Page 270 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“No.”

“Never?”

“No.”

“Then what would you do?”

Elliot looked at him.

“Beg.”

Ronan froze. The answer was so unexpected he almost laughed. He didn't.

“You?”

“Yes.”

“You’d beg me not to tell?”

“Yes.”

Ronan stared. Elliot looked uncomfortable now. Embarrassed. Almost.

“I’d ask you to choose me.”

Ronan’s chest tightened. The watcher’s words returned. He’ll choose the monster he knows. Fuck.

“You already did.”

Elliot frowned.

“What?”

“You asked me to choose.”

“When?”

“Every time you lied.”

Elliot looked away. Ronan continued.

“Every time you gave me enough truth to stay but not enough to leave.”

“That wasn’t—”

“It was.”

Silence. Elliot nodded.

“Maybe.”

Ronan squeezed his hand.

“I’m not saying that to hurt you.”

“I know.”

“I’m trying to understand how we got here.”