One Chance (Hogan Brothers 1)

They walked back to his shop hand in hand, evening plans set. He couldn’t wait for the end of business.

“Hey, boss,” Joey called to him from one of the open bay doors. A look of uncertainty on his face. Nox’s first instinct was to protect Soph from his sharp tongue. Despite what he’d like to do, he couldn’t fire the other man because decent mechanics were hard to find. So, he did his best to keep the man away from her.

“Go on inside, sweetheart, I’ll be there in a minute,” he told her with a kiss on the cheek. Walking over to the man, he asked, “What’s up?”

Joey looked around for a moment before answering. “I’m sorry about being a dick to her. My girl cheated on me, and I’ve been in a shitty mood.” His voice held a hint of fear, confusing Nox.

“Show her respect, and we’re good, Joey.” He was raised to be the better man.

As he went to turn away, Joey grabbed his arm. “There’s someone in there looking for her,” he rushed to say.

Not waiting for more information, Nox hurried inside. He didn’t know what to expect. Preparing for the worst, he was shocked to see Braxton and her father standing at the front desk. Looking around, he didn’t immediately see Sophia.

“Loch took her in your office, boss,” Mac told him, apparently catching onto his panic.

“Thanks, Mac.” Ignoring the two men standing there waiting, he went straight for his door.

Soph was in his desk chair, bent over. Loch was trying to soothe her.

“What happened?” he barked at his brother.

“She panicked, man. Straight up knees weak, breath gone, deer in the headlights look panicked.” Loch sounded every bit as unnerved as she was.

“Thanks, man,” he told his brother dismissively.

“Want me to get rid of them?”

He thought about it for a second. The fact that her father was there gave him pause. “Not yet. Make ‘em wait.”

As the door closed behind Loch, he knelt in front of his love. Her whispered, “Please don’t force me to go back,” nearly broke him. Her little body was vibrating with her fear of returning to her cold childhood home.

“Not in a million damn years, baby. You’re mine, and there ain’t nothing going to change that.”

“Why are they here?” Figuring it was a rhetorical question, he remained silent. Pulling her into his arms, they sat on the floor in silence as she got her emotions under control. As much as he wanted to fix everything bad in her life, he knew she had to face this one thing with him by her side. It had to be her choice to stay. If she chose to leave, well then, he’d make the decision for her.

Seeing her father and Braxton in the office as Lennox left to speak to Joey, shook Sophia up more than she ever imagined. Running away from them left her feeling more foolish than anything.

Never in a million years did she expect her father to make an appearance where she was concerned. If anything, she’d half expected her mother to show up with men holding a straitjacket out for her. It wouldn’t be shocking if she did at some point, either.

Her father looked…old, sad, when she saw him. Braxton

appeared tired and annoyed, which for him she’d quickly learned was normal.

A knock on the door had her head swiveling in that direction as Nox called out, “Come in.” Panic sought to threaten her control again as she heard the door open, footsteps enter, and the snick of the latch closing again.

Nox stood to greet who she assumed were her father and Braxton while she remained hidden like a six-year-old. She didn’t feel too far off from that age either. She used to hide from her mother all the time. This felt no different.

“Sophia,” her father called her name softly.

Closing her eyes, she rose to her feet as Nox grabbed her hand in his, showing his support. She fought to bring her eyes up to meet his. She’d had it beaten into her most of her life that she didn’t have or deserve the respect it shows.

When their gazes finally met, the picture she had seen before her made her incredibly sad. Her father had always been a huge imposing presence—larger than life, hard—now, he looked beaten down and despondent. So much so that she rushed to his side. When his arms wrapped around her, held her to his body, she felt the wall of tears she’d been fighting to hold onto for what seemed like years, fall. His fingers dug into her back, and she didn’t care because he was holding her, rocking her, treating her like the daughter she never felt she was. There were so many secrets and lies in their home, Sophia hadn’t believed she’d ever experience this moment.

“I have some things to tell you, Sophia,” he whispered in her ear. His voice full of so much pain and regret it was palpable in the air.

Pulling back, she wiped the tears from her face as Nox walked up behind her, gripping her hips. She could feel the tense muscles in his upper body as her father took a few deep breaths.

“Sit down before you fall down, you fool.” Braxton berated the older man.