Ares tightened his grip.
“I don’t care who you are.”
Smack…
His hand cracked across her face.
Sharp.
Her head snapped to the side.
Now she looked at him like he was in control.
But still not scared enough.
“I’ve been hit harder than that just this week. I don’t know anything about your car,” she said.
Lying.
I stepped in and let Ares keep his pressure on her while I closed the distance.
She looked at me now.
Trying to read me.
Trying to figure out which version of me she was getting.
I reached out, grabbed her chin, and forced her to look at me.
“You really going to keep lying to me?”
“I told you?—”
“Nah… No more lying.”
I cut her off.
Reached into my jacket.
Pulled it out.
A doll that I made.
Everything changed.
Her eyes widened.
I held it up between us.
Let her see it.
Then made her touch it.
I started talking.
Low.
Words I shouldn’t still remember…
