Page 12 of Taken Online

“You’re supposed to be a therapist. Not forming biases.” I glared at him, my jaw tight. My heart thudding. “You know calling me manipulative is pretty insulting, right? Like... you don’t even know me yet.”

He gave a wry smile, setting the notebook on the table and leaning back. The lines at the corners of his mouth creased. He was older than me, but not by much.

His dull gray eyes locked on mine. His black hair was pushed back, but a few strands had escaped, framing sharp cheekbones and a chiseled jawline.

“I’m not trying to insult you, Asher,” he said, leaning forward again. His forearm flexed under the sleeve of a crisp white dress shirt. I tried not to notice how built he was.

“I’m simply observing.” He nudged the notebook toward me, a subtle challenge glinting in his eyes. “How about you describe yourself, and we go from there?”

He passed me the pen. I took it.

What the hell was I supposed to write? Camslut? Secret pervert? That I get off to men jerking off to me or sending me money? That I have a dead-end job and no friends, and most of my human interaction comes from people who want to fuck my throat?

That I hated him for not checking me out, so I could at least know I wasn’t imagining it the first time?

I bit my lip. He was still staring.

“You know how to write, don’t you?” he asked, expression blank.

“Yes! Jesus, yes, I know how to fucking write, asshole,” I snapped, grabbing the notebook.

He smiled, tight-lipped, smug bastard.

I started scribbling.

Asher’s List

I am nice.

I am friendly.

I am honest.

I am cute.

I am NOT manipulative.

I handed it back. He read it with clear disappointment.

“Asher, I can’t help you if you’re not willing to help yourself. Let’s try this: I'll say something, and you tell me if it’s accurate.”

I nodded.

He glanced at the page and jotted something else down.

“Sensitive?” he asked. A loose strand of hair fell over his forehead. His grip on the pen was firm.

I swallowed. Looked away.

“No,” I said.

“I don’t believe you,” he replied, not missing a beat. “I’ll put yes for both our sakes.”

I wanted to snap, but that would only prove his point.

“Likes older men?” he asked clinically.

A jolt went through me. Where the hell did he get that from? Now I felt like I was on a tightrope.

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