"Jesus, Tristan. I don't know. Are you gonna play the game or talk my fucking ear off?"
Straightening his shoulders, Tristan huffed. "I'm just trying to figure out how many predators you've taken off the street."
"A lot, okay? Take your turn, will you?"
Relenting, Tristan rolled his dice and made his move, but then he was back to his questions.
"How many is a lot? Like, ten? Twenty?"
The silence stretched on as Cade concentrated on the game, until Tristan concluded he wasn't going to get an answer.
"So you're not going to tell me?"
"Oh, my god. I don't know, okay. It's not like I count."
Sensing an opening, he ventured, "More than ten?"
"Yes," Cade said absently as he moved his pieces across the board.
"More than twenty?" Tristan prodded.
"I guess. It's your move."
After making his move without really thinking, Tristan persisted. "More than fifty?"
Looking up, Cade squinted at him. "Why do you care?"
"I'm just curious," Tristan answered, a little defensive.
"Yeah, probably more."
Tristan, either stupid or just stubbornly invested, couldn't help but press. "More than a hundred?" he squeaked, his voice rising an octave.
Cade rolled his eyes. "I don't know, Tristan. I told you I don't keep track. Just play the fucking game, will you?"
The rebuke stung, but Tristan fixed his attention on the board, impressed that Cade's people had eliminated up to a hundred predators, rapists and murderers, and that they had spared or saved countless victims like Natalie. The knowledge solidified his view that Cade and his associates were public servants who made the world safer.
Content to set aside heavy topics for a while, they chatted over the game, debated the strengths and choices of each other's moves, and razzed the other when they lost. The mood was easy and light, and Tristan couldn't help but tease and goad Cade, just a little bit, to see that cute, grumpy face and hear him gripe.
Taking advantage of the relaxed vibe, Tristan tried again to address the accidental flashing incident.
"Did I really make you uncomfortable when I forgot clothes?"
Cade glanced at Tristan, his prickliness back in full force. "You ask too many fucking questions, you know that?"
"I'm just trying to clear the air about that."
"Why?"
Tristan sputtered, unsure how to answer. "I don't know. Because." He wasn't about to let Cade know that he secretly hoped his nakedness had affected the other man because that was just too pathetic.
"Nothing to clear. Your turn."
"Well, what do you think we should talk about then?"
"Nothing, preferably."
"Ugh, you're so annoying."
