Kennedy's Redemption (The Protectors 3)

“Hmmm, sorry been on a few trips to London lately. Can’t remember everyone. Now, if you’ll excuse us, our girlfriend is trying to sleep,” Linc told him dismissively.

The fucker just couldn’t take a hint, though. “You like to share, do you?”

Kennedy chose that moment to wake up, of course. “Lincoln,” she moaned looking up to him.

“Yeah, Sunshine?” he whispered, not really wanting the clueless steward to share any part of her.

“Kiss me.” Bold. He liked it. Leaning down he threaded one hand through her hair, pulling her in his lap with the other and firmly planting his lips on hers. She was soft and warm under his lips as he kissed her softly, sweetly.

He enjoyed her soft and sweet side almost as much as her passionate side. When she reached a hand out to pull Creed to her, pulling away from him, she leaned towards his brother kissing him just as softly as she had Linc.

He caught the steward stomping off from the corner of his eye and laughed. Softly leaning into her hair to breathe in her sweet scent, he whispered, “I fucking love you, Sunshine.” Placing a kiss under her ear, she tensed up at his words before relaxing into their arms again.

·?•? ?•?·

Ten hours later in the

early morning heat of the Texas sun, she was home. It was heart-warming to be back in Austin. To feel the Texas heat on her skin and to take in all the things that she forgot she loved about the great state.

She was jumpy with anticipation to discover her home again through new eyes. To see the things she’d missed most.

“Doing ok, Sunshine?” Creed asked from behind her as he wound his arms around her waist.

Nodding her head, she wasn’t sure how to put into words what she was feeling about being home again. Would they hate her? Would they forgive her for leaving? Could she handle it? The same questions swirled around in her head like a broken record.

As Linc pulled up in their big black SUV, she took one last deep breath before climbing in. While they loaded their luggage in the back, she took a look at her surroundings absorbing everything in while it was untouched by any negativity.

“Ready?” Creed asked climbing in the driver’s seat as Linc climbed in the back with her. At her nod, they took off for Nate and Ty’s place. She hoped they wouldn’t overwhelm her at five in the morning after an extremely long travel.

·?•? ?•?·

It wasn’t long after they pulled out of the airport that Kennedy had fallen asleep in Linc’s lap. Creed tried to keep the drive as light as possible so she could get some much-needed rest. She might not have realized they’d been watching her so closely, but they caught onto every nervous fidget on the plane as soon as they’d hit US airspace. She was nervous, had every right to be but didn’t need to be.

He had complete faith that her family would treat her exactly the way she needed, and that wasn’t like some injured little girl. He and Linc had made it very clear that she was terrified of what their expectations of her would be, and everyone had assured them that she would be treated no differently than if she’d only gone on a long vacation.

It helped that they had warned them all if at any time they felt she was overwhelmed or letting her fear take control they would take her out of there. Also, that she wasn’t staying anywhere than at the farmhouse they’d bought months ago when they’d started searching for her.

Slowing down at the drive of Nate and Ty’s house Creed came to a stop, only to be greeted by two men staring him down with shotguns. As soon as he got out her brothers almost dropped their guns in shock.

“Kennedy?” Nate asked worriedly.

“She’s sleeping. Asked to come here first. She knew you guys would respect her wishes to get some rest before she had to endure the Spanish inquisition,” he warned them.

“Of course,” Ty told him.

They were shell-shocked. More so than he’d ever seen them before. He understood it, but it didn’t mean he’d back off in protecting her, though.

Going to the side of the SUV, he opened the back door to help Linc wake Kennedy up. Turns out she doesn’t like to be woken up, says it has to be a natural awakening.

“Sunshine,” Creed whispered softly into her ear. “We’re here. Nate and Ty are waiting on you.” Running his fingers down her cheek, she started to wake up. Once her eyes fluttered open, he saw the nerves hit her instantly. “We’re not leaving you for a second, Kennedy.”

Nodding her head, she sat up accepting his hand to step out of the SUV. Once her feet hit the ground, she nearly fell. Leaning into him she held him around the waist tightly as they stepped back so Linc could climb out and shut the door.

“Ken,” Nate whispered in wonder.

“You know I hate that, Nat,” she teased using the nickname he hated. He could hear the emotion in her voice that she was trying to hold onto. When Nate started walking closer, her entire body tensed up and she started to shake almost violently.

Creed held her tighter telling her, “I’m here, Sunshine,” just as Linc came to her other side, molding his front to her back so she felt protected on all sides. At the sense of her relaxation he nodded his head at Nate to come closer again.