terrified he wouldn’t even look at her. Acknowledge her. Listen to her.
From inside came an irritated growl. “I said to leave me the fuck alone. What don’t you interfering assholes understand about that?”
Honor shoved open the door all the way, stomping into the bedroom, her hands on her hips. When Hancock saw her he nearly fell off the bed. He scrambled to sit up, his face drawn with shock. And then so much grief and regret and self-loathing replaced his initial shock and it nearly brought her to her knees.
In that moment she knew she would have to be the strong one. She couldn’t allow an ounce of past hurts in her eyes, because it would destroy him and he’d never listen to her. He’d never hear her. He’d drive her away, convinced that he’d only hurt her again and again. At least one of them had sense, and it wasn’t him at the moment.
So instead of throwing herself into his arms like she ached to do and cry for all that had been lost and how much she loved him, she was going to have to dish out some tough love.
“Is that any way to speak to your family?” she demanded, her foot tapping on the floor in reprimand.
“Honor?”
His voice was shaken, so hoarse that her name was nearly indecipherable, his eyes ravaged by grief and pain. So much hurt that her throat closed up on her, rendering her momentarily unable to speak. She forgot all about tough love and being the bitch.
She couldn’t stand the distance between them any longer, and she flung herself at his body so he had no choice but to catch her or be bowled over by her. Her hands came to rest on his cheeks as she stared down at the stirrings of hope in Guy’s eyes. He swallowed and then looked away, as if refusing to even entertain such an emotion, but she wouldn’t have it. She too had refused herself hope, and she’d been wrong. She should have fought, like she was prepared to fight now. It was a battle she couldn’t lose or it would destroy her. She wouldn’t lose.
She firmly guided his face back to hers and simply stared him down until he finally, reluctantly lifted his eyes and met her gaze.