Page 31 of Let Me Win You

She kept her assessing gaze on me.

“Will you be honest in your answers?”

That was my intention. But my intentions mattered little if I failed to convince her in my honesty.

The memory of something I’d seen on the magical Pandora’s Box or TV, like humans called it, gave me an idea.

“Let’s play a game,” I offered.

She arched an eyebrow skeptically. “What kind of a game?”

“Truth or dare. You’ll ask me questions, and I will answer them truthfully. One can’t lie when playing that game, can one?”

“Oneshouldn’tlie,” she corrected, keeping her close attention on me. “Well, it wouldn’t hurt to try, I suppose. But it’s probably best if you get off your knees and sit in the chair again.”

“Does it mean I’ve been forgiven?” I asked hopefully, not moving from my kneeling position.

“I accept your apology, but my ultimate forgiveness will depend on how honest you’ll answer my questions.”

That was better than nothing. It was a step in the right direction. At least, that was how I longed to see it.

Taking my seat again, I folded my hands on the table in front of me.

“I’m ready,” I said. “You can ask me ‘truth or dare?’ now, and I will choose.”

She shook her head.

“No. We’ll change the rules a little.I’llchoose for you whether it’s truth or dare.” She stared straight at me. “And it’struth. Tell me, Invi, why did you abduct me? Why did you bring me here? Why didn’t you at least consider asking me if that was something I was ready for?” I opened my mouth to reply, but she wasn’t done yet. “I know we agreed we both were open for more.But ‘more’ normally means something like another date. Not an actual fucking abduction to another world.”

She clearly felt strongly about it. Her voice rose and her face flushed with the color of anger. I knew that shade of red well. I had an entire brother in that very color.

“Why, Invi?” Her voice dropped. She clutched the stem of her glass so hard, it was in the real danger of snapping. “Is it because the mortal sins are used to doing whatever they want?”

“No,” I rushed to explain, then faltered, “Well, yes. That is possibly a part of it. When everyone thinks the worst of you, sometimes it’s easier just to prove them right than to keep trying to convince them otherwise.”

“ButIdidn’t think the worst of you.Ithought very highly of you when we first met. I…I liked you so much…” Her voice broke, and it broke something inside me too.

Liked,she said. Past tense.

Somehow, I had managed to have this delightful woman like me.

And I blew it.

Was there even the slightest chance for me now?

She asked for honesty, and that was what I had to give her.

“Nic, I didn’t plan to…um,abductyou. At first, I thought we’d have breakfast together in your world. But then this man knocked on your door at a rather indecent hour.”

“What man was it?” She looked genuinely shocked, and I liked it. It meant his visit hadn’t been arranged between them. It appeared, it hadn’t been welcomed by her, either.

“I’m not sure who he was,” I said, wishing I had at least punched her midnight visitor in his jaw, to deter him from any thought of ever pursuing my woman again. Instead, I’d just shut the door into his face, repulsed by his very existence in such a close proximity to my Nicole.

“What was his name?” she asked. “Did he introduce himself?”

“No, he didn’t. Which is rather rude, come to think of it.” I scratched my chin.

“What did he look like?”

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