“It’s how you learn. Watch how Hawk automatically checks out a room.” Gabe motioned to Aric. “Your son too. They’re probably better than any of us.”

Kit’s brows drew together, and she turned to Hawk again. “Why you and Aric?”

Even if it felt like he was ripping scabs off old wounds, she deserved an answer. “Beatings. You mark out the quickest way to escape. It’s instinctive.”

“I don’t have that instinct.”

He wanted to take her hand, to comfort her. Instead, he gave her honesty. “You weren’t allowed to escape. Kids…it’s their first defense.”

“Aric is good at it,” she whispered. “He needed to be.” Pain and guilt showed in her eyes as she looked at Aric. She hadn’t been able to defend him.

Then her gaze lifted to Hawk’s, and he could see she’d realized what he had in common with her son. As children, they’d been forced to escape from adults.

Rather than pity, her expression showed only respect. “Then I’ll keep learning from you…and Aric.”

Damned if he could find the right words to say. He just nodded.

“Good enough,” Gabe said in approval. “How about getting you a pistol?”

“No, but thank you.” She smiled at the three women in the room before telling Gabe, “They offered to teach me, but…quite honestly, I don’t think I could shoot someone. Hit them, yes. Shoot, no.”

Gabe glanced at Hawk, who nodded. He’d already gotten that read on her, but it was impressive she knew her limits.

“In that case.” Gabe turned to Frankie and JJ. “When she can move better, work with her on self-defense. Escaping if grabbed. Running.”

“Sweet.” Frankie grinned at her friend. “I’ve been trying to get you to learn since forever. Now you’re stuck.”

JJ laughed. “I have some evil moves that work for women our size. It’ll be fun.”

“Oh, boy.” Kit chewed on her lip, then nodded. “Okay. I don’t like being helpless—I’d appreciate your instruction.”

She wasn’t a fighter, Hawk knew. Didn’t have a predatory bone in her body, but she had an internal strength he respected. She’d push herself to gain the skills needed to protect herself and her son.

Not that she’d need to use those skills. Not while he was around.

Bull gave her a nod. “At the shelter, once you got outside, you pulled it together. You figured out that being on the roof would put you out of reach. You got the women up there and kept the PZs from following. Good job.”

The pink that crept into her cheeks made her face glow.

Hawk’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t used to hearing she’d done good, was she? He knew how that felt. As a kid, he’d fucking cried the first time the sarge had said, “Good job.”