One Chance (Hogan Brothers 1)

“Sweetheart, take a drink.” Nox held a water bottle out for her. After a quick sip, the cool liquid helped calm some of her nerves. Not everything, though, because now all she could think about was her mother attacking her.

“She’s behind everything, isn’t she?” The quiet in the room confirmed her suspicions.

A knock on the door followed by, “Boss, they’re here,” had her finally sitting up straight.

“Mr. Hogan.” Her father walked in with Braxton right behind him.

“You still want to protect Soph, I assume.” Nox pulled no punches with that comment.

“Of course.” Her father’s brows furrowed in consternation.

“Your wife is off her fucking rocker. Get her committed and find out what the fuck she has planned for your daughter. After today, I can guarantee things will go to shit. Whatever the fuck you did, you need to fix.” His words left no room for argument.

“What happened?” Braxton asked before her father could.

“What happened is that cunt came into my shop, caused a shit storm of trouble with my employees then sweet little Soph found her backbone and basically invited the bitch to kill her.” His angered words made her think back to her own, and she couldn’t deny it.

“Oh, what did I do?” she moaned into her hands as she covered her face.

“Relax, Soph.” Nox still sounded so angry with her.

“You need me to stick around?” Braxton asked, his question directed at her.

How did she say yes without it sounding like she didn’t trust Lennox to keep her safe?

“Yes,” Nox blurted before she could answer. Relief swamped her as he exerted control once again. When he took over, she didn’t feel like the burden she’d always felt like at home. With him, she considered herself an equal half of a whole.

“Done.” Her father agreed. “Sophia?” He waited until she looked at him before saying to her, “I’m sorry you’re caught up in this. I’m sorry I haven’t protected you better.”

“Me too,” she whispered back as he stood to leave.

“When this is all over, I would like to try again to be the father you deserve. If you’ll let me?” The sheer emotion emitting from his words spoke to his sincerity, and she knew she would give anything to make sure they had the chance for a do-over.

“I’d like that.” She gave him a faint smile.

“I’ll be back tonight. I’m going to scope out your neighborhood and check the tracking device I have on Rebecca’s car. See where she’s been the past few days,” Braxton informed them before leaving with her father.

As the door closed behind them, her breath left her in a whoosh. When Nox said, “I’m so fucking pissed at you, Soph,” tears pooled in her eyes.

“I’m sorry,” she replied, not even having to ask what he was angry about.

“Why would you do that? Knowing how fucked up she is.”

“I don’t know.”

&nb

sp; His body crowded hers as he pushed her back on the sofa. “And you’re dead fucking wrong about one thing, sugar,” he growled into her throat, stealing her breath as he began kissing her.

“What?” She asked breathlessly.

“You do belong to someone.” His kisses were more demanding as he began sucking her skin.

“I do?”

“Me, Soph. Every delectable inch of this gorgeous body is mine. All” kiss “Fucking” suck “Mine.”

“Okay.” She acquiesced to his command.