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“You’re giving up on Holly?”

“She’s given up on me.”

“Because you acted like a jerk,” Iska said. “She behaved in the right way. What would you have thought of her if you’d written off her debt and she agreed to your terms? You wouldn’t be tempted to attach a few more conditions, maybe push her and see what else you could get?”

“Hell, no. I’m not that kind of guy.” Avel scowled at him. “The plan was to set Holly free. Let her get on with her life. Not tie her to me.”

“That’s what you want, though,” Iska said. “You want Holly. You want her in your life, and you thought this would be a way to do it. I bet you thought she’d be grateful for your help.”

“No, absolutely not.” Avel scrubbed his chin. He hadn’t consciously thought that, but at the back of his mind, maybe that’s exactly what he’d hoped for. Did he think that Holly would be so grateful that she’d stay in his life?

He shook his head. If that had happened, he’d never have known the real reason she was interested in him. That was no way to start a relationship.

Iska nudged him. “You’re into this woman.”

“I am. She’s hot.”

“It’s just her curves you’re after?”

“She’s incredible. Holly gets me going just by looking at her, but it’s not only her curves that light a fire under my butt; it’s also how she lives her life. She’s chasing something she’s wanted for a long time. I can’t swerve her off that path.”

“They’re solid values to have. Going after what you desire.”

“Yeah, but lousy for me. I can’t be in Holly’s life,” Avel said. “I’m a massive detour she hadn’t planned on.”

“You don’t have to be a detour, not if you support her. Not if you follow her dream with her.”

“That’s what I did.”

“No, not by writing off debts and hanging conditions over her head. She’d soon wake up and realize that you’re a problem, not a solution, if you keep doing that.”

“Holly already knows that.”

“Because you assume the worst of her and yourself.” Iska prodded him with a finger. “You always give yourself a hard time.”

“I don’t.” Avel’s voice was more of a growl than words.

Iska sipped his whiskey. “You said just this morning that you surround yourself with people who cheat you and lie to you. That’s your default. You expect people to act in the worst way. When they don’t, you hold your breath, waiting for their true colors to surface.”

Avel nodded slowly. He had cut Holly off from explaining. He’d let his low expectations beat him. He was so used to seeing the dark side of people’s nature and had assumed Holly would be the same. She wasn’t.

“Remember when we first met? You tried to kill me.”

Avel tilted his head. “I thought you were after my mark.”

“Did you ask me who I was tailing, or did we have to go several bloody rounds before I knocked sense into you?”

Avel shrugged. “I get it. I’ve been an idiot. I’ve screwed things up with Holly.”

“So, fix it.”

“But it’s a mess.” He scrubbed his chin.

“Fix the mess. It sounds like Holly’s worth it.”

Avel turned as a group of rowdy guys wandered into the bar. His gaze narrowed as he saw Lieutenant Eric Busby stroll past. He growled, and his fists clenched.

“A friend of yours?” Iska asked as he turned to study the group.