““No, seriously, you go first. I hardly know this guy. What if he’s working with the people who took Liz?’ ‘Pete?’ Shane shook his head, evidently finding the whole thought funny, though Claire felt it had been a pretty reasonable caution. ‘Never happen. But okay. I’ll protect you.’ She hit him in the shoulder. ‘I don’t need you to protect me.’ ‘Then why am I going first?’ ‘So you can take the first punch while I throw the second?’ ‘So I’m bait? Ouch. You’ve been in Morganville way too long, girl.””
