Kendrick hardened his voice. “Addison, if you came with us, it would be the end of your life as you know it.”

“Oh, yes?” Addison put one hand on her hip. “The end of my low-paying waitress jobs? Hoping I don’t get stiffed on tips too many times, working late into the night, with maybe one day off a week if it’s not too busy? The end of that life? Yeah, ’cause that would suck.”

“I meant being with your sister, her children, your friends.”

Addison’s gaze flickered but her lips firmed. “My friends all grew up, got married, and had kids. They remember to invite poor Addie over once in a while and they try to fix me up with friends who either turn out to be total losers or interested in someone else. My sister is divorced, devoted to her kids, and making ends meet. She lets me live with her because she feels sorry for me. I almost got married once but it didn’t work out.”

He heard anger, sadness, and frustration. Kendrick wanted to know what dickhead had let her go but he had no time to ask for details.

He tried to sound stern. “If you come with me and it gets too dangerous, I’d have to ditch you somewhere. For your own good.”

Addison’s blue eyes sparkled. “Who decides if it’s too dangerous?”

“Me. If I say go to ground, you go to ground.”

“With the cubs?”

“If necessary.”

Addison bounced on her toes, like Robbie did when he grew excited. “Well, we can argue about that later. Where exactly are you going?”

“I don’t know yet.” Kendrick hated that. “I need to find a place that’s safe, round up my trackers, start over.”

“I see. While we’re on the subject, why aren’t you with other Shifters in the places called Shiftertowns? And why don’t you have a Collar-thingee?” Addison waved her hand at his bare neck. “Not that I think you should wear one—I’m just curious why you’re not.”

“Now that is a very long story.” Kendrick broke from her, swept up the bags Robbie had gathered, and dumped them on the bed. “I can’t promise you safety,” he said. “I’ll do my best but the Goddess only knows what I will find when I start looking. Or I can send you somewhere safe, far from me. Make your choice now.”

Kendrick snapped his mouth closed, waiting for her answer with more anticipation than he’d have liked.

He wasn’t sure why he was giving her the choice at all. He didn’t have time to look after a human woman, even if she’d offered to play babysitter for the cubs. She was excess baggage, and he needed to keep everything simple right now.

And yet, he knew if Addison didn’t come with him, Kendrick would forever be looking for her—around every corner, waiting to hear her voice, see her face. He’d been forced to sever many ties over the years—this one wasn’t even a knot yet—but he didn’t want to cut it loose.

They were both on the brink of something, Kendrick and Addison, and he wasn’t quite sure what.

Robbie broke the silence between them. “Please, Addie. Come with us?”

Zane and Brett took up the chorus. “Yes, Addie, please!”

Addison turned her cocky smile on all three. “Of course I’m coming with you. Your dad is just making things complicated, like guys do. Let’s go. Oh, yeah, I’ll need a toothbrush.”

*   *   *

Addie asked Kendrick to at least let her change her clothes. With relief, she shed her uniform in the bathroom and pulled on the jeans and loose, flowered shirt she’d kept in her car. She was tempted to dump the now smelly uniform in the trash but someone might find it, and who knew what suspicions that would lead to?