“He’s nineteen and he’s bigger than you are.”

“Size and noise aren’t strength,” I said gently.

“Trent’s spent five years learning to hurt people in a gym full of rules.

I spent fourteen years learning to keep people safe in places with no rules at all.”

She fell silent, gazing at the stainless steel water bottle leaning against my boot.

“Do you promise we won’t have to sell the house?” she asked.

“I promise,” I said.