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up this business,
and it's the only thing between me and Mabel and the wolf at the
door. If I don't open up, I don't make money. In fact, I lose
money, because I still have to pay for my inventory and the lease
and taxes and everything else. So I'm not letting a full-of-himself
kid with a gun stop me. I learned a long time ago that you can't
let yourself be a victim--or else you might as well crawl into a
hole, block it up behind you, and stay there the rest of your
life."
    Elizabeth ran out of breath but not fire. Her
blue eyes snapped and sparked. Ronan wondered how those eyes would
look, blinking sleepily at him from the pillow next to his.
    "You done?" he asked.
    "I'm not going to argue about this, so don't
bother trying. I'm explaining, that's all. I'm very grateful to you
and Rebecca for putting us up. I'll give you some cash for the
food, but we're out of here."
    She tried to walk around Ronan back to the
house. Cute. He stepped in front of her.
    "Now, let me explain, Lizzie-girl," he
said. "The kid who robbed you, Julio Marquez, is the brother of the
leader of one of the hardest gangs in Houston. He's now moved into
Austin to try to take over here, and he's decided that you need to
be punished for getting his kid brother arrested. Plus, you're the
only witness to the crime, so if you are too dead to testify, so
much the better. I'm a witness, but I'm a Shifter, so my testimony
doesn't count. Besides, the older Marquez and his crew would have
to get to Shiftertown to off me, and they can't. Which is why
you're safe here, and why you're staying here until Liam, his
trackers, and I make sure they understand that you're off limits.
Got it?"
    Elizabeth listened with her mouth open, fear
at last showing in her eyes. "Are you talking about the Red Avenue
gang?"
    "I think that's what they're called. You
heard of them?"
    "I knew a guy whose brother killed by one of
them. Shot while he was walking his little sister home from school,
because he owed them money. The leader's name wasn't Marquez,
though."
    "It is now. According to Sean, he took over
not too long ago, and he wants to expand his enterprise. They're
into running drugs and guns up out of Mexico. They're like a little
army."
    Elizabeth's worried look intensified.
"Shit."
    "So, you aren't going anywhere. Not while
these guys are out to get you and your sister."
    Ronan watched her battle her fear. She had
resilience, he had to give her that. "This is exactly what I mean
about not being a victim," she said. "Mabel can stay here--I don't
want her getting mixed up in this. But I have to open my store. I
have to keep going. If I let a gang close it, I'm done for. They
won't attack me in broad daylight, with all the other open stores
around, and I can close up early. That won't be a problem--I don't
get as much traffic at night. How's that?"
    Ronan started shaking his head and kept on
shaking it. "No, sweetie. I'm not taking a chance they won't do a
drive-by on you or something. You're staying here."
    Now she looked rebellious. The defiant lady
who'd streaked her hair and knew how to pick pockets glared at him.
"I'm not jeopardizing everything I've worked for to make you feel
better."
    "It's to keep you safe!"
    "How safe am I in a houseful of Shifters?
When one won't even get out of the bathroom?"
    She wasn't afraid of them, Ronan could tell.
Cautious, yes, but not afraid.
    "A hell of a lot safer than you are out on
the streets."
    "But I'm not allowed to leave?" Elizabeth
planted her hands on her hips. "There's a saying, that those who
give up freedom for safety don't deserve either one. I don't
remember who said that--I missed a lot of school as a kid--but it
was someone smart."
    Ronan lifted his hands. "I get where you're
coming from. I really do understand. But damn it, I don't want to
see you hurt. I don't want to see them try to burn down your
store--with you inside it. When that guy pulled the gun on you last
night . . . it seriously pissed me off."
    "Well, it seriously