Page 23 of Twisted Knight

I nodded. “Says the guy with one friend.”

He raised two fingers. “Two actually. Two and a half if you count the kid.” He gave me a small smirk. “Plus, I’ve got a good excuse for that one. My job’s not that great for making friends.”

He did have a point. I didn’t need to be an expert in Mafia to guess it was quite a solitary world.

I sat on a stool across from him.

“You know you could have asked instead of acting all suspicious. Communication is important in every relationship.”

“Wedon’thave a relationship.”

Ouch that hurt. “We do. There are many different types of relationships, you know—not all of them involve romantic feelings and sex. We have a relationship, even if we are merely more than acquaintances.” I shook my head.

His scowl deepened. “I’m not looking for therapy.”

I could see I was not going to get anywhere with him. He was too defensive. Maybe later, when he trusted me.

“I’m still working, you know.”

He arched his eyebrows as he sipped on his drink, the only sign of his surprise.

“I’m a successful therapist, even if Cassie probably oversold it,” I said with a small smile. “I work for an online therapy company calledBZen. I’m a registered therapist there and all my sessions are via Zoom. It allows me to have a certain flexibility in life I enjoy, and it also allows me to have complete control of my schedule and work location.” I shrugged. “It may pay a little less than having your own practice in person, but it’s worth it for me.” I looked at my watch. “I have three sessions today. I had one this morning and I have one in a couple of hours.” I traced the pattern on the white marble breakfast bar with my forefingers. “As for my family, there’s only my mother and she’s been traveling for a while—well, for the past nine years. She started when I entered university. She’s been looking for herself; I hope she finds whatever she is looking for.” I cleared my throat. I was getting thirsty now and somehow regretted not saying yes to the glass of scotch. I was not the same girl as I had been, and Dom was not Jake.

He got a peach iced tea pitcher from the fridge and filled a glass before sliding it toward me. I didn’t even think he realized it, but it revealed a lot about his character. He was reacting on instinct. No matter what he said, he was of a caring nature.

“You don't seem bitter about having an absentee mother.”

“She was not an absentee; she was being her. I can’t blame her for trying to find meaning in her life. She raised me well. I always had food on the table, clean clothes, a warm bed… When I turned eighteen and started university, she left.” I shrugged. “I had an interesting childhood.”

“I’m sure you did.”

“I’ll tell you all about it one day.” I was not sure why I volunteered that information. “What about you?”

“What about me?”

I rolled my eyes. He was such a textbook avoider. “Your childhood.”

He shrugged, finishing his glass in one go. He looked away for a second, his eyes clouding with pain.

I was about to ask how he was feeling when his face reverted to his coolness and he shrugged again.

“Oh, you know, the classics—murder, racket, horse races, razor blades under my cap.”

“You literally just described an episode ofPeaky Blinders.”

“So what?” He grinned at me. “Peaky Blindersis an awesome show.”

I chuckled. “You’re an idiot.”

He cocked his head to the side, a light of amusement in his eyes. He never looked at me like that before and it did things to my stomach I had not felt in a very long time.

“Is that your professional diagnosis?”

No, my professional diagnosis is that someone hurt you beyond repair and that even if you crave love, you don’t know how to let anyone love you. “Yes, it is.”

He nodded. “You’re spot on. I guess you’re legit. You don’t only have the looks, you have the brain too.” His phone vibrated in his pocket. “I’ll see you later, Doctor.Pronto?”

I looked at him exiting the room. Did he even realize how complimentary he was? Probably not and it made his compliment much more worth it.

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