Page 6 of Heart of a Hero

“Right. I don’t suppose you know of anything? A church or something who might help us? Or perhaps a…” I didn’t want to say the word shelter. I’d heard horror stories about some of them.

“Shelter?” he asked.

I nodded, trying not to wince, but I couldn’t afford to be picky at this point. He glanced at Taylor, then took a step closer to me, lowering his voice.

“Not to tell you what to do, but you don’t want to take her to one of those. This town has had its share of human trafficking, not to mention there are several gangs in the area and a big drug problem. They open the doors at that place to anyone who needs a bed, as long as they have space for them.”

I’d feared as much. “Then what should we do?”

Tears pricked my eyes and I blinked, trying to hold them back. Why did things like this have to happen to me? My life seemed to be a series of misfortunes, one after the other.

“I know we just met, and you have no idea if I’m a good person or not, but… if you really need a place to crash, somewhere safe, I have a spare room at my apartment. There’s a bed in there, even a TV. And a lock on the door.”

Was he seriously offering for us to go home with him? And what did he mean I didn’t know if he was a good person? He’d just saved us from a burning building. It didn’t escape my notice he and his friend had been the only two who’d dared to even attempt a rescue. I’d even heard another firefighter mutter something about them disobeying orders. Which meant the person in charge had intended to let us burn to death. It didn’t exactly give me warm fuzzies.

“Are you sure?” I asked.

“Positive. If it will make you feel better, you can give your information to my captain, and we’ll tell him where you’ll be staying. You can also call anyone you know and tell them my name and I’ll give them my phone number and address. Whatever it takes for you to feel safe.”

Jesus. Was this man for real? He took hero to a whole new level. But I wasn’t going to turn away this precious opportunity. I’d meant it when I told the apartment manager I’d have to live on the street with Taylor if he didn’t help us. Instead, the man who’d saved our lives was stepping up once more. I didn’t know why he’d been put in my path or what drove him to enter the building tonight, but I’d forever be grateful to him.

“We’d be happy to accept,” I said.

“Then let’s go talk to my captain. We’ll make sure he has your info, and he already knows where I live and how to reach me. Is there anyone you want to call?”

I shook my head. I talked to my co-workers a little, but I didn’t exactly have friends. I didn’t know anyone else my age who had kids, much less a five-year-old. My life had been difficult to say the least, and I had a hard time connecting with people close to my age. Hell, I could barely connect with people at all. Needless to say, I typically had trust issues, but something about this man made me feel like we’d be fine if we stayed with him.

I only hoped he didn’t prove me wrong, like everyone else in my life had so far.

* * *

Dawson

The orange glow of the streetlights cast eerie shadows across Nora and Taylor’s soot-streaked faces as we hurried up the steps to my apartment. Taylor clung to her mother’s leg, her wide blue eyes darting around nervously. I could only imagine the horrors these two had been through tonight. Hell, I’d seen part of it firsthand. Running into a burning building might be a normal thing for me, but it had to be terrifying for a kid.

I fitted my key into the lock and pushed open the door. “Come on in,” I said gently, ushering them inside.

Nora hesitated on the threshold, her arms wrapped protectively around her chest. “Are you sure this is okay? We don’t want to impose…”

“It’s no imposition at all,” I assured her. “I’ve got plenty of space. You’ll be safe here, I promise.”

After a moment, Nora nodded and stepped inside, guiding Taylor by the hand. I flicked on the lights, illuminating the spacious open-concept living room. “So this is the main room. That couch is brand-new, and over there is a 65-inch flat screen. Remote’s on the coffee table if you want to watch something later.”

I glanced at Nora to gauge her reaction, but her expression was unreadable as her dark eyes scanned the room. What must she be thinking right now?

Taylor gasped and ran over to the entertainment center, her earlier apprehension forgotten. “Mommy, look! He has so many movies!” She turned to me, bouncing on her heels. “Can we watchFrozen? Please, please, please?”

I smiled at her enthusiasm. At least someone appreciated my movie collection. “Maybe tomorrow, sweetie. It’s pretty late. Let’s get you and your mom settled in for the night first, okay?”

Taylor’s face fell slightly but she nodded. “Okay.”

I took a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves fluttering in my stomach. Having them here, in my space -- it felt surreal. But I had to focus on getting them what they needed right now.

“The guestroom and bathroom are just down that hallway,” I said, pointing. “I’ll show you.”

As I led them farther into the apartment, I prayed that I was doing the right thing by taking them in. It was a huge responsibility, but I was determined to keep Nora and Taylor safe, no matter what it took. They had already been through too much. It wasn’t like I could leave them on the street, and it had sounded like that’s where they’d have had to sleep tonight.

As we made our way down the hallway, Taylor skipped ahead, her blonde curls bouncing with each step. She paused at the entrance to the guest room, peeking inside with wide, curious eyes.

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