Page 88 of Ruthless Creatures
He doesn’t interrupt my silence. He lets me think everything through until I’m ready to speak.
When I sigh heavily, he demands, “Tell me.”
“I signed up for this. I said yes—”
“Are you regretting it?”
“Shut up and let me talk, please.”
A low, rumbling growl comes over the line, signaling his impatience, but he complies.
“As I was saying: I said yes to you. To this thing between us. To being kept in the dark about a lot of stuff, and basically living separate lives, only seeing each other… well, whenever it suits you, if we’re being accurate—”
“For your safety. Foryou.”
Steaming mad, I jolt upright in the chair. “I’m talking now! Your turn’s next! Where are your manners, mobster?”
There’s a small sound. A muffled chuckle, perhaps. Then he comes back on the line, sounding contrite. Also like he’s trying very hard not to break out into gales of laughter.
“My apologies. Please continue.”
If he were standing in front of me right now, I’d kick his arrogant ass six ways to Sunday.
“If this is going to work, you have to promise me something right here and now. Promise it and mean it.”
“Anything.”
“Don’t ever lie to me.”
He sounds insulted. “I’ve already told you I wouldn’t.”
“Tell me again. Because lying is a dealbreaker for me.”
His exhalation is slow and heavy. I can almost hear him rolling his eyes.
“I can’t tell you everything, even if I wanted to. There are other people’s lives at risk. But if I can answer a question, I will. I won’t deliberately withhold information for no reason… but there will be more holes than you’ll like.”
“And that’s fair. That’s understandable. Just don’t ever lie to me, Kage. If you want me to trust you, I need to know you’ll tell me as much of the truth as you can.”
He says softly, “I hear you.”
“So we’re agreed?”
“Yes.”
I stretch my neck and blow out a breath. “Okay. I’ve got to hang up now.”
“Why?”
“I’m late for work.”
“You don’t have to work anymore, if you don’t want to.”
I laugh. “Oh, really? Did I win the lottery or something?”
He chuckles. “Or something. You won me.”
Wait. He’s actuallyserious. I stop laughing and frown. “Let me get this straight. You’re telling me that after sleeping with me once, you’re willing to support me financially from now on?”
