“We may run into trouble if someone works up the guts to challenge me.”

We? This bizarre conversation had her bewildered. Us against them. Did he imagine she’d be happy to be one of those stoop-shouldered, timid, obedient women?

Or… Leah replayed everything he’d said. His expressions, subtle though they were. His actions, if it was true he’d left the hideout key to the car deliberately to give her a chance to get away. His care with her injuries, the flickers of rage she’d seen. Even when she fought, when she hurt him, he’d still been careful not to hurt her.

Very slowly, she said, “You’re not one of them, are you?”