Page 154 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“He was scared because you knew what he was doing,” Ronan said.

“Probably.”

“That would've been nice to know before Dylan dropped it on me.”

“I forgot.”

Ronan laughed without humor.

“No, you didn't.”

Elliot said nothing. Because that lie wouldn't survive. Ronan looked at him again.

“You decided it wasn't important.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“Because it wasn't.”

“To you.”

“Yes.”

“That is the fucking problem.”

Elliot's jaw tightened. Ronan paced once toward the kitchen and back. He was angry now. Actually angry. Better than suspicious. Anger had shape. Suspicion leaked into everything.

“You don't get to decide what matters when police are investigating two murders.”

Elliot laughed softly.

“They haven't arrested me.”

“Not yet.”

The words hit harder than Ronan intended. Elliot went still. Ronan stopped.

“Fuck. I didn't mean—”

“Yes, you did.”

“No.”

“You keep saying things you mean and apologizing afterward.”

Ronan's face twisted.

“Because I'm scared.”

That stopped him. Elliot looked up. Ronan continued before he could answer.

“I'm fucking scared, okay?”

His voice wasn't loud. That made it worse.

“I don't know what these cops know. I don't know what Dylan knows. Every other day somebody tells me some new thing about you or Mason or Lucas, and somehow you're always standing there acting like you already knew.”