Page 15 of Under Fire

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The grumbling noise of Warren’s navy-blue pickup truck polluted the snug streets of a typical So-Cal neighborhood not too far from where he hailed.

He slowed his speed, watching kids preparing to leave their homes on the way to school. The morning’s rays were in full effect, compelling him to draw his dark sunglasses over his tired eyes. He’d been awake for over twenty-six hours, and counting, and was starting to feel wary.

Not that he’d admit it to anyone.

Pulling up in front of a pert yellow and white bungalow, he turned off his engine and jumped out of the truck. It was time to check in on the most important lass in his life. The powerful sound of the V8 had been enough to tip off his target that he’d arrived—a young girl, kindergarten age, ran out of the front door shrieking for him.

“I was afraid you wouldn’t come!” The little girl beamed, soaring into his arms.

Tucking her blonde hair behind her ears, he knelt and tightened his arms around her in a big bear hug. Holding her air-tight against his chest, he reminded her, “Katy, when I tell you that I’ll be here, I’ll be here.”

Standing up slowly, he kept her tiny little hand in his big one, waving at her mother in the doorway with his other hand.

“We better get on our way.” He shot Brooke a tired grin. “I’ll be back in a few.”

Brooke smiled, waving back as Warren steered Katy down the cracked sidewalk toward her school.

“So, little miss—how’s your day going?” He squeezed her soft hand as he held it in his paw.

She beamed up to him. “Good! I had Chex for breakfast!”

Warren let out an honest laugh, feeling her infectious optimism. She hummed a nursery rhyme as they walked the short distance to her school, like they did every morning when he was back on home soil. Going long stretches without seeing her was so damn brutal—and they’d been in that holding pattern for almost five years.

As they got a little closer to the school yard and he knelt down to give her a hug, she whispered into his ear.

“When are you leaving again?” Katy pulled back, blinking her bright blue eyes at him.

Her innocent question and expectant expression nearly drove him to choke. His throat constricted and face tightened, but he held it together.

“Soon,” he admitted.

“But, why?”

“I told you, little miss. I have to go on a big plane to another place for a little while.”

“Please, stay.” Tears sprang to her eyes.

He leaned in, kissing her wispy, impish hair, holding her tiny skull underneath his. He couldn’t watch her cry. Not again.For fuck’s sake.

She sputtered. “Please, please, please—”

“Katy, I’m always here for you. I’m always going to be here for you,” he assured her.

Katy looked down, kicking at a small rock.

In a small voice, she whispered, “I miss Daddy.”

“I miss your daddy, too,” Warren’s voice grew gruff, crackling.

She licked her lips and a tear fell out. Warren grabbed her little body, squeezing her against him. He guessed Katy wouldn’t even remember her dad. She’d been just a baby when he’d died. But, she still talked about how much she missed him. And Warren couldn’t fucking stand it. He wanted to make everything bad go away. He’d never loved someone so much as he loved that little girl.

The bell tolled in the schoolyard, and Warren let out a deep breath, adjusting the straps on Katy’s tiny pink backpack.

“Will you pick me up after school?” she tried to smile.

“I absolutely will.” He grinned at her. “And it’s Friday, so—”

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