Page 23 of Protect Me
I catch myself smiling before I can stop it. “You could say that.”
“It makes sense.” Sway leans back against the headboard.
“How so?”
“You have a leader vibe to you.”
“I have a vibe?”
Her gaze lands on mine, and I don’t miss the way it momentarily flicks down to my mouth. Not surprising given both of my brothers have already taken their chances and kissed the woman. “You do. Calm and collected leader.”
“Calm.” I laugh. “That’s a new one.”
“I’ve yet to see you as anything but.”
If only you saw me interrogating one of your hunters, beauty.“I have my moments.”
“How long have you been here at the circus?”
“A long time,” I reply.
She eyes me curiously, but no matter how beautiful she might be, I’m not going to share more than that. Not when she won’t do the same.
“Not overly chatty, then?” she asks.
“You tell me what you are, and I’ll tell you anything you want to know about me.” It’s a bit of a low blow, but I refuse to care. This is the job, dammit.
“I’ve already given you my name. You haven’t figured it out yet?”
“No.”
The relief on her face is evident, and I don’t think she realizes just what she gave me. We were planning on asking around, but now that I know her name carries power—well—I’ll be sure to use that power carefully.
She sighs, impatience in her amber eyes. “I’m looking forward to leaving this room.”
“Is it not to your standards?”
Something dark flashes over her gaze. “Better than where I came from,” she says. “But it’s still a cage.”
Still a cage.
My particular brand of torture has more to do with words and less to do with blades or fists. Which means that I have made it my mission to read people. Their expressions, body language—I live between the lines of what people say.
And she’s not that hard to read.
Still a cage.She’d been held captive, yet she’s spoken of being afraid to trust. Was it the one who broke her trust that held her prisoner? Did he have something to do with her entrapment? Or is it possible she has someone waiting for her, worried about her disappearance?
“Aside from the ones who chased you here, is there anyone else looking for you? Someone who can keep you safe?”
Her gaze lifts to mine. “No one.” She shifts uncomfortably, and I know instinctively she doesn’t want to answer these questions. “Do I still have three months, or are you already trying to find a way to get rid of me?”
“As long as you can perform, yes, you have three months. But I’m thinking about the future. Eventually, your time here will run out.” And why the fuck does it feel like a sucker punch to my gut to think of it?
She takes another slow drink of her tea. “I’ll figure something out.”
I offer her a nod then sit in silence for a few minutes. “Do you want to talk about it?” I ask.
“What?”