She saw him. After looking him up and down, just as he had her, relief filled her expression. The last to leave, she came down the ladder after an older woman.

Just as she set foot on the ground, a loud explosion shook the building.

Scooping her up, Hawk sprinted after Bull, who’d grabbed the older woman

On the other side of the street, Hawk set Kit on her feet, keeping a hand under her arm, just in case. “You good?”

“Yes.” She leaned against him for a moment. “Thank you. Again.”

“Can’t think of anyone I’d rather rescue.” The words were out before he could recall them.

She blinked, then color swept across her face.

And she smiled at him.

Another boom sounded.

“Seems the bastards got their explosives planted.” Bull set the older lady down. “You okay, ma’am?”

“No. But thank you.” Tears streaked the woman’s face. She hurried over to join the others.

Unhappiness filled Bull’s expression. “I must have hurt her when I—”

“You didn’t hurt her, Bull,” Kit said softly. “Mary’s husband is the explosives expert in the PZs. It’s hard to realize your husband of thirty years is willing to kill you rather than let you go.”

Hawk froze. The fucking son of a bitch.

He saw the same fury in Bull’s expression. And the sadness in Kit’s face. She’d only been married to her bastard of a husband for a few months, but yeah, she must know what Mary was feeling.

Fuck if he knew what to say. Instead, he ran a hand down her back and then set himself to checking out the damage to her arm.

Kit wasn’t sure how much time had passed. Rather than traumatize the women with a trip to the station, the police had interviewed them at the neighbor’s house where they had the support of the shelter staff and each other. It wasn’t as if there was any mystery to what happened. During the questions, Arella, a shelter volunteer, had burst into tears and confessed she’d let a “boyfriend” inside.

A nice female officer had spoken with Kit, then handed her to the paramedics to get her arm bandaged.

Waiting for the police to finish talking with Hawk and Bull, Kit spotted Bull’s SUV moving past a cop at the barricaded road.

Hope rose inside her.

The SUV stopped behind the police cars. Frankie jumped out and opened the back door where Aric was in his booster seat.

As Kit ran forward, she could hear him screaming, “Mama!”

The second he was out of the car, Kit dropped to her knees and hugged him. “Baby.”

His arms were around her neck, half strangling her. “Mamaaaaa.” He was crying uncontrollably.

A sob choked her as she pressed her cheek to his hair. All she wanted was to break down and cry with him.