Forsaken (Protectors #4)

Mav

“Thor would so kick Hawkeye’s butt,” I declared as I shot the man across from me a challenging smile.

“Nuh-uh,” Matty interjected as he sat up in his hospital bed and searched out the Hawkeye doll that he always had close by along with the well-used Spiderman doll. “Hawkeye has a bow and arrows,” he said quickly as he pointed to the quiver of arrows on the Hawkeye doll’s back. “He could shoot Thor before Thor even knew what hit him,” Matty insisted. “Isn’t that right, Papa?” Matty asked as he turned his attention on the man sitting on the other side of the bed.

I didn’t miss the way Hawke’s whole body drew up tight when Matty referred to him that way and I suspected it was a relatively new thing. I also suspected Hawke loved every second of it. “That’s right,” Hawke managed to get out, though his voice was heavy with emotion.