Page 37 of Grimstone

“You sound surprised.”

She shrugs restlessly. She looks exhausted and a little reckless. “Seems a little woo-woo for a doctor.”

“Doctors know that the mind is powerful. For better or for worse.”

“What does that mean?”

I press the mug of coffee into her palm. “You might not like everything your mind does. An uncontrolled mind is…uncontrolled.”

“Nightmares,” Remi murmurs.

“I’m more concerned with what happens when I’m awake.”

She glances up sharply. “I’m fine when I’m awake.”

“I can see that.”

She scowls at me then snatchesLucid Dreamingoff the shelf.

“I’m borrowing this.”

“No.”

“Why not?”

“Because you’ll get crumbs in the pages, and it won’t help you anyway.”

“I won’t—I don’thaveto get crumbs in it.” Remi sets down her coffee and clutches the book to her chest, tattoos running down both her bare arms. She lifts her chin, haughty as her brother. “And what makes you think I can’t master my dreams?”

“Because dreams reflect real life.” I snatch the book back out of her hand and toss it aside.

She’s empty-armed and suddenly flustered.

“What are you saying?”

“You know exactly what I’m saying.”

Her mouth falls open in outrage.

“You don’t know shit about my life.”

“Probably not. But I know what I see.”

The bags under her eyes could hold two weeks of luggage. Her nails are bit to nubs.

“You think I can’t control myself?” Remi’s lower lip trembles, and she blinks several times.

I step closer.

She sucks the edge of her lip into her mouth, fingers tugging nervously at the frayed threads of her jeans. She tries so hard to project strength, but she shakes like a baby bunny the moment I get close.

I lean down and look right in her face, our noses an inch apart.

“Iknowyou can’t control yourself.”

I grab her at the nape of the neck and shove my hand down the front of her jeans, thrusting my middle finger inside of her and hooking there, hand clamped on her pussy.

Remi gasps, grabbing my arm with both hands.

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