“Yeah, but with you they mean literally.”

Blayne slipped past the two former Marines chatting amiably by the room she’d just been in.

Following her nose, Blayne headed down the hallway and out a back door. It led to a gorgeous hot house, filled with beautiful flowers and plants. She walked down one of the rows until she found what she was looking for.

The sow sat on the floor, her back against the wall, her scarred forearms resting on her raised knees. She had a pretty face that she was trying to hide under brown and gold hair with black tips, and a powerfully built body. Almost six-three, she wore a white T-shirt and loose blue jeans along with All-Star canvas high tops on large feet. Yet even with her size, she looked like any freshman kid in college—except for the scars. So many scars.

Blayne dropped into the empty space beside the sow. “How are you holding up?” she asked.

“Fine.”

“I’m Blayne.”

“Hannah.”

“Nice to meet you, Hannah. They’re treating you okay, right?”

“They haven’t threatened to put me down yet, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Actually, yeah. That’s what I was asking.”

Blayne’s candid answer had the sow finally looking at her.

“They were planning to put us down?”

“Pretty much.”

“But you stopped them. Why?”

“They have an excuse to put you down today, they have an excuse to put me down tomorrow. Besides, all hybrids are in this together. We have to watch out for each other. God knows, no one else will.”

The sow relaxed her head back against the wall, her gaze moving around the room. “How long do I have to stay here?”

“As long as you want. Or as little. I won’t let them force you into anything.”

“And you have that much power?”

“I do right now.” Blayne grinned. “Let’s enjoy it while it lasts.”

Hannah didn’t smile, but she scowled a little less. It reminded Blayne of Bo. Maybe it was a bear thing.

“Dee says you’re nineteen, making you the oldest within the group she’s training.”

“Yeah. So?”

“So if you don’t want to stay here full-time, you can crash at my place. It’s not big but it’s cute and, right now, extremely clean.”

“You’re not worried about having me in your apartment? The fighting dog?”

Blayne raised a finger. “The fighting dog-bear.” Blayne grinned again. “Which sounds much cooler than bear-dog, don’tcha think?”

“Sure. Right. Whatever.”

“Anyway, a place to stay and a job if you need it.”

“A job? Doing what?”

“Plumbing.”

“Plumbing? You want me to be a plumber?”

“My,my, how snobby we sound. There’s nothing wrong with being a plumber. It’s good and usually steady work, good money, and I can make sure you have time to come here every day to train.”

“Train to do what exactly? When I ask they don’t really answer me.”

“Train you to take care of yourself without forcing you to wear a muzzle twenty-four hours a day or worrying you’re going to dismember people with your teeth.”

“Thank you,” she said with a heavy dose of sarcasm. “That was very nice.”

“I’m known for being nice, but in this instance, I went for honest. I want you to start having some choices, Hannah. You can’t do that if I’m lying to you.”

“You don’t even know me. Don’t know anything about me.”

“Yet. I don’t know anything about you yet. But I plan to learn all about you. And, when you’re happy and calm, and all is right in your world, we’ll talk about you becoming a blocker for my derby team.”

“Because it’s logical to put me back into violent situations I have no control over.”

Again with that sarcasm. “Well, when you put it like that, it just sounds all sorts of wrong.”

“Explain to me why I kind of like you.”

“Because I’m charming and sweet and endearing. Plus I have this award-winning smile.” Blayne hit the sow with a grin, and even though Hannah immediately turned away, Blayne knew what she saw from the hybrid in that brief second—a smile. Or a snarl.

To be honest, Blayne sometimes had a hard time telling the difference.

It was almost seven in the morning when Bo snatched open his front door before Sami could get the key in the lock. She blinked up at him. “You’re back!”

“Where have you been?” he demanded.

“Nowhere,” she immediately answered, but Sander who came in behind her carried new, expensive suitcases that had the initials GCA etched into brass nameplates. Something told Bo nothing in those cases actually belonged to the foxes. “I heard you had some trouble and ended up back in Ursus County.”

“It’s a long story. But I need you two to track down somebody.”

“Who?” She took the slip of paper Bo handed her. “Lachlan MacRyrie? Isn’t he one of your teammates?”

“Yeah. But his number traces back to a PO box in Jersey. I can’t track the fucker’s address down.”

“How hard can that be?”

“He’s ex-Unit.”

“Ohhh. Gotcha.”

She walked into his living room, dropping into one of the club chairs, her feet up on the ottoman. “I’ll see what I can find out.” When Bo scowled at her, she dug her phone out of the top of her boot. “Now. I’ll find out now.”