“As teenagers, Marcus had been the muscle and Jake the brains. Marcus had beat up the kids who'd made fun of skinny Jake; Jake had convinced teachers not to punish him.Since then, Marcus had grown a brain (kind of) and Jake had developed muscles. But habits die hard.”

“Marcus: Cherry?Jillian: My ten-year-old niece.Marcus: She's named after a piece of fruit?Jillian nodded. Jillian: So is her twin sister, Apple.Marcus: You're kidding me.Jillian: Unfortunately, I'm serious. Their father is fond of fruit pies and thought it would be cute. Marcus: And their mother didn't protest?Jillian: She thinks Steven's cute, so she gives him whatever he wants.”

“Humans had a saying. Mess with the bull and get the horns. Well, Harpies had a saying, too. Mess with a Harpy and die.”

“I tried to tell you. You said you didn't care, remember?"A muscle ticked below his eye. "You should have told me anyway.""While you had barbells within your reach? Please. I'm Disease, not Stupid.”

“I had faith, and if I had faith I couldn't worry.”

“Back off, asshole. I haven't had a woman today, so I'm in no mood for this kind of bullshit. ”

“Wildness had never been a part of her life. Home, work, home, work. That's all her life had consisted of, really. She'd told Maddox that she'd been glad for her solitude, bu the truth was, there were times she'd been starved for touch. Any touch.”