so gloom and doom. Two or more glasses of wine a day can severely reduce your risk of giving a shit.”
Nice. I accept the glass and take my first taste of something alcoholic. Mmm. Wine is tasty. Notes of raspberry and walnut, sweet yet earthy. “Just so you know, I’m not discussing the Everlife with you.”
“What are you willing to discuss? You know what, never mind. You’ll probably suggest the many ways to murder me.” He pushes his food around his plate before pinning me with a laser stare. “What if I said your allegiance to Myriad is a matter of life and death? Would you discuss the realms then?”
“Yes, but only to say you’re being ridiculous, trying to give me a god complex so I’ll feel important and believe that one measly girl will make a vast difference.”
The handle of his spoon bends. “One measly girl? Try one stubborn girl. Your continued refusal is causing all kinds of—” Once again he presses his lips together. “Myriad obviously needs you. They’re going to a lot of trouble for you.”
I catch another hint of the longing and envy. Does he think no one needs him, no one would go to any trouble for him?
I sigh. I’m reading too much into his expressions, aren’t I? Seeing what I want to see. Or even a reflection of my own emotions.
“How about we sit in silence?” I ask.
A voice spills over the intercom. “You will continue your conversation about the realms.” Dr. Vans, reminding me of where I am, who I’m with and the nefarious purpose of the evening.
My fingers tighten on my spoon with so much force I fear my knuckles will pop free of my skin. Of course Vans is listening to our every word, watching our every move.
“Did you know?” I ask, glaring at Killian.
“No,” he says, his teeth gritted. “He definitely isn’t part of my plan.”
Well, well. An outright admission that there is a plan.
Intent on ignoring both males, I sling one arm around my plate, guarding the contents, and shovel in heaping bite after heaping bite. First the cake slices disappear...followed quickly by, well, everything else. When I finish, I moan with satisfaction. And regret. Mostly regret. I probably should have saved something for Bow.
As I wipe my mouth with my napkin, Killian chuckles.
“What?” I demand.
“Now you’re a lady?”
I pat my stomach. “What? My gastrointestinal clock was ticking. I wanted a food baby.”
“Good thing I poked holes in the cake.”
A smile tugs at the corners of my lips, and I can’t stop it. I don’t want to like this boy, but dang it, he’s witty.
Then I remember Vans, and the urge to smile diminishes.
I gasp when Killian throws a plate at the cage-covered camera in the corner. A plate that clatters to the floor without shattering. The cage is unaffected, as well. Even still, the action makes us both feel better, and we share a look of understanding.
“What do we do now?” I ask.
“I could remove my shirt and do push-ups, impressing you with my manly strength.”
I think he’s kidding, but I’m still tempted. Watch him ripple and sweat? Yes, please. I force myself to say, “No, thanks.” An idea strikes, and I go with it. “I want to talk about your parents.” He’s here to lure. I can’t allow him to enjoy the experience, now, can I? “And I’m sticking to our rules. I’m not asking questions. I’m demanding.”
He flicks his tongue over an incisor. “Pick a different topic. Otherwise you’ll be bored.”
“You mean adored.”
He snorts, even relaxes. Then he sighs, his stare seeming to drill into my soul. “My mother died before I had the chance to meet her, but my birth was recorded. I’ve watched the video so many times I’ve memorized every detail. At the end, she nuzzled my cheek and told me she’d never forget me. Now I wonder...”
A lump grows in my throat. Now he wonders, what? If she’s Fused? If she remembers him?
I reach over and pat his hand. “I’m sorry for your pain.”
He searches my eyes—for what? “I think you mean that.”
“I do.”
We go quiet again, but this time, awareness crackles between us. Crackles over my skin, making me tingle.
“If you’re not going to discuss the realms, you’re going to do a trust-building exercise.” Vans’s insistent voice makes us both flinch. “Ten, stand in front of Killian and fall backward. Killian, catch her before she falls.”
You’ve got to be kidding me.
Killian pops his jaw but stands. “If I wasn’t eager to