Page 407 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“He’s becoming you.”

“No.”

“Slowly.”

“No.”

Saint’s voice softened.

“For you.”

There. The chapter title. The entire fucking trap. Elliot stared at the speaker. Ronan answered before he could.

“Wrong.”

Silence. Elliot looked toward the ceiling. Ronan continued.

“I did it for me.”

Saint went quiet. Nathan frowned. Ronan’s voice came stronger now.

“I wanted to live.”

Something inside Elliot shifted. Relief. Pride. Love. Everything. Ronan continued.

“Not every violent thing is about Elliot.”

Saint said nothing.

“Not every choice I make belongs to you.”

Still nothing. Elliot smiled. Ronan had figured it out. The same thing Elliot was learning. Saint took choices and renamed them. Made everything part of their story. Permission. Punishment. Reward. Corruption. Ownership. No. Ronan’s voice softened.

“And I’m still not killing anybody for him.”

Elliot’s chest tightened. Nathan looked disgusted. Saint finally spoke.

“Then perhaps you don’t love him enough.”

The sentence landed. Elliot felt it. Ronan laughed. Actually laughed.

“Holy shit.”

Saint went quiet. Ronan continued.

“That’s it?”

No response.

“That’s your whole fucking thing?”

Elliot almost laughed too. Ronan sounded incredulous.

“You think love means becoming whatever the other person needs?”

Saint answered:

“Love changes people.”