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“Mmm, I don’t think so.” The sip of coffee warmed my throat while Nate navigated my blasé response. I added, “You look surprised.”
“What else can you possibly do to catch my attacker? It’s all over. I wasn’t even hurt. Not compared to Sydni or Yariel or…” He swallowed hard, looking like he just worked a small cactus down his throat.
“Benjamin,” I finished for him.
He nodded.
Here goes.
I summoned my magic and weaved it around him gently while paying attention to his reaction. But Nate didn’t have one.
Good.
Pressing my influence into him, I asked, “Did you tell the school and the police the truth about your attack? Sorry. I have to ask.”
“Of course,” he answered.
A pause, and then, “All of the truth?”
He stopped shifting. Shoulders went still. Parted lips froze. The only movement his widening eyes. “All of it?”
“Yes,” I said, trying to mask my excitement and remain calm. “Did you tell the police and your school all of the truth?”
“No.”
Bingo, bitch.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
His shaking increased.
Carefully, I held the pressure of my influence, not wanting to push him too far. “What did you leave out?”
He shook his head again. “I’ve never… never said anything until now…”
My power sizzled beneath his skin, pressing, pulling the truth out while I replied, “Well, clearly. If you didn’t tell the whole truth, I doubt you’d be advertising that little detail.”
“I hid it… because it was a… a punishment,” he stuttered.
I stilled. “What was a punishment?”
His hands shook harder. “I can’t say.”
“You feel responsible for the attacks in a way,” I stated, reading the guilt pouring off him. How badly I wanted to rip the words from him, but that would kill the entire purpose of staying low-key, so I refrained.
Barely.
Nate flinched.
“You want to tell me, don’t you? Just checking.”
“Yes.” No hesitation there, at least.
I may not be a people person, but moments like this pulled a secret ability from my soul that had nothing to do with magic. Leaning forward and keeping eye contact gave it an extra little punch of sincerity when I soothed, “I’m a nobody, like you said. I’m not the police or your rich mommy’s drunk book club buddy. I don’t give a shit about who you are, and I’m not going to tattle on you. This is strictly for support, Nate. You have ten tons of weight on your shoulders. I can feel it from here. And telling me will help you feel better. It’s healthy to trust people who are worthy of it. What do you have to lose?”
He definitely had something to lose. I could see the gears turning in his head. If only I could climb inside and pluck the answers from his thoughts. Hope and desperation gleamed in his eyes. Yet, still, he refused to speak.
Kid looks like he’s about to pop with one prick. I have to pressure him, but not enough to break him.
