I hate that he’s right. I hate it more that Knight would agree with him. “I’m not a liability,” I say.
“I know you’re not.”
“Then stop treating me like one.” I pace the living room floor.
“We’re treating this situation like it’s lethal,” Arrow replies. “Because it is.”
I press my fingertips to my forehead. “Put Gage on,” I say.
A beat.
“Lark,” Gage says instantly. “Don’t do anything unhinged.”
“Good morning to you too.”
“Knight told you to stay?—”
“Knight told me a lot of things,” I cut in. “Including that we were doing this together.”
“He’s trying to keep you safe.”
“I don’t need a babysitter. I need apartnerwho doesn’t disappear at dawn like a morally tortured boyfriend in a CW finale.”
Arrow makes a sound that might be a laugh.
Gage sighs like a man holding back a headache. “Lark?—”
“Don’t ‘Lark’ me.”
“I’m on your side.”
“You’re on ‘control the situation’ side.”
“That’s literally my job.”
I rub a hand over my face. “Do you know what else is my job? Not letting my boyfriend walk into sharks with blood on his suit.”
Gage goes quiet. Then he says, carefully, “You think he’s your boyfriend, huh?”
I freeze.
The stupidest part is the sudden warmth in my chest.
The second stupidest part is the fact that I have no patience for tenderness right now.
“Not the time,” I warn.
“Fair.”
Arrow clears his throat. “Lark, listen.”
“I’m listening.”
“Knight has been in contact. Dean’s got eyes near the perimeter. He should check in again at 0900. If he doesn’t?—”
“If he doesn’t, what?”
Arrow hesitates.
