One Choice (Hogan Brothers 2)

Sage’s gaze was glued to Loch as she walked on through with her head down. Her long-ass dress and huge bulky sweater covered anything that indicated she was a woman, or rather a girl since they suspected she was underage.

“Hi. Welcome!” Sophia’s chipper voice eased the scowl on the mother’s face. “How can we help you?”

The older man ignored Soph and looked between the three brothers before settling on Nox, who didn’t look as young as Loch and definitely wasn’t as beat up as him.

“The engine ticks. My wife says you’ve fixed her vehicle before.”

“Yes, sir, I have. So has Lochlan.” He nodded to the man whose eyes were trying to avoid Sage. “He can give you a hand. I’ve got a phone call on hold that, unfortunately, can’t wait.” Nox walked away before the man could protest.

Loch looked like a deer caught in the headlights. Meanwhile, Sage had the softest smile he’d ever seen on a girl’s face. She may be young, but in her, he saw a girl who was so deeply in love she would do anything for what she wanted.

Clearing his throat, Levi knew this was one of those times he was going to have to step in for Lochlan. “Mr. Marlowe, how about you show my brother and I what you’re talking about, and we’ll try to get you out of here as soon as we can?”

“You work here?” His disdain was crystal clear.

“I’m an owner, actually.”

“Father.” Sage’s delicate voice interrupted the moment, and as soon as the man turned to her, she shrunk back. Loch stiffened. “He was kind last time,” she continued on. Levi doubted the cold man could hear it, but her voice shook with terror.

He turned and walked out, his wife following closely behind. The other man that had come in with them gripped Sage’s arm with such force that Levi had to shoot a warning glare at Loch before he stepped forward and removed the douchebag’s arm from his body.

The entire encounter had both him and Loch on edge after they tightened the vehicle’s battery lines and spark plugs. With a quiet warning to Sage about how dangerous what she was doing could be, the family was gone.

Lochlan looked ready to pound nails after the way she had been treated by the men.

“Don’t do anything stupid, bro,” he warned him as they parted ways in the office. His brother only grunted in response.

Knocking on Nox’s door, Levi entered the room and told him about the family’s weird behavior towards the girl. Nox was just as worried as he was.

“Why are you really here, Levi?”

“I haven’t been happy, Nox.” His brother smirked like it had been obvious. Hell, maybe it was. “I started fighting because I felt empty. Something integral has been missing, and until Hayes knocked me on my ass, I didn’t even know what it was.”

“I assume it’s her?”

“Yes and no. Mostly yes. I don’t feel the same need to drive my fist through another man’s skull as I did a month ago.” He paused, concerned with what he was about to say next. “I love the shop, Nox, and I’m glad we opened it together.”

“But it’s not for you.” Nox finished for him. No condemnation in his voice, only understanding.

“Basically, yeah.”

“What do you want to do?”

Excitement flowed through his veins as he explained the premise behind what would become Hogan’s Cage, the boxing gym he planned to open. The role he wanted Hayes to play in it, and how he wanted Nox and Loch to be a part of it the same way he was with the shop.

“Count me in, kid.” Nox seemed to be just as excited as he was.

“You sure?”

“Hell, yeah.”

The nervousness he’d felt about Nox being pissed at him floated away as he left the shop and went to pick up Hayes. He knew she was going to be upset that he was out of bed, but he didn’t care. He was done lying around. He needed to be planning his gym, he needed to be showing his girl who the man was; not that she didn’t already know.

Being injured was new to him. Aside from bruises and cuts, everything had always been superficial. The pain in his ribs had lessened and dulled but hadn’t dissipated, and as he drove, they were making themselves known.

Parking in front of her school, he had an hour to kill, so he lay across the bench seat in hopes of stretching out and loosening the muscles in his ribs. Unfortunately, it did just the opposite, and by the time she was out, he was a whimpering mess of fucking regret.

She probably should be laughing at him as she watched the way he squirmed around on the front seat of his car. Sophia had sent Hayes a text message just after lunch saying Levi had gone all macho and decided he didn’t need to be at home resting anymore.