Page 35 of Snap Shot

“Yes. I'd like to have a fresh start.” Her hand finds its way into her briefcase and removes a pen and notepad. “I know if we work together, we can get this case wrapped up quickly. All I ask for is total honesty.”

I hum. “And I can expect the same from you?”

“Absolutely.” Even this life-changing burger isn’t enough to distract me from the way her tongue wets her lips. “Glad we're getting somewhere. Ready?”

“Go for it.”

“I'll need a comprehensive history of every romantic and sexual partner you've ever had.”

My rabid chewing stops, and I swallow the mouthful in one harsh stroke. “That's not a real question.”

“I didn't ask, but I do need to know.” Her notes grow as she glides a pen over the page, then looks at me. “I can understand this isn't easy to talk about. But the only way I can protect you is if I know the truth.”

I don't mean to, but I scoff. Every time this topic comes up, my blood heats to a boil. It's fucking humiliating. And the last person I want to know about my gullible stupidity is Indi Davé.

“Landon?” She pulls outthe picturefrom a file in her bag. “A picture is worth a thousand words.” Her voice drops. “Though I doubt you were doing any talking.”

My clenched jaw relaxes from its defensive position. “You know what? No, it's not. It's a picture—a snapshot—of what actually happened. It tells a story, maybe. But it doesn't tell the truth. Only I can tell you that, Indi. Let me know when you're ready to listen.”

Her hands fly up. “I was—I am ready to listen!”

“I have a better idea.” My face hardens. “You want honesty?”

“Yes. That'sallI'm asking—”

“You first.”

Indi tilts her head. “Me first?”

“How can I trust you when I don't know you?”

“Oh-kay,” she intones, releasing her pen onto her notepad. “What do you want to know?”

Everything.“You want to know my sexual history?” I wipe my hands on a napkin, then ball it up and toss it to the coffee table. “Let's hear yours.”

Her eyes brim with rage, widening and narrowing. “Excuse me? What—how is this relevant?”

“You want my trust and to know about my sex life sobadly,” I snipe. “Shouldn't be so hard to share yours.”

What the actual fuck are you doing, you absolute shit?

“The hell, Radek?” Her cheeks go red again, but not in a nice way like before. “Haven't you embarrassed me enough? I came here after…” Indi gasps out a few humorless laughs. “I apologized, and it’s completely unprofessional—” The pen snaps in her grip. She broke the pen. Uh oh. “This is...I don't need this.”

The words rattle out before my brain can catch up. “Yeah? Then go. You're the one who showed up here.”

She packs her notes and shoots to her feet.

I trail behind her to the door. “What happened to you, Indi? You used to be the kindest girl I ever met. We were friends.”

Her stride cuts short before she pivots. “I'm not that girl anymore. And it’s been a long time since we were friends.”

I wait for her to leave, resuming our positions on either side of the doorway, the same as an hour ago.

“You have no idea what it feels like to have people talking about you.”

Indi glances up from the floor, voice returning to a soft quality. “Believe it or not, Landon, I do. I knowexactlyhow it feels.”

“Then you know how horrible it is when what they say isn't true.”

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