“I’ve been asking myself that same question for almost a week.” He took a seat on the edge of the narrow bed. “I need you to do something for me, Raze.”
“As long as it doesn’t involve me meeting you up there, I’ll do my best. What’s going on?”
“I need a safe house. Somewhere up here near the North Maine Woods, or even Quebec.”
“I’ll see what I can do. What kind of trouble are you in?”
“It’s not for me. It’s for someone else. A woman. Her name’s Lenora Calhoun.” He cleared his throat. “She’s a Breedmate.”
“Yours?” Razor asked, more than mild surprise in his voice.
Knox blew out a curse, but only because the swift denial he expected to issue had suddenly gotten trapped in the back of his throat. “I have no claim on Leni.”
And he intended to keep it that way, before he fucked things up any worse.
“If you’ve got no claim on her, why is she asking you to find her a safe house?”
“She hasn’t asked. This is my decision. It’s for the best.”
Razor scoffed. “Spoken like a man who has no claim on a woman. What the hell have you gotten yourself into up there?”
“You want to keep asking stupid questions, or are you going to help me?”
“I’m just trying to figure out what made you call for an assist after going on half a year without a word. Been a long time since you worried about anyone, Knox. Especially a female.”
“She’s a Breedmate,” Knox muttered. “Isn’t that enough?”
“You tell me, bro.”
Itwasenough, and Razor damn well knew it. But the cagey former Hunter was like a bloodhound when it came to chasing down quarry, and right now he smelled Knox’s weakness where Leni was concerned.
“You know what, forget it.” Knox stood up, started pacing the tight confines of his quarters. “This was a bad idea. I’ll find another way to handle this situation myself.”
Razor chuckled. “Relax, asshole. I’m all over it already. I just put feelers out to a couple of my contacts while we’ve been talking.”
Some of Knox’s frustration simmered down. “I don’t want to rely on any of your shady underground connections, Raze. No other Hunters for this, either. I need someone I can trust implicitly to keep Leni and her young nephew safe.”
“She’s got a kid?” Razor’s dubious tone came through loud and clear. “Is the boy Breed?”
“No. He’s human. Her half-sister’s six-year-old son.”
“That could complicate things.”
Knox ran a hand over his jaw. “Tell me about it.”
“I’ll make it work.”
“Thanks, man. I’ll owe you.”
“I know. Don’t be surprised if I come to you to collect one day.”
Knox wasn’t sure what he meant, but his brother’s tone hinted at private troubles he was in no hurry to confide. “I want a legit resource on this, Razor. Airtight security and confidence from whoever you bring in, all right?”
“Is the Order legit enough for you?”
Knox’s track back and forth halted. “You’ve got contacts in the Order now?”
“I’ve got contacts everywhere that counts, brother.” He paused, silent for a moment. “Say the word and it’s done. But you and I both know once I open that door, I can’t close it again. Lucan and his warriors don’t fuck around when it comes to protecting unmated Breedmates. Especially ones who’re in some kind of danger. That’s what we’re talking about here, right? You going to be ready to let your Leni go if the Order decides she’ll be able to live a safer life away from you?”
