Oh, great. We’re back to mind games.
I straighten up too. “You’re not exactly airtight yourself.”
“I can tell, you know.” This time when she sits back in her seat, she folds her legs. Protecting herself. The image of a pristine princess. “When you’re bluffing.”
“Bluffing.” My eyebrows rise, and a chuckle actually crawls past my lips. “Me.”
She nods, keeping her gaze steady on mine. “I know when you’re bluffing…when you’re just trying to scare me. It’s very easy to tell when you’re lying.”
Lying?I haven’t lied to her one single time.
“Oh, I get it.” I recline back in the chair and cross my legs. “It’s time for Trinity Gallagher’s psychoanalysis hour. Is that right?”
She scoffs. “Like you could handle a wholehour.”
“Excuse me?”
“There’s no way you could endure an entire hour of psychoanalysis.” Her lips slide into a mocking smile. “Your ego would start crying like a bitch after fifteen minutes.”
Irritation wires my jaw tight. When I finally do speak, the words grind through gritted teeth. “Try me.”
Trinity’s eyes sparkle, a pleased sort of curiosity coloring her face. She gives me a knowing look, as if to ask,Do you really want to do this?
When I don’t back down, she leaps in with two feet.
“Well, for one thing, you’re entirely confused about who you are.” Her eyes fall to her hand, like she’s inspecting her damn nails. “You’re a murderer and a fighter, but you’re also a loyal lackey. You do these awful things, and then you turn around and soothe panic attack symptoms, treat wounds, and cook breakfast for dinner at midnight. You’re lost.”
I retrieve the pack of cigarettes from my pocket. “I prefer the termnuanced.” If this is all she’s got…
“You’re obviously completely alone in the romance department.” Trinity casually submits her assessment of my love life.
“What makes you think that?” I light up and take a drag, blowing smoke right at her.
She scowls, huffs out a breath, and then waves her hand to disperse the haze. “If you had someone to love, I don’t think you’d be in this line of work.” She shrugs one small shoulder. “No one who’s ever truly loved someone could be satisfied with the cruel, violent existence you call home.”
That stings. Not just because she’s right, but because she’s acting like it’s so apparent.
Like any souped-up teenager on the street could recognize how broken I am.
“And if you at least had someone to screw on the regular…” Lust flickers in her eyes as she gives me a once-over before closing her face like a sealed room. “Well, you wouldn’t be pushing hostages up against walls to get your rocks off, would you?”
Trinity’s got me hot under the collar all over again, but I can’t just concede.
I take another long drag of nicotine and reel in my irritation. I exhale smoke with my next words. “Fair point. But I’ve been wondering about you as well, princess. Grabbing dicks in public restrooms. Is that a habit of yours?”
That shamed flush on her cheeks gives me my answer.
Got her.
Catching her momentarily alleviates the sting of her pointed analysis. I’ve never met a woman who could make me vulnerable just with the things she says.
Now that I understand the kind of danger she poses, though, I’ll be better prepared.
I also know where to poke her now.
“You can say and think what you like, Trinity.” I blow out another smoke trail. “But I’m impenetrable. You want to know why? Because I know I’m a shit human being. You can’t hurt me by pointing out the obvious?—”
“Then let’s talk about something that isn’t apparent.” She hunches forward, mirroring my earlier posture. Squaring off with me. “Why do you get this weird expression and tone of voice whenever you mention Declan? That’s what I really want to know.”
