Page 46 of Flyboy
"Fine. But this really puts a crimp in my life."
"Puts a crimp... Just what the hell have you been doing?"
"I'm writing a program for that course I'm doing, and I need to know weaknesses in systems so I can make mine as impenetrable as possible."
He was back to blinking. She blew his mind. "You're working on a security program?"
"Yeah, Michael says I'm really good at this stuff and I really, really like coding so…" She shrugged.
Jack didn't know what to say. He'd had no idea she was skilled enough to get into the DMV. On a borrowed computer in a library that probably didn't even have the latest technology. He shook his head. They'd discuss it later. With Roark. "Back to your birthday. Do you want a party?"
"Will Lyssa be upset if I say no?"
"Definitely not. She wants you to have whatever you want."
"What if what I want isn't a party or a present?"
"Pen." He pushed off the desk and walked over to her, crouching in front of her. "Tell me what you want."
She swallowed. "A family."
Jack kept his expression the same, but on the inside her request killed him. He drew in a breath. "You have a family."
"It's not a very good one."
"It's the best one." If he could just get her to see what her sister was doing for her and why, she'd see that having Alyssa made up for all of Gina's shortcomings. "You have a sister who will do anything to make sure you're safe."
"I want her to do anything to makeushappy."
He could understand that; hell, he wanted them to be happy too. And they would be. Once they made sure Penny—and Lys—never had to deal with Gina again. "You will be. After the court grants Lys permanent guardianship, the two of you will be able to relax."
"What about you? You said you were family."
He had. Maybe not in those exact words but the sentiment was there, and he meant it. "I am. You'll always have me. No matter what happens between me and your sister, you'll always have me."
"Promise?"
This was one of the rare times Penny's age actually showed. He needed to remember, no matter how mature she acted, she was only fourteen. "I promise. Remember what you asked me the other day?" At her nod he went on, "If you still want me to look into that after things are settled, we will."
In a blink she was in his arms, hers thrown around his neck squeezing tight. "Thank you. Yes. I want that."
She'd never voluntarily hugged him before, and it took him a moment to get words through his thick throat. "Okay, then that's what we'll do."
He didn't care what Lys thought about it. Then again, maybe he should suggest she adopt Penny as well. Could she do that if she already had guardianship? Something to think about after they got Gina out of their lives permanently. He made a mental note to ask Keaton about it.
"Thank you," Penny murmured with a final squeeze before letting go and leaning back in her chair. "I should get to bed. It's getting late and I've got school tomorrow."
It wasn't that late, but he understood she needed to think about what they'd said. Shit,heneeded to think about it. That and the woman upstairs in the bed he'd spent the week sleeping in alone.
He didn't care what Lys thought or wanted. They'd be sharing that bed tonight. There was no way he'd move into the guest room Mrs. A had been putting together with his furniture. Not after sleeping in the master suite since they'd moved in.
"Oh, by the way, Roark will be here tomorrow." He stood and moved back to the desk. "He'll have something for you to carry on you at all times and, for now, if you leave the house, he'll go with you."
"Why?" she asked, getting to her feet. "What happened?"
"Nothing happened."
"Don't lie. If nothing happened, and this is normal, then Roark would have followed us home after Vegas."
