“We can’t do that. Then everyone will know what we’ve been up to.”

“That’s a good point, but you know what I mean.”

“I do, but—”

“But . . . when we get back you’ll need to spend time with your family, making sure they’re all taken care of and that Kyle hasn’t finally gone to prison.”

“That is a worry of mine.”

“I know. So of course you’ll go see your family when you get back. Just like I’ll have to check in with my idiot brothers.”

“Make sure Reece isn’t getting more artery surgery?”

“You’d be amazed how many of those surgeries the boy has had.”

“I’ve met Reece . . . not that amazed.”

“So do we agree?”

“What are we agreeing to?”

“When we get back, we keep things going. At least until we figure out if whatever this is . . . is actually what we want.”

“It won’t be easy. We’re both pretty busy.”

“I’m as busy as I wanna be. And I like your kin. Don’t mind being around them.”

She rolled her eyes at that. “Sure you do.”

“They bring the entertainment to me. And we both know that’s all I ever ask.”

“I really can’t argue that point with you, can I?”

“Not really.”

Ricky reached over and pulled Toni sideways onto his lap. He stroked her back and kissed her shoulder.

“You think we’re really going to head back home tomorrow?” she asked softly.

Ricky glanced at his watch. “More like today . . . and yes, I do.” He pulled Toni closer, his arms around her, her chin resting against his collarbone. “I think when we’re done . . . those bears won’t know what the holy hell hit ’em.”

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

With Freddy attached to her like a backpack and Cherise and Blayne by her side, Livy headed back to the rental house. It had been a long night but a good one. She’d had fun.

Of course, the entire derby team hated her, but whatever. She had her family and friends and that was all that mattered to Livy. She didn’t need more friends. A small group of loyal friends was more important to her than a bunch of drinking buddies. So not going out with the team after the tryouts had been no big deal for her. Instead she’d been Responsible Olivia as Coop liked to call her when she said she needed to get Freddy home.

Cherise had gratefully tagged along and Blayne pretended that she wasn’t happy about it, but even Livy knew she just wanted to get home to that walking landmass she called a fiancé.

Standing on a city street, Livy waited for the light to change. As she did, she glanced around, taking in her location, surveying any nearby threats. Itwas a skill taught to her by her parents before she could feed herself.

And it was while she was looking around that she saw her. Across the street, coming out of some church.

“Hey. Cherise.” She nudged her best friend’s sister. “Do you see what I see?” There wasn’t much in this universe that stunned Livy, but seeing Delilah Jean-Louis Parker coming out of a goddamn church was definitely one of them.

“Holy crap!” Cherise burst out. “Is she robbing churches now?”

“Even my mother wouldn’t sink that low.”

Except that Delilah was talking to people from the church. Talking and hugging.

Livy shuddered at the thought of hugging Delilah.

Blayne stepped up beside Livy. “That’s not a church. Well . . . actually, it depends on what you think about religion and what you consider a religion and what you consider a—”

“Blayne,” Livy cut in. “Get to your point before I start hurting you.”

“It’s a cult. They took over the church a year or so back, but the people in the neighborhood have been trying to shut them down. Something about young people joining the church and then disappearing to some farm upstate.”

Livy sighed. “Lovely.”

Deciding she’d talk to Toni about it when she got back and was settled from her trip, Livy hiked Freddy up on her hip and continued on to the rental house.

When they arrived, Livy trotted up the stairs, Freddy giggling as he bounced around on her back. She reached the door and pulled out her key, unlocking it. But as soon as she stepped in, she froze in the doorway. She lifted her head, sniffed the air. By the time Cherise reached her, Livy was shoving Freddy into her arms.

“Take him across the street. Blayne, go with them.”

Cherise moved without question, just as she’d been taught. But Blayne . . .

“Are you—”

“Protect Freddy.”

That seemed to work and Blayne followed behind Cherise.

Livy silently stepped deeper into the house, sniffing the air, listening for any sounds. Glancing back and seeing that the others were now safely on the other side of the street as the wild dogs’ front door opened and they were welcomed in, Livy unleashed her long, steel-hard claws. She scented humans. Full-humans in her family’s home. At least her unofficially adopted family and if something—anything—happened to them while Toni was away because Livy didn’t protect them, she’d never forgive herself.

She locked on the strongest remaining scent and headed up the stairs. She could smell that the full-humans had been in each of the bedrooms although everything appeared untouched. Honestly, if she wasn’t a shifter, she’d never have known anyone had been here.