The first fight was stupid. Sam forgot to call when he was working late. Maya spiraled— where is he, who is he with, why isn’t he answering —the old wounds opening like fresh cuts. When he finally showed up, she was crying. Zeus was pacing.

Sam nodded. Then he turned to Zeus. “You protect her from the outside,” he said. “I’ll protect her from the inside.”

Because pitbulls don’t love soft. They love whole. And so, it turned out, did she.

Sam didn’t ask if Zeus was dangerous. He asked, “What’s his story?”