I want to slap the smugness right off of his face.
"Because it solidified for me what I already knew," I finally escape from his iron grip, creating some much-needed space to think. "You put me in a situation where I'm powerless. You apparently put your last lawyer in a similar one."
He holds up his palms, "Okay, slow down."
"You knew who I was from the second you broke in the first time. Knew I was a regular at the club and anything you did to me, I was in danger of losing everything because of what you already held over my head. And you just fuckingtoyedwith me, played games with me, tried to charm me."
His eyes narrow, "If we're being honest, IthinkI've succeeded at that one."
"Fuck you," the bitter words slip out.
His mouth stops moving, frozen halfway through whatever he was about to say, a wicked smile pulling at the corners of his mouth.
Finally, he responds, calm and cool, "I broke in looking for answers. Thinking you would have them."
"But I didn't, so now what?" I ask.
"Now..." he pauses, searching for an answer. "Now we're in this together."
No, the fuck we're not.
"I'm not in anything with you. I've gottendraggedinto it all against my will."
Leaning against my counter with his hip, his arms crossed casually in front of him, "For better or worse,"definitely worse,"youarein this now. At least, whoever came by today thinks you are."
"Hence," I gesture to my new security measures, "the cameras."
Thinly veiled humor lights up his face, "You can't believe this alone will keep dangerous people out."
"I have to do something," I argue. "I need to take any and all steps I can to protect myself from a world I want nothing to do with."
"Nothing?" he raises a brow, leaning forward, "Bullshit."
Indignance floods my veins, "Excuse me?"
"You can lie to others, hide what you are under the fog and flashing lights, but you can't hide it from me," he grins. "I've seen the way you come alive when surrounded by violence and bloodshed. When it's so close you can taste it."
Swallowing down the reminder of the heady experience, I shake my head. "That's different."
"Is it?"
"That's... controlled," I try to rationalize myself away from the truth. I did and do like the brutality. But I've never wanted to be part of it. "It's safe. It's a theatrical experience, not a hands on one."
I can see in his eyes the joke he's dying to tease me with.
"Don't."
He chuckles, "I mean, it was pretty hands on for me."
There it is.
I scoff, turning to walk away, but he catches me gently around my elbow. "Wait, no hold on. Look," he gestures towards my new purchases. "I'm not sure it'll do you any good, but if it'll help you feel safer, I'll help you set it up. We have something similar at Mingle and from what Skyler told me, it can be kind of a pain to put together."
My eyes narrow, "Why?"
"Because while I go find out who is poking their fucking nose where it doesn't belong, I want you to be secure."
"You know I'd be using it to keep you out, too," I explain. "The cameras, the double lock with an alarm for the sliding door, they'd be for my benefitagainstyours."
