Savage Intentions (2nd in Savage Series)

Chapter Ten

"I'm sorry, kiddo." Brian said putting his hat on his head. "I was trying to punish the damn mutt for tearing my hat up. I didn't mean to kick you." Allie held Janna tight against her with one hand and rubbed her throbbing leg with the other.

"It is time for you to leave." Hawke said in a voice so full of ice that it would have frozen the very fires of hell themselves. Brian nodded and blew out a long puff of smoke on Allie's face causing her to cough.

"Sorry about kicking you, kiddo." he said again and only Allie could see the cold smile on his face that told her he really was not at all sorry. She shivered and he replaced the cold smile with a real one when he turned to face Jack and Hawke.

"I'll be going. Jack, you want to ride with me into town?" he asked. Jack looked at Hawke and Allie and then nodded.

"Yeah sure." he said. Brian walked out the door and Jack was about to follow him when Allie quickly walked to him and grabbed his arm.

"Jack, I don't like him." she said. Jack jerked away from her.

"He's my brother, Allie." he said matter of factly. Allie bit her lip and hugged Janna tighter against her.

"He hurt me, Jack." she said quietly. Jack was kind of pissed about that himself but it had been an accident.

"He didn't mean to. That stupid pup of yours chewed up his hat. You should have let him kick her instead of jumping in front of her like that." he said. Allie felt her own anger rise. Not only had he called her puppy stupid but he was talking to her as if she was just some stupid child. He had never talked to her that way before.

"What is wrong with you? You haven't known that man for more than a few hours and already your acting different." Jack rolled his eyes.

"I'm not acting different, Allie, you're just being too darn sensitive." he replied impatiently.

"Have fun with your brother." Allie snapped and then she turned on her heel and stormed into her bedroom, slamming the door behind her. Jack fought the urge to run after her. He didn't want Allie to be mad at him but she didn't seem to understand just how big of a deal finally having his brother back was to him. He sighed and grabbed his hat off the hook on the wall and was about to walk out the door when Hawke spoke up.

"Jack."

"What?" Jack asked bracing himself for the lecture he was sure to get for making Allie angry.

"Remember who it is that cares about you." Hawke said and Jack was taken aback by the gentleness in his tone. He'd never heard Hawke sound that way before. At least not when he was talking to him.

"Don't lecture me, Hawke." Jack replied pulling his hat onto his head.

"Remember who was there when you needed them. It was not your brother." Hawke replied calmly. Jack snorted with anger.

"Shut up. You don't know what you're talking about. You don't have a clue about what happened when he was twelve so stop acting like you know everything. You think just because you're an Indian and you know a lot about surviving on your own that you know everything there is to know but you don't know a damn thing."

"Neither do you." Hawke replied sadly. Jack's face turned blood red in his anger and he turned and stormed out the door without another word. Hawke watched Jack and Brian ride away and shook his head sadly. The boy was heading down a dark road and there was nothing anyone could to stop him.

"I told you this was going to happen." Lily said from the bedroom door. Hawke turned to see her standing there with tears on her cheeks as she nursed Sarah. Hawke went to her and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. Lily saw the sadness in his eyes and she ran her free hand through his shoulder length black hair.