Page 39 of Dmitri

“Don’t know. Never been here before.”

I freeze. “But you said that since you didn’t know my favorite, we were going to one of yours instead.”

He leans forward, looking menacing and sexy at the sametime. “You lied to me, so I lied to you.”

My stomach drops.

“Lie for a lie, Daelyn.”

Oh my god. He’s an asshole.

And so am I for doing all of this.

I recover quickly. “Does that mean for every truth I give you’ll give me one too?”

He nods, but his jaw ticks like he’s grinding his molars. I’m not sure if he’s being honest or not, but this could be my opening. My way into this man’s life, where I can get information to share with Kaleb.

Do it. Ask him anything. Bare your soul if you have to, because it’s your only way out. Do it for Addie!

I lean back and cross my arms. “Can I ask you a personal question?”

He nods.

“And you’ll answer it honestly, no matter what it is?”

He nods again.

I’m not buying it, but I’ll play along, just in case. Narrowing my gaze at him, I lean in. “No matter how personal it is?”

He arches a dark brow at me and nods again.

“No matter how damning?”

He smirks and nods.

I think I’ve got his interest now. IknowI have his attention. He hasn’t even blinked, and his steady eye contact has me fighting to hold it instead of breaking away.

Time to fire the first shot.

“Have you ever killed someone, Dmitri?”

Chapter 10

Dmitri

This woman continues to surprise me at every turn. My mind scrambles to figure out why she’d ask such a ridiculous question and I end up settling on the way we first met. She was, after all, my prize for winning a brutal series of cage fights that would have put weaker men into their graves. Lord knows I’ve beaten plenty of people within an inch of their life, but they either asked for it, or fucking deserved it.

Her sudden question, however, hits way too close to home, and I don’t like it. Keeping calm, I say, “Not yet.”

That’s honest enough.

My stomach twists as I hold Daelyn’s gaze a moment longer. She’s just stirred up something that’s been riding my ass these past couple of months, and it’s hard to swallow the guilt lodged in my throat.

Daelyn huffs, and her nose crinkles in this adorable way as she frowns at me. I think she’s disappointed with my answer.

“My turn.” I tip my head to the side. “Haveyoumurdered anyone?”

She cocks her eyebrow and sarcastically responds with, “Not yet.”