“Good. Then I'm happy for you. Even if it's weird as fuck.”
He was quiet for a moment. Then he started laughing again.
“What?”
“You.” He was shaking his head. “You spent years telling everyone how much you hated this man. How impossible hewas. How you'd never forgive him. And the whole time you were just wound up because you wanted him and didn't know what to do with that.”
“That's not?—”
“Yes, it is.” Dmitri wiped his eyes. “Troy, I've known you for years. I've seen you hate a lot of people. You're very good at it. But you were never this intense about anyone else. Not even people who actually tried to kill you.”
“Your point?”
“My point is that obsession and hatred look very similar on you. And I think you've been obsessed with this man since you were a kid and only now figured out what that meant.”
He wasn't wrong. I had been obsessed with Declan. I'd called it hatred. Resentment. Every word except the right one.
“Fuck,” I said quietly.
“Yeah, exactly.” Dmitri grinned. “Now you're understanding. Growth is important.”
“I hate you.”
“No, you don't. You love me. I'm delightful.” He stood and stretched. “But seriously, Troy. Even if the situation is very fucked up, you deserve someone who makes you look less angry all the time.”
“I don't look less angry.”
“A little bit. It's a small improvement, but I notice.” He headed toward the kitchen. “I'm making coffee. You want some?”
“Yeah.”
I sat there listening to him bang around in Declan's kitchen like he'd been doing it for years. The house felt too quiet without Declan in it. Too empty. Like all the air had left with him.
The thought pissed me off. I shouldn't be this aware of his absence. Shouldn't be checking my phone every five minutes like some anxious girlfriend waiting for a text. Shouldn't bewondering if the security detail actually followed him all the way to the center or if they'd gone slack halfway there because they thought the threat had passed.
My phone buzzed.
Declan
Made it to the center. Security followed me the whole way. Your friend Dmitri's people are very obvious.
Troy
That's the point. They're supposed to be obvious. Keeps people from trying anything.
Declan
Still feels like overkill.
Troy
Someone shot at us this morning. It's not overkill.
Declan
Fair point. I'll be home by six. Try not to burn the house down before then.
Troy:
