Page 26 of Barristers & Bones

“Where did you go this afternoon?”

Ivan’s words came back, and I straightened. “I’ve had enough, I want out.”

“Why?” His tone was cool, detached.

I turned and started walking down the steps. “Because you detest me and your partners hate me.”

“Luna, stop.”

“No. I'm not available whenever you snap your fingers. You don’t own me.”

He pushed off the pillar and closed the distance between us, stepping in front of me, his dark eyes unreadable.

“What happened at the office today?”

“Nothing I want to talk about. And this?” I wagged my finger between us. “Will not work. I have classes and responsibilities, and I need to study. You can't just—”

“Control your life?” He finished my sentence. “I wouldn't dream of it.”

“Good, because you can't.” I turned and started walking again.

“Luna, talk to me.” His low, serious tone stopped me.

I hung my head, then turned around and faced him. “I know you did a background check on me. And today Ivan threw some painful memories in my face for no good reason.” I stepped closer to him. “Well, guess what? My roommates and I did a background check on you guys. And we know about Arizona. We’ve also heard rumors about questionable legal activities and deviant sexual tastes.”

His face went blank. “You can’t believe everything you read.”

“Trust me, I know. The point is, I don’t throw it in your faces just to get a rise out of you or hurt you. And I didn’t use it to try and get out of this internship.”

He nodded carefully. “Understood. I want you to stay.”

“This isn’t a good idea.” I stared up into his fathomless dark eyes. “Please, you need to let me go.”

“I can’t.”

He sounded almost… sorry. Closing my eyes, I exhaled slowly. Why did I think I could persuade him?

I opened my eyes and met his gaze. “Then we need some boundaries.”

“Boundaries?” he repeated, the word rolling off his tongue like a funny joke.

A few students came out of the library and glanced at us curiously before heading down the steps.

“Boundaries.”

“Alright. I haven’t eaten, so let’s grab dinner and talk. There’s a little Italian place near the mortuary. How does that sound?”

The idea of eating at Luigi’s deflated my knee-jerk refusal. “Damn it, I love Luigi’s.”

Roman smiled, and it was the first time I didn’t see mockery, scorn, or faint derision in his eyes. His smile charmed me, and I wondered what he would’ve turned out to be like if he hadn’t been sent to that hellscape in Arizona.

“Then let’s go eat and discuss boundaries.” The faint mockery was back, only a little more muted this time.

“Alright. I’ll meet you there in twenty minutes.”

He folded his arms and looked down at the keys still threaded between my knuckles. “I’ll walk you to your car and meet you at the apartment.”

When I opened my mouth, he held up his hand. “I have another word for you. Yes. Yes, I’m walking you to your car.”

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