Chapter 2
Analise stood in the yard, the darkness surrounding her, protecting her like an old trusted friend. She closed her eyes and forced her mind to still — the sounds of the crickets, the frogs, the creaking of the branches as the cold winds forced them to move just a bit, the crunch of the grasses under her feet all screamed one thing to her — home. This was the land she was raised on, the very air she breathed as she took her first steps.
The lights warming the windows of the house before her, and the laughter and voices of those inside called to her. Her soul, her beast, needed to join her people. It was beyond time for her to return home and commune with the very core of what made her who she was. Filling her lungs once more with the soothing scents of her childhood, she set foot on the first step. Seconds later she was taking hold of the doorknob, turning it, and stepping inside.
“Merry Christmas!” she called out.
Joyous shrieks rang out, people from all corners of the room rushed toward her, arms out, bright smiles as they competed for her attention and a chance to welcome her home. She hugged and greeted everyone as they came toward her. Brandt grinning at her as he hugged her and kissed her forehead, Christian following suit, Barron winking at her and ruffling her hair like he did when they were kids, Delilah and Kaid leading the way for the adults to move the kids aside enough to get to her. Bane picking her up off her feet to hug, then the sea of family parted as the one person she’d needed to see more than anyone gently pushed his way through the throngs of family waiting to greet her.
“Daddy,” Analise said, falling into his embrace.
Bam pulled his daughter in, holding her tight as tears streamed down his face. “I missed you so much,” he rumbled, his raw emotion at finally having his oldest baby close enough to hug.
“I missed you, too, Daddy.”
He kissed the top of her head over and over again as he tried to stop his happy tears. Then Everly joined their embrace, followed immediately by Emmalyn.
Goldy hugged them all as best he could, then Maverik stepped up to the family reacquainting themselves. “Can I join in?” His eyes were glued to Analise, not sure how she’d react because he was after all, Havoc’s father.
Analise turned to look at Maverik. She smiled through happy tears and reached for him. “I love you, Uncle Maverik.”
“I love you, too,” he said gruffly as he held her close for just a few seconds.
Hellen squeezed in and added her hugs to the mix. “Really glad you’re home.”
“Me, too,” Analise admitted.
“About damn time,” Hellen grumbled.
Analise started laughing, which had everyone else laughing, too, followed by just about every single member of the clan insisting on being part of the welcoming party and the big group hug in the middle of the living room.
The door opened again, but it didn’t stop the warm reception Analise was soaking in.
“Damn. Looks like a rugby scrum.”
Surprised faces lifted from the group hug and looked at the owner of the voice. He stood just inside the door with a precious, yet precocious little girl perched on his hip. He held her secure with one arm as he hesitantly raised his other hand in a half-hearted wave.
“Y’all take up rugby?” Havoc quipped.
“Havoc!” several of them shouted. The room was once again filled with happy exclamations and welcomes as the group moved from Analise to welcome Havoc just as warmly.
Havoc laughed as he and his cousins did the same fist-bump-hand-slap-finger-grip handshake they’d thought was cool when they were still in high school. He hugged all his uncles, his aunts, and then he did his best not to cry when his mother finally got her chance to hug and kiss him.
Valerie held him close, kissing his cheek repeatedly as she swiped at her tears with the back of one hand. “Don’t you ever, ever stay away that long again,” she scolded.
“I know. I’m sorry, Ma.”
“No excuse for it! Family is family,” she said firmly, nodding her head.
Havoc smiled sadly and nodded to agree with her, but she, and he, and everyone else there knew exactly why he’d stayed away. He’d had to, it was the least he could do. But the pull of needing to feel home again, is what had finally brought him back, even if for only a little while, he was going to enjoy it the best he could.
“Boy, I’m so damn glad to see you,” Maverik said, curving his hand around the back of Havoc’s neck and pulling him in to an embrace.
“Me, too, Daddy,” Havoc said.
Analise watched with a soft smile on her face as everyone greeted Havoc just the same way they’d greeted her.
“I just found out about this about thirty minutes ago, otherwise I’d have warned you,” Emmalyn said.
Analise turned to look at her sister who stood beside her with her arms crossed over her chest as she glared at Havoc from across the room.
Analise bumped her shoulder into Emmalyn's. “It’s okay. I found out just about that long ago, too.”
Emmalyn turned surprised eyes on Analise. “You did? How?”
“We ran into each other in the coffee shop in town.”
Emmalyn raised an eyebrow. “How’d that go?”
“About as you’d expect. But respectful, on both our parts.”
“I think he should have stayed the hell away,” Emmalyn snapped under her breath.
Analise shook her head. “No, it’s okay. I’ve always said it’s his home, too. It’s okay. It’s all good. We can do this. We share the same family and friends and there’s no reason one of us has to be ejected. We’re not kids anymore, and all that happened between us is old news. I’m for just moving on and letting go.”
“So, this anxiousness I’m picking up from you, that’s letting go?” Emmalyn asked as her eyes searched for and pinned Barron with a stare as he laughed and joked with Havoc.
“Yep. Just like the anxiousness I’m picking up from you,” Analise said as she followed her sister’s gaze to where it was focused on Barron.
“Hey! That’s totally different. He’s avoiding me. Won’t even talk to me. What’s up with that?” Emmalyn demanded quietly so no one else would hear.
“Same thing he asked me when you first started avoiding him back in high school,” Analise said, turning her attention to Remi when he approached them.
“Hey, Analise. It’s good to see you,” Remi said.
Analise hugged Remi. “It’s good to see you, too. Can’t believe you’ve grown even taller.”
“Maybe, or maybe you just shrank a little,” he teased.
“You look great, Remi,” Analise said.
“Thank you. You look tired,” Remi answered.
Analise laughed. “I am exhausted,” she admitted.
“Where you coming from?” he asked.
“Malta. I was on a dig there and finished up just in time to leave it to the rest of the team in enough time for me to make it to the airport and get here for tonight.”
“My jet-setting cousin,” he said, giving her a side-hug, trying to hold her close while not quite holding her at all.
Analise noticed, and it piqued her curiosity, but she didn’t mention it.
“Not quite. Your digging in the dirt for old pieces of pottery and statues cousin, maybe. Jet-setting, naw,” she said.
“Yeah, but we both know those little trinkets and pieces of history are your treasures. Lots of other people think the same thing, too.”
“True, working the dream. My dream anyway,” she said.
“Daddy! There’s that nice lady that saved me!” Harley exclaimed.
Analise looked over and found Harley still perched on Havoc’s hip, but waving furiously at her. She smiled at the child and blew her a kiss.
“Saved her? What happened?” Maverik asked, looking back and forth between Havoc and Analise.
“Marie-Claire was threatening Harley. I’d left her sleeping in the cab of the truck when I ran in the store real quick. Harley made a break for the coffee shop thinking I was in there and Analise stepped in.”
“She’s got a princess name.”
Analise smiled. “So do you! Harley! What a strong, proud name! I like your name!” Analise said.
Harley grinned and started shimmying so Havoc would put her down. The minute her feet hit the floor she ran over to Analise and grinned up at her. “My Daddy picked it because he wanted me to be really strong, and independing.”
“Independent?” Analise asked.
“Yes! That’s what I said. But my Aunt Maia says that there’s not a name strong enough for what I am,” Harley said.
“I think I know one. Alpha,” Maverik said, laughing and sweeping the little girl off her feet from behind.
Harley squealed and laughed as Maverik tickled her. “Poppy! Stop!” she laughed squirming almost out of his hands. He stopped tickling her and gave her a quick kiss before handing her to Valerie.
“Why you stopped?” Harley asked, accepting the hugs and kisses from her grandmother as she looked questioningly at Maverik.
“I missed you so much!” Valerie said.
“I missed you, too, Val!” Harley exclaimed, hugging Valerie.
Havoc walked over to where Analise stood with Emmalyn and Remi. He handed the box of pastries to Remi. “Bailey said to give you this for the family and to thank them all for their business during the year.”
Remi smiled as he took the box from Havoc. “Thanks, I’ll tell them.”
Havoc’s gaze, though he’d been speaking to Remi, was pinned to Analise. “I can’t thank you enough, ‘Lise… I mean, Analise, for looking out for Harley. She thinks you’re some kind of warrior princess now,” he said with a grin.
“She is. You know, fights through the pain inflicted on her by even those she trusted most, in order to do right by her own people. Like he should have,” Emmalyn snapped.
“Emmalyn!” Analise barked out.
Emmalyn looked casually over at her sister.
“Go find something to do.”
Emmalyn’s brows came down over her eyes.
“Now,” Analise said.
“Fine.” Emmalyn walked off, only throwing a glance or two at Analise before she focused on Barron again and started trying to force him to speak to her.
Havoc and Analise stood there, looking at each other, neither ready to address the issue between them. The awkwardness became too much for Remi, who kind of lifted the box of pastries he was holding. “I’m gonna go offer these around,” he said, quickly walking away and leaving them to speak or not about all that hung between them.
“I’m sorry about Emmalyn. She’s never quite gotten over the protective younger sister thing…” Analise said.
“Wouldn’t be home without it,” Havoc said.
Analise huffed a laugh. “True.”
“I really didn’t know you were coming home. I’ve heard every year how neither of us comes back, and figured that this year, I’d take a chance and come visit. I miss the holidays at home, you know? And Harley loves stories of us all growing up together. I figured a couple weeks at home would be good for both of us. But if it’s going to make things uneasy for you, we’ll go in the morning. Maia does Christmas up big, so it’s not like we don’t have a place to be just a few hours from here?”
“Nine hours is not a few hours, and don’t be ridiculous. I’m glad you’re here. You should be here, and so should she. She’s precious, by the way.”
“I like to think so,” he said, glancing over to watch his daughter as she animatedly told anyone who would listen about what had happened in the coffee shop. When he turned back to Analise, she was also watching Harley with a genuinely happy smile on her face. His heart warmed at the fact that Analise could look at his daughter the same way everyone else could. He hadn’t known if she’d accept Harley or not because of the way Harley had come to be. It was clear he’d underestimated her, yet again. He watched Analise, unable to look away, as her expression changed.
Havoc turned to see what had her concerned and realized that Brandt and Maverik were speaking quietly, yet intensely in the corner near the front door. “Aw shit,” he mumbled.
“Yeah, maybe you want to stop that,” Analise said.
“I’ll talk to you later, maybe catch up,” Havoc said as he moved away from her and toward the front door Brandt and Maverik had just slipped out of.
Analise nodded. “If I have time. It was good to see you, though, Havoc. I’m really happy you’re doing so well, and so in love with your little girl.”
Havoc stopped in his tracks, his smile faltering as he realized she was telling him goodbye again.
“You’re not leaving?” he asked.
“No! Oh, no. But they are,” she said, lifting her chin to indicate the two who’d just gone out of the door.
He nodded and rushed out of the door, thinking he’d have a chance to talk to her later.