Chapter 2 #4
“Okay, Mommy.” Then she lurched forward and gave Pyro another long hug. Her little arms around his neck made Pyro’s throat feel tight. She was open and honest, and he’d never felt so…loved.
When was the last time he’d had a hug? Pyro couldn’t remember. As a foster kid, he didn’t get a lot of affection growing up, and once he’d joined the Army, hugs were definitely in short supply.
Bowie smiled in the direction of Edge and Chaos, then turned to walk back toward her and her mom’s cots, the plastic bag in her small fist swinging at her side.
“She’s amazing,” Pyro told Penny softly, once she was back at the cots safely.
“She is,” Penny said.
“What more do you need?” he asked after he stood.
She looked confused. “Need?”
“Bowie said there was a shirt, pants, and socks in the bag. Not much else. What do you need?”
“Nothing.”
Pyro lifted a brow.
“Honestly, we’re good. We don’t need much. As long as she’s safe, I’m happy.”
Pyro realized she was completely serious.
In that moment, he recognized something in her that felt familiar.
The insistence that she was good, didn’t need anything from anyone, even though it was more than obvious she and her daughter had literally nothing.
No belongings. Just the free handout from the US government and the clothes they were wearing.
How many times had he told social workers the same thing? That he was fine. Didn’t need anything. If you took something from someone, they usually wanted something in return. And he didn’t like to be anyone’s debt.
It had been a long time since he’d felt that way, especially now that he had his fellow Night Stalkers at his back, but he remembered the feeling all too well.
“Give us a minute?” he asked Chaos and Edge.
They didn’t hesitate to take his not-so-subtle hint that he wanted a moment with Penny.
“It was nice meeting you and your daughter,” Chaos said immediately.
“We need to get going and catch a few Z’s before we head out. You’re raising an amazing young lady, Penny. You should be so proud of her,” Edge said.
“I am. And thank you.”
With that, his friends turned and headed for the door that led out of the hangar.
Now that he was alone with Penny, Pyro felt tongue-tied. He’d had all sorts of intentions of asking her the million questions he had about her past, what she’d do when she got back to the US, how her husband had died…but he couldn’t seem to ask a single one.
“You’re going back out tonight? In the dark?”
He smiled a little at that. “We’re not called Night Stalkers for nothing,” he quipped.
But she didn’t even smile.
“We’ll be fine. It’ll actually be safer in the dark. It’s harder to hit something you can’t see.”
As soon as the words were out of his mouth, Pyro regretted them—mostly because Penny frowned and looked even more worried than she had seconds before.
“I just…I’ll worry about you.”
Pyro blinked, flabbergasted. He’d just met this woman, and yet she’d worry about him?
He couldn’t remember anyone worrying about him in the recent past. Hell, in his life.
He’d always been kind of a loner, and it wasn’t as if any of the families he’d lived with had cared too much what he was doing.
As long as he was respectful, followed their rules, and didn’t rock the boat in their household, they’d left him alone.
Meaning, they didn’t really pay him much attention.
And when he’d joined the Army, he didn’t have anyone to worry about how he was doing in Basic Training, or while training to become a pilot, and then going through Night Stalker training.
When he’d started going on missions, there was no one at home to say “be careful” or “stay safe.”
This woman knew him for, what, a couple of hours? And she was worrying about him doing what was pretty much a routine evacuation? Yes, they’d been shot at earlier today, but that was nothing new.
Pyro made a decision right there and then. He’d make sure this woman and her child were safe and settled, wherever they ended up back in the States. He’d find out what the plan was for the evacuees, and he’d help Penny and Bowie get to wherever she wanted to go.
“Pyro?” she said with a small frown.
“Thank you,” he said belatedly. “For worrying. I’m going to send some things down for you and Bowie.
” He held up his hand when she opened her mouth.
He just knew she was going to protest. But after seeing how excited her daughter was over a scratchy, cheap T-shirt and a freaking toothbrush, he decided that he could do better.
Much better. The need to take care of them was an insistent gnawing in his gut.
He wouldn’t be able to leave on their next rescue mission without giving in to the feelings rolling inside him.
“You can tell Bowie they’re more welcome gifts from the ship, or you can tell her I sent them. It doesn’t matter. I just want to do this for you both.”
“I…Thank you.”
His muscles relaxed when he realized she wasn’t going to turn down his offer of help. He had no idea what a six-year-old might like from the ship’s commissary, but he also had a feeling he could give her a rock and she’d think it was the most amazing gift she’d ever received.
Penny’s gaze dropped for a moment, then she took a deep breath and looked up at him.
“I know we don’t know each other at all, but if it wouldn’t be too weird, can I give you a thank you hug?
For being so gentle with Bowie? For not treating her as if she’s disabled.
And for being an awesome pilot and getting us off that roof safely? ”
Pyro was once more at a loss for words. A hug from Bowie was amazing. But getting one from her mom?
He had a feeling his life was about to be turned upside down.
He nodded.
And the second Penny’s arms went around him, he knew for certain that his life had changed.
His skin felt electrified. Her hands on his back felt like brands. He wasn’t a very tall man at five-seven, but she was still tiny against him, and he felt ten feet tall at that moment.
Almost as soon as the hug started, she stepped back. Pyro wanted to protest, pull her back into his arms, but that would make him a creeper. And the last thing he wanted to do was give this woman any reason to steer clear of him.
He smiled at her, his grin feeling a little lopsided.
“Thanks,” she said softly and a little shyly.
“You’re welcome.” He wanted to ask if she and Bowie would have breakfast with him, but suddenly he felt overwhelmed by his feelings.
God, what was he doing? He’d just met this woman. Literally knew nothing about her. And his job wasn’t exactly conducive to relationships.
Shit, relationships? He’d known this woman for two-point-three seconds. There was no way she was thinking about anything other than making sure her daughter was safe and what lie ahead of them. She’d lost whatever job she had and would probably have to start over in the States.
Not knowing what else to say, Pyro nodded at her and took a step back. She took the hint, gave him another small smile, and turned to walk toward Bowie, who was sitting patiently on one of the two cots they were assigned.
Spinning around, Pyro stalked toward the exit. He needed air. Needed to get his head on straight.
But he couldn’t help but stop at the door and look back.
He expected to see Penny talking to Bowie, or see them headed for the bathrooms at the other end of the hangar. But instead, she was standing just a few feet from where he’d left her, staring back at him.
The need to go back to her was strong. But Pyro simply gave her a chin lift, then reached for the door handle. He should go to the bunk room and lie down for an hour or so, like his teammates were doing.
Instead, he found himself heading for the twenty-four-hour commissary. He had no idea what he’d get for the mother-daughter duo, but he wouldn’t be able to sleep or concentrate until he’d done something, as promised.
Maybe he’d just get them each another shirt, or more pairs of socks. But he wouldn’t go overboard.