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Sullivan did. “There are guys in the hospital right now, who probably won’t agree that he’s ‘harmless,’ if they ever get out of surgery. Since when are you so trusting, Randa?”

“I’m not. I just…” She’d looked perturbed by her own confidence in Kahn’s gentlemanly behavior, like maybe it caught her by surprise. She’d glanced his way.

Kahn had stared back at her quietly.

“Well, the Light Phases and I are working together.” She’d decided. “They’ll honor our deal, because they’re professional people and no one would hire them if they attacked their clients.” She’d nodded at her own logic.

“What’s the area code for your phone?” Kahn had asked randomly.

Randa had rattled it off with a distracted sort of frown, still trying to figure out why she wasn’t fleeing from the madman sharing her cell.

Sullivan was wondering the same thing. “Why did you hire the Light Phases?”

“They’re looking for my dead Match’s brother.” She’d muttered. “The point is: Kahn’s not going to touch me. Are you, Kahn?”

“You have my word, I will not put a hand on you.” Kahn had replied, his tone oddly serious. “…Until you want me to.”

She’d looked at him in shock.

Kahn’s mouth had curved a fraction of an inch.

Randa had flushed a bit and rolled onto her side, so she faced the wall. “You shouldn’t even try to be funny, because you have an abysmal sense of humor.” She’d pulled the blanket up higher, blocking them all out.

“I’ll let you know when I tell a joke.” Kahn had retorted mildly.

The other Light Phases had exchanged knowing glances.

No, Sullivan had realized, Kahn wouldn’t harm her. The Light Phases weren’t homicidal maniacs. Well, they were, but not towards innocent women. Especially, not towards this innocent woman. Kahn had never seemed less threatening than he was gazing at Randa’s cocoon of blankets, wearing a small smile on his lips.

Still…

Sullivan had leaned in closer to the dickhead. “I’m going to be working at my desk all night, dealing with those biker dip-shits. It’s about ten yards away. I’ve got a gun that will kill your kind. If I hear one whisper of complaint from that girl, I will paint my station walls with your brain matter. Understand?”

Kahn hadn’t taken offense. “It’s good that you think to protect her. It’s needless now that we’re here, but it’s still appreciated.” He’d praised, in the Light Phases’ not-quite-normal English. Maybe they sounded less weird in their own language. Or maybe they always sounded weird. It was hard to be sure.

The other men had nodded, like Sullivan’s murderous threats pleased them too.

“Damn Cult.” Sullivan had muttered and stalked back out to deal with the state police.

That had been six hours ago and finally he was getting the latest Elemental crisis under control. Now, he was ready to get them out of his jail.

“Good news, hoodlums.” He increased his volume to wake up Kahn. “You’re free to go.” As he spoke, Sullivan’s gaze automatically swung over to Randa. He’d checked on her every twenty minutes or so, all night. Like all the other times, she was safely sleeping.

At the foot of the cot, Kahn jerked awake. Tension radiated off of him, as if he couldn’t quite believe he’d fallen asleep. His head snapped up. His gaze swept over Sullivan, apparently judged him benign, and then quickly settled on Randa. His hand came up to rest on the mattress next to her foot, and he blew out a breath. Sullivan could feel the waves of relief rushing off of the man, when he saw that she was still safely beside him.

Satisfied, Kahn leaned back against the wall, his eyes watchful, but calm.

Randa made a dismayed noise at Sullivan’s loud salutation and buried her head under the cot’s pillow. Contrary to her belief that she wouldn’t actually sleep with the Light Phases in the room, she’d been slumbering for hours.

Sullivan didn’t know all the details of her past, but he’d put together a general picture of it. He’d worked in law enforcement a long time. Randa was normally so wary of everyone. He would’ve bet she’d be fully awake at the sound of a man’s voice. The fact that she stayed in bed, not even looking his way, must mean that she felt safe in the cell.

Why wouldn’t she? No one was getting near Randa with Kahn sitting beside her.

Sullivan gave a speculative grunt. It didn’t suck that she suddenly had a psycho bodyguard. Even if the Light Phase was a touchy bastard, at least he made her feel secure.

“Has Job come to rescue us?” Mannus wanted to know.

“The charges against you were dropped, once the bar was reimbursed for damages.”