But I stay focused on the road, comprehending Claudia's nightmare is twofold: she fears trusting anyone, and she fears settling down in one place when she's convinced she needs to leave town soon.
"You can't tell her I told you," Todd adds. "I'm never supposed to tell."
"The Monster … he's why you want to take karate and asked me the questions about killing someone."
"Yeah. I've seen what he does to Claudia. I want to be ready but I don't think I have years, Petr."
"Todd …" I drift off. I would never tell anyone they don't have a right to defend themselves. I can't fathom, either, how much the two have been through. But Todd is a kid with his whole future ahead of him. I'm torn between knowing I would kill any man who got near my sister, no questions asked, and not wanting Todd to end up in prison for it. "I have a sister and understand how you feel, but -"
"You're going to tell me violence isn't the answer I'll ruin my life, like Claud does," he says moodily.
I smile faintly. "No, I'm going to tell you that if you end up dead trying to take on The Monster, your sister will never recover. Trust me. I know what it means to lose a brother."
He sighs. "Yeah."
"I want you to promise me something," I continue. "If he finds you again, if you have to leave, call me immediately. Promise me."
Todd is gazing at me. "Okay. But you can't take him on either, Petr. Claudia likes you."
"Debatable," I say with a snort.
"I know she does. She spends all night working on your father's projects and when she's done, she always asks me if I think Petr will like them, not Baba."
This woman is twisting me inside out. I can't explain it. We barely know one another yet the connection between us is stronger than the metal leg holding up my two hundred and twenty pound frame.
"I care about you both," I respond. "I'll take care of you both to the extent your sister will let me."
He starts to smile. "She's stubborn."
"You have no idea."
The tension seems to ease from him, and he shrugs his shoulders and leans back, the troubled expression gone.
I wish I could relax so easily. Now that I know more about what Claudia's been through, I have the urge to do something about it. I'm a man of action and activity. The past six weeks of our cat-n-mouse game have taught me newfound patience. But hearing what she's been through, combined with the Orion visit and inability to purge the image from my mind of her being hurt, I just want to … break something. Run a marathon. Spend the next week in the gym or …