Page 137 of Demon Defeat: Part 2

“Anything.”

“Patrick, I respected you for making some hard decisions when we were out in the field.That respect has been eroding with each prejudiced decision you’ve made since Molev showed up.You say that I’m the one who’s good at reading people and have followed my suggestions numerous times, but rarely with Molev.Which means talking to you about anything dealing with Molev is pointless.You will hear what you want and do what you want.”

I started to turn and paused.

“The sexual attraction is mutual, by the way.That’s why he’s interested in me.If I weren’t interested, he wouldn’t have taken me to the roof and kissed me like he did.And yes, it was a little aggressive, but I’d frustrated him just before that.And no, he didn’t hurt me at all.That should have been the first question you asked if you truly wanted me to believe you cared about me as a person rather than as a means to control Molev.”

The door to the mess opened, and I glanced back at Molev.He didn’t leave the mess, just extended his hand to me.

“You need to eat,” he said.

I nodded and went to him without looking back at Patrick.Everything that needed to be said had been said, and Patrick was still as unlikely to listen to reason as he’d been before we’d talked.

“Mutual attraction?”Molev murmured when I drew close.“I doubt what you feel for me is even close to what I feel for you, Andie.”

I shook my head at him.“Nope.We’re not going there.I’ve given as much as I’m willing to give today.”

He chuckled and took my hand.Everyone was already finished by the time I returned to my seat.

“What was that about?”Steve asked.

“Patrick thinks I requested female volunteers for a harem,” Molev answered, proving he’d been listening.

“Damn,” Steve said.“From all the way across the room and through a closed door and background noise?”

“I was focused.”

Knowing they were waiting for me, I ate quickly.

“What did Andie tell him?”Roland asked.

“That I did not have a preference for age, sexual orientation, or marital status to prove that I was more interested in non-aggressive volunteers willing to live with my brothers and me.”Molev focused on me.“You were wise to state that we want to interview them.”

“Are you crazy?”Brandon asked.“That’ll take forever.If you want to find out who’s easygoing and who’s going to avoid you, don’t do interviews.Do what we did with our neighbors.”

“A mixer,” Roland said with a nod.“That could work.Food, drinks, and music.People will be more relaxed and themselves.”

I nodded.“The ones who go out of their way to avoid you would probably be too afraid.”

“And the ones who come up to kiss your ass will probably be government plants,” Roni said.

Molev grunted.“These are good ideas, and you have my thanks.I will speak with Waurlyn about a mixer when we return.”

Steve, Roland, and Brandon grinned.Sid and Katie seemed lost in their own worlds.It’d been a long day.

I shoved in my last bite and watched Molev carry my tray away as I finished chewing.He was good to watch.I liked the way he moved, a predatory prowl.The muscle show wasn’t any hardship either.Yet, I rarely let myself enjoy it.The risk that I would fall that much deeper into what I felt had me wanting to look away.And that was exactly what he’d meant by retreating in my head.I was fine with the night cuddles and the long looks from him, but I wasn’t fine with returning any of them because I was afraid.Afraid of being distracted.Afraid of making mistakes.Afraid of opening my heart just to be hurt again.All my fears resulted in sending him mixed signals for weeks.

I hated when I didn’t see things objectively.And I hadn’t been when it came to Molev, which made me think of Patrick’s treatment of him.Was I really any better?

Even though I wasn’t ready to give, could I manage to hold my ground just where I was without retreating?

I stood when he returned to me and held out my hand.He took it without hesitation.

“Ready to figure out where we’re sleeping?”I asked.

He grunted, and I looked at Steve.“Did our escort give any hints about where to go next?”

He had, so we followed the directions to a barracks with a few empty bunks.The narrow beds looked as if they would barely fit Molev, never mind the both of us.I was just going to suggest we take the two bunks side by side when he shoved them together.

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