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Not an easy question, especially because I'm not sorry Karras is dead. I told her that already, and I won't insult her by changing the answer because I want her back in my bed tonight.

"For making the decision without you."

She studies me.

I continue before she can interrupt. "You found him. You proved his involvement. You questioned him. When you told me there might be more to extract, I decided my judgment mattered more."

"It did."

"At the time, yes."

Her eyes flash.

"That isn't an apology."

"I'm not finished."

That shuts her up. A rare achievement.

"I would probably kill Karras again," I tell her. "Given what I knew in that room, I would reach the same conclusion. I'm not going to tell you otherwise because it's what you want to hear."

"I don't want you to lie to me."

"I know."

"But?"

"But I should have listened before I decided."

Her expression changes slightly.

I look at the screen between us. "You were right about something else too."

"Only one thing? Tragic."

"Don't push your luck."

"There he is."

This time, her mouth actually curves. The sight hits me harder than it should. I haven't realized how much I've missed that expression until now.

I lean back. "You said I treated you like a partner until your judgment conflicted with mine."

She waits.

"You were right."

Silence settles between us. Not the hostile silence from before. Something more dangerous.

Elena looks down at her hands. "I don't expect you to stop being who you are."

"I know."

"I meant what I said. All of it."

Including the part about loving me.

Neither of us says it, but it's sitting between us anyway.