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“What did they do to you…”
“You shouldn’t be here. Fuck, Tessa, the whole point was for you tonotbe in this shit.” He winced at the pain in his shoulder as he shoved a hand through his hair, glaring at her through the bars.
“What does that mean?” She stepped closer, curling her free hand around the bars.
“It means you need to goddamn leave.”
“Oh, don’t worry,” she said lightly. “I’ve been promoted. I’m leaving tomorrow.”
His throat went dry at those words, parched skin stinging with each inhale. He swallowed, attempting to lubricate his mouth with saliva that wouldn’t come.
“Good. All the more reason for you not to be here.”
Her eyes narrowed, cheeks blotching red as a scowl crossed her face.
“Shut up,” she snapped. “You don’t get to tell me where I should be. You’re here to answer questions. So answer.”
So it was closure then, so she could leave without wondering. He was surprised she still cared—he’d just assumed he’d been enough of a shit in those last moments for her to write it off as a ruse. A convenient cruelty she could dismiss him with. But it looked like he’d need to give her more of a nudge.
Stag’s shoulders slumped. He leaned back against the wall, relaxing his hands between his legs, knees splayed wide. “Ask away then.”
She licked her lips and looked up at the ceiling for a few seconds. Thinking? Picking words?
“Thought you’d come prepared,” he scoffed.
Her mouth was a thin line as she glared at him. “Why?”
“Why what?” He prodded, making this hard, hoping she’d notice.
“Why couldn’t you have just treated me like a hostage the whole time? You could’ve taken what you wanted from me without… without being nice about it,” she stammered. “Why did you have to make me—” She stopped short and clenched her jaw, releasing the bars.
Stag rose, restraining a painted grunt at the stabbing under his ribs. He pitched himself forward to curl his fingers around the bars where hers had been. The bars were still a little warm with the halo of her touch.
He wanted to tell her the truth; every nerve and impulse in his body ached to say it and ease the glint of betrayal in her eyes. Could he really be that selfish? She was almost out of there, promoted, just like she’d told him she’d wanted.
She waited, watching him.
“I always did prefer a willing cunt, I guess.” He gritted through his teeth.
The zap of the baton was unexpected as she lurched forward. He was too weak and too slow, and it caught him right in his bruised ribs, sending a screaming current through his body, blotching the backs of his eyes.
By the time he could see straight again and realized he’d fallen, she was already unlocking the cell and stepping inside, teeth bared as she shoved the baton in front of his sternum.
“Why are you lying, Stag?” She snarled.
Shit.
“It’s true.”
His head slammed against the bunk frame, ears ringing as another round of current coursed through him, crackling up and down his spine.
“Bullshit.” She got down on her heels, cocking her head as she looked at him. “This whole time I thought that’s exactly what it was. But seeing you now… I call bullshit.”
The resolve in her eye held an infallible knowing, one he wasn’t sure he’d be able to shake. The part of him that didn’twantto shake it beat against his insides trying to get out. He glanced down at the prod, sizzling with a burned, meaty scent, and moved back to prop himself against the frame.
“I did it because I was selfish, Tessa. Selfish and clueless, thinking we probably wouldn’t be getting off that goddamn planet.” His eyes were on the prod. It shook in her hand as she pulled it back to hang limply at her side. “What we did down there, it was fucking stupid.”
“Look at me,” she whispered, repeating the instruction he once gave her when they were making love down on Arvex.
