“Okay, so let me get this straight.” The familiar knot in my stomach was beginning to coil, a lack of control in an unknown situation. “First you wanted me to go home. But now you want me to stay here.”
“Yes. Do you really want to go home?”
I ignored the question, barreling on. “You want me to stay. In your room. With you. In a house where you don’t trust your roommates.”
“Idon’ttrust them.” Annoyance dripped from his words.
“But I’m supposed to trust you.”
He shook his head. “You shouldn’t trust me either, Blaire. Don’t trust anyone with a tongue able to lie. However, when I say I will do my best to keep you safe, I mean that. I won’t hurt you. And I won’t let anyone else hurt you either.”
I pulled my knees up to my chest, trying to steady my racing heart and shaky hands. I needed steady ground and purchase to cling to. Right now, I didn’t have either. “Why me? You barely know me. You don’tlikeme.” The words spilled from my mouth, a confession I would chalk up to sheer tiredness. My cheeks flushed, and I was grateful for the dimly lit room.
Winder was silent, tapping a long finger against his forearm. Every time his finger jumped, it made the snake on his arm look like it was alive, moving down his flesh.
“What aren’t you telling me?” I went on. I didn’t like the way this conversation was going. In fact, I’d rather go back and start the last twenty-four hours over, to when my apartment was safe.
“I’m telling you exactly what you need to know.” Something shifted behind his blue eyes.
A lie. Winder was lying. “Tell me what you’re keeping from me or I’ll walk out that door right now.”
“And go where?” he snapped, calling my bluff. “You going to go sleep in your office? Why haven’t you just called the cops if you’re so concerned?”
“Because I don’t trust the fucking cops!” I screamed.
Winder eyes widened, and he took a step back. “You don’t trust the cops,” he repeated.
“That’s what I said.” Anger still rolled beneath my skin. How dare he assume anything about me? “You shouldn’t looksurprised. I doubt you have a good relationship with the police either.”
He shrugged, watching me carefully. “I keep my distance, and they keep theirs. But you…”
“Me what? Because you saw me wear a nice skirt once with my hair done, you think I should trust everyone and everything?” I scoffed. “Grow up.”
“Watch your tone,” he snapped. “You can be angry. Don’t disrespect me. I only meant that people generally trust the police, unless they have a specific reason not to.”
Glaring, I tried to inject as much venom into my voice as I could. “If you must know, my parents died in a break and enter gone wrong. The cops dropped the ball on both the evidence, and me. He went free, and I ended up in foster care. No matter how prepared you think you are, safety is always an illusion. Great parents, and I still ended up in foster care, alone. Wonderful neighborhood, and my parents still ended up dead. Situations like that usually don’t leave a great taste in your mouth.”
When Winder spoke again, his voice was gentler. “No. I can imagine it wouldn’t.”
His pity tasted sour, and I didn’t like it. I didn’t need this shit. I got to my feet, pulling myself as tall as I could, but I still only met his chest. “If you don’t want to tell me the truth, whatever. Fine. That’s your prerogative. But don’t think I need your help. I’m more resilient than I look.”
“I’m not saying you aren’t. I’m merely pointing outyou’rethe one that came tome.”
He had me there, but I wasn’t about to admit it. I glared at him, and he glowered back. I wasn’t sure what it was about Winder that made me feel like I could go toe to toe with him, like I could demand what I wanted. I was going to go with the fact that I didn’t care about impressing him.
“Fine. I was trying to protect you, but if you’re so desperate to know....” He sighed, as if whatever he was going to say next physically pained him, each word the slice of a sharp knife. “We might not be friends, but you and I have known each other for a long time.”
Chapter
Ten
WINDER
Ishould’ve known she wouldn’t take no for an answer. And Ireallyshould’ve known, with Blaire, nothing was what met the eye.
She processed what I said silently, her jaw working like she was trying to chew the words.
“I don’t know you.” She shook her head, her damp red hair flying everywhere. I wanted to wrap my hand up in it, tug her head back until she was forced to look up at me with those pretty green eyes.
