“Then let it be my mistake,” Panther said.
There was a long pause, and I wondered what was happening inside that room. Panther was no doubt getting one of those epic death stares from Daddy-o, and I had to admit that hearing him stand up to his dad was another mark in the fuckin’ hot category.
“Don’t cry to me when this all blows up in your face,” Captain Hughes growled, and then the door slammed open and I hugged the wall as he stormed out. Thank God he went the opposite way, because I had a feeling if he’d seen me in that moment, looks would’ve killed.
RIP Solo.
I waited for Panther, not entirely sure what I’d say when I saw him, but figuring a “thanks for defending me to Captain Asshole” might be in order. When a couple of minutes went by and Panther still hadn’t walked out, I peered around the door.
With one hand low on his hips and the other on his forehead where he leaned against the window, he gazed out at the airfield in the distance. What was he thinking? It seemed like a private moment, but when had I ever given him space? I wasn’t about to start now.
Panther let out a long, heavy sigh that seemed to go on and on, and then he pushed off the window and froze when he saw me.
“How long have you been standing there?”
18Panther
THE LAST PERSON I needed to see was standing in the doorway watching me.
“How long?” I said again, as Solo stepped farther inside.
“Long enough.”
Great. Just fucking great.
“Look… I just want to—”
“No.” I shook my head. “I’m not getting into this with you.”
“Panther—”
“Stay out of my business.”
Solo sighed and turned around like he was going to actually listen for once and leave. But then he shut the door and locked both of us inside.
“Have you lost your mind?”
“I’m gonna assume that’s a rhetorical question,” he said, leaning back against the door and crossing his arms. “I heard what your father said—”
“Of course you did.”
“And I appreciate you going to bat for me.”
“Going to bat for you?” I blinked. “Going tobatfor you? The only reason I’m even in this shitfuck of a situation isbecauseof you.”
“Oh, we’re back to this. All right, let it all out.”
“I don’t need to let anything out, because you’re leaving.”
“See, I would, but I feel involved now.”
“Because you’re a nosy motherfucker who can’t mind his own business.”
“It’s not my fault the door just happened to be open when I walked by.”
I rubbed my face with both hands, emotions bubbling over from my standoff with my father, and now this. Was there a reset button somewhere that I could push?
I lowered my hands and looked Solo in the eye. Maybe I could appeal to his compassionate side—if he had one. “Look, is it too much to ask of you to just…oh, I don’t know, let this go?”
