“Fucker, you did this on purpose!” Marduke glared at the ground as if speaking to someone before grumbling, “I am not leaving you until I know you’re secure.”

“You don’t have to do that.”

“Not for you. For the pup. I won’t have it in harm’s way.” He glowered in her direction.

“Of course, you wouldn’t,” she agreed softly, wondering if he knew how at odds his gruff words and expression were with his actions thus far. Look how Miguel relaxed in the big man’s grip. “We’re fine. But you can spend the night if it makes you feel better. The couch is a great napping spot.”

“I don’t sleep on couches.”

“We could give you blankets for the floor.”

The corner of his lip twitched slightly as he drawled, “Not gonna offer me your bed? That would be the charitable thing to do.”

“If you had nowhere to go, but if you stay, that’s your choice and that means I keep my bed because you, of course, are a gentleman who would never think of kicking me out.” She batted her lashes for good measure.

Marduke pinched the bridge of his nose. “Lady, you are giving me a headache.”

“You should try yoga. It’s great. Although it can get smelly if you’re too relaxed.” Her nose wrinkled.

He stared at her.

“What?”

“The strangest things come out of your mouth.”

“They’re called words.”

“You have too many of them,” he complained.

“You can leave anytime.”

“I will if you tell me who those guys were that were shooting at you.”

“Guys? That’s a sexist assumption.”

“It’s a generalized expression. You know what I mean.” He grimaced. He really was too cute playing angry all the time.

“Even if I knew the names of the people in that car, it wouldn’t matter. They’re only the tip of the gang in this city.”

“So move.”

“Easy to say. I need a job to rent a place, and that’s harder in smaller places,” she muttered. Left unmentioned, the help she needed for Miguel didn’t extend much past the city limits. And she didn’t have a car, a must for even suburban living.

As they neared the corner to turn onto her block, she heard the sirens and a whiff of the air held smoke. Amidst the clamor of approaching fire engines, her steps slowed to a stop on the sidewalk. She watched as the apartment building burned. A total loss for her apartment at least, judging by the window with shooting flames.

Looking on the bright side, she’d been meaning to move them to a nicer neighborhood. This would be a positive thing. Start over fresh. New place. New things. Same life…