“You know being a ninja and MMA are two different things, right?” Cat asked with a small grin.
“Pfft, don’t you go being all logical with me.” Maeve pointed at her warningly, but her own smile broke through. “And of course I do, I binge-watchedTeenage Mutant Ninja Turtleswith you, didn’t I?”
“I love Donatello.”
Alejandro shot Cat a look, which was likely why Cat said it. As a distraction to get him off Maeve’s back.
“Don’t think I don’t know what the two of you are doing,” he grumbled. He crossed his arms over his chest and stared straight at Maeve. “You need to be here.”
“Alejandro,” she said with a sigh. “I can’t move in with you guys.”
“And why not?” he asked. “You would be protected. Taken care of. You should be with us.”
“You know I love you guys, and I appreciate what you did for me. I owe you—”
“You don’t owe us anything, does she, Alejandro?” Cat asked.
Alejandro looked like he wanted to argue. But Cat turned to glare at him.
Alejandro nodded. “You do not owe us. You are our family.”
“We take care of our own,” Cat said.
She knew that was Alejandro’s motto. He took care of those who belonged to him.
“You know I love you both. But I’m fine. I’m happy doing my own thing.”
“Including being accosted by strange men,” Alejandro said disapprovingly.
“I wasn’t accosted. I was grabbed. And then this guy came to help me.”
“What guy? Who is it?” Cat asked.
“No one interesting.”
“Maeve . . . you know you’re hopeless at lying,” Cat told her.
“I’m getting better. I’ve been practicing in the mirror.”
Alejandro muttered something under his breath, shaking his head. “Do you know who attacked you? Do you have a description?”
“Ahh, no, it was pretty dark.”
“What about this other guy?” Cat asked. “The one that helped you? Does he have a name? Do you have his number?”
“No, I don’t have his number. I’m sure I’ll never see him again.” And she didn’t want to give either of them Gray’s name. The last thing she needed was Alejandro turning up to question him.
Alejandro studied her, then slowly nodded. “If you do see him again, you will text me his details and I will look into him.”
“Sure thing.” She saluted him.
Luckily, he looked amused rather than annoyed. “I will leave you for your girl talk. Maeve, call if you need me.”
“Will do. Thanks.”
Cat chatted away about what she’d been up to as she moved. Where was she going? “ . . . and then I saw this dress that I—” Cat stopped mid-sentence, her face growing serious. “The door’s closed and we’re on our own. Spill.”
She raised her eyebrows. “On our own? What do you mean?”