Page 17 of Fight

“Something’s on your mind. Share it,” he said.

“A girl’s not allowed to think?” I tossed back.

He huffed. “Nice try, but not an answer.”

“I almost died tonight. Can I take a moment?”

His eyes didn’t soften, gave no hint at all that he cared about my predicament. I hadn’t expected him to, but at least hoped I could buy a moment’s space. I couldn’t. He looked back to the road but I knew the question still stood. Now, I also knew that my first impression of Ioan had been right. He was smart, which meant I had to be even more careful.

“It’s like I said. I need a plan. I was in a world of shit before, and now…” I trailed off.

“Now you’re in immeasurable more.”

I couldn’t tell if what he said was a question or confirmation, and I wasn’t brave enough to ask, so I changed the subject.

“Your night didn’t go so good, either,” I said.

“Why do you say that?” he asked.

“There, back with Markov. That was a pretty intense conversation. Then you met someone. All that must mean something,” I said.

I was fishing, desperate for something, even if it was just information. Ioan wasn’t biting.

“Don’t concern yourself with that,” he said.

I frowned. “Of course I’m concerned. My ass is on the line here.”

“As is mine.”

He went quiet then, and the look on his face told me he’d say nothing more.

I didn’t either, which probably made him think I’d dropped it. I hadn’t, not at all. But I was exhausted, mentally and physically, and though I was seldom one who walked away before I got what I wanted, I figured I could cut him some slack. He’d earned at least that much, and I was in no mental space to try to match wits with him.

So I sat silently for the rest of the drive, watching curiously as he turned into the driveway of a two-story house.

“This is your place?” I asked.

He nodded. “You’re welcome to stay.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “Why?” I asked, my suspicion immediately taking hold of me.

He turned to me, his expression displeased, and my heart lurched. He didn’t seem intimidating, or at least he hadn’t before, but when he looked at me now, I saw that he could look fearsome when he chose, and he was choosing to at this very moment.

I swallowed hard but didn’t break his gaze.

“You have somewhere else to go?” he said.

“You know I don’t,” I replied, the response not coming out quite as snappily as I intended. These last days had been consumed with staying alive, but even before that, even in the midst of all the struggles in my life, I’d always had a roof over my head. Now I had nothing except the clothes on my back, and that realization sapped the last of my depleted energy.

“So you’ll stay here,” he said.

I watched him, searched his face for any sign of deception, but his expression was completely unreadable, save for the irritation at my questions. “What else?” I finally said.

There was something else.

There was always something else.

“Your debt to Markov is still outstanding. He’d be well within his rights to demand repayment, or satisfy the debt by other means,” he said.

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