Page 15

“What brings you back to Lakeview?” Hawk asked. “It’s been… Hell, it’s been nearly a decade, hasn’t it?”

“Mom!” Dylan came tearing out of the ice cream shop with a cone stacked precariously high with scoops. “This place hascornflavor! It’s so weird, but it’s good, you’ve got to try it!” He stood at my side and licked a stripe up the ice cream.

Hawk stared at Dylan.

My heart began to race.

Hawk’s expression was completely blank. He didn’t look friendly and welcoming anymore. He looked cold—he lookedterrifying.His green eyes shifted to me.

“He doesn’t know,” I whispered.

Hawk closed his eyes briefly. “Harley, he’s going to lose his shit.”

“I know.”

“I’m not going to be the one to drop that bomb. That’s for sure,” Hawk said.

“Thanks,” I said, quietly.

“Whoa,” Dylan said, looking up like he’d just realized Hawk was there. “You’re tall.”

“This is Dylan,” I said.

Hawk laughed, and the warmth returned to his expression. “Yeah, I am. You might be this tall one day, too.”

Dylan rubbed his chest. “Weird.”

“What is it?” I asked.

“My dragon feels happy to see him,” Dylan said, then looked back at Hawk. “But I don’t know who you are.”

Hawk’s green eyes softened. “Your dragon recognizes its family.”

Dylan’s jaw dropped. He looked at me, then at Hawk. “Are… are you my dad?”

Hawk glanced at me with his eyebrows raised. I nodded minutely. Then Hawk laughed again and knelt, so he was on Dylan’s eye level. “No, I’m not. I’m Hawk. I’m your uncle.”

“My uncle.” Dylan’s eyes widened. “So, you know my dad?”

“A little better than I’d like to,” Hawk said.

“Wow.” Dylan rubbed his chest again. “That makes my dragon really happy.”

“Dyl, grab our bags out of the car, please,” I said. “And don’t spill any ice cream on them.”

“Okay, okay,” he said as I handed him the keys.

As Dylan fiddled with the trunk, Hawk turned back to me and ran a hand through his hair. “You’re coming to the compound. Tonight.”

“We just got in today,” I said. “And we’ve still got to figure out something about this car?—”

“We’ll handle the car,” Hawk said. “I’ll send another one of the guys from the garage to come get it. You and Dylan need to come with me.”

He glanced around, then lowered his voice. “Harley, your son is really close to his first shift. I can feel his dragon trying to break free. The longer you put this off, the harder it’s going to be for him.”

“How can you tell?” I asked.

“My dragon can feel it,” he said. “With as strong as this kid’s dragon is, I wonder if Ace is feeling something even from this distance. You really should come tonight.”