Page 100 of Keeping Penny

“You said yes,” he blurted, his voice sounding weird and scratchy to his own ears.

She looked confused. “What?”

“You said that you’d marry me.”

She smiled then, and Pyro wanted to see that look on her face every day for the rest of his life.

“I did. I love you, Kylo Mullins.”

She didn’t use his real name often, but when she did, it meant something. “I love you too. Bowie’s really okay?”

“She is. She went home and slept for five hours, then she insisted Edge and Jen bring her here so she could see you.”

“She’s here?” Pyro asked, eager to see for himself that the little girl was all right.

“Yeah.”

Then he sobered. “I’m sorry.”

“About what?” Penny asked.

“For what I did. For putting her out that window. For putting your blind six-year-old out into the night, in an unfamiliar area, by herself. It was unforgivable, which I know, but I hope you’ll forgive me anyway. That you’ll both forgive me.”

Penny scowled at him. “Are you kidding me? Pyro, you saved her. You got her out of that basement the two of you were being held in before she could be sold! You gave her explicit directions on how to get to the beach and where to go. You told her exactly what to do, and as a result, she sees the entire thing as some kind of adventure. So no, I won’t forgive you because there’s nothing to forgive. And if you ever say something so stupid again, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”

Pyro grinned. God, he loved this woman. Her words didn’t erase the guilt he felt, but they did go a long way toward making him feel better about the entire situation.

Penny took a breath. “Bowie told me how the men appeared out of nowhere and hit you. I was a little confused how they managed to take you both, but when she said you acted all scared and weak…I got it. You couldn’t fight back when you thought it might get Bowie hurt, could you?” She paused as he shook his head. “But after she was out of harm’s way, you did what you’ve been trained to do. I’m so proud of you, I could burst. But, Pyro, you should know, I can’t live without you. I need you in my life. In my daughter’s life. Please, if you ever find yourself in some other awful, scary situation like that again, don’t stop fighting. No matter what.”

“I won’t,” Pyro vowed. “I heard you say that before I passed out. I need you too, Pen. I never knew what it felt like to love someone so much it consumes my entire being.” He studied her, memorizing her features anew. “You look tired.”

She huffed out a breath. “I am. But I’m not the one who was stabbed and beaten with a bat. How do you feel?”

“High,” Pyro said honestly.

Penny grinned. “They’ve got the good drugs here in the hospital.”

“Yeah.” His eyes felt heavy again. But he was determined not to fall asleep yet. “You said Bowie-Bear is here?”

“Uh-huh. You feel up to seeing her? She’s gonna be overly excited,” Penny warned.

“Yes. I need to see her. See for myself that she’s okay.”

In response, Penny reached into her back pocket and pulled out her cell. She sent off a quick text. “I let Zita know.”

Pyro spent the next few minutes appreciating the feel of Penny’s hand in his, something he hadn’t been sure he’d ever get to feel again.

The door to his room creaked, and then Bowie was there.

“Kylo-Pyro!” she exclaimed, as she was guided into the room by a nurse.

“Here, Bowie-Bear,” he said, using his voice to guide her to him.

The little girl let go of the nurse’s hand and rushed over to the side of the bed. Penny put an arm around her shoulders and hugged her to her side as Bowie reached out.

She touched his hand, then arm, then chest. Then she suddenly looked unsure. “You’re okay?”

“I’m good, sweetheart. Thanks to you. I hear you were amazing. That you said exactly what I told you to and, because of that, my friends were able to come find me. Thank you.”