Page 69 of In the Dark

“Well, she’s really not that bad, Jasmina.”

I turned to him and gave him the evil eye. “Don’t ruin our newfound friendship, Archer. I already told Romeo I don’t like anyone here but him.”

“The cat?”

“Yes. He’s not even hissing at you right now, which means we are giving you a chance. If you side with Callahan and Demi, we’ll be forced to exile you to the outside forevermore.”

“Outside your door?”

“Of course. It’s a much worse place. You don’t get to do target practice.”

“I’m not always going to be one outside your door.” He shrugged.

“Got better things to do?”

Those easygoing eyes seemed far off again. “Not sure if the things I do are better or worse but they’re necessary.”

“Seems we’re all doing a lot of necessary things lately.” I grumbled.

He shook his head as if he was shaking away whatever he was thinking about and then said, “I’m not sitting outside your room just for telling you the truth. And the truth is, most people, including her, don’t really have it out to get you.”

“Is that so?” I gave him a side-eye. “Did you ask her and get that answer directly?”

“Well, no, but—”

“Then you can’t know. Because, maybe most people don’t, but she does. She does because she is in love with Callahan.”

“I don’t think … you think she loves him?” That had him reconsidering. “They’ve been sleeping together for a few years.”

“Years?” I choked on that information. “And you think she doesn’t love him?”

“Well, shit, I don’t know. I don’t get anything about any of you.”

“Any of us being women?”

“Mia was willing to risk her whole life for her plants.”

“Did she save them?”

“The fact that you want to know that …”

“Well, I might risk a thing or two for my crochet supplies.” I shrugged and looked over at them.

He sighed. “What are you making, anyway?”

At first, I was making another axolotl stuffed animal for the orphanage I always donated to, but I had an idea. “I’m making you a sweater, of course.”

“Me? I don’t wear—”

“And I’ll need you at your post tomorrow to make sure it fits. So don’t forget. What’s your favorite color?”

“I don’t need—”

“What’s your favorite color?”

“Black,” he muttered. “Mia with her plants and now you with your crocheting.”

I chuckled. “The plants and Mia don’t seem so bad,” I admitted. “I’m surprised she’s with Jameson.”