Page 61 of Torgash

The Garcia deposition goes exactly as planned. No surprises. I guide the farmer's wife through her testimony while Nova takes notes from the gallery.

When the Garcias leave, Nova immediately starts packing up files. "I need to grab lunch before the Williams meeting this afternoon."

"I'll come with you."

"That's not necessary." She won't look at me. "I'm perfectly capable of eating alone."

I watch her walk out, then give her a few minutes before I follow. When I see her county cruiser parked outside Greene's Diner, I know exactly why she picked it. Public space. Witnesses. Smart move if you're trying to avoid a real conversation.

The diner's packed with the lunch crowd when I walk in. Nova sits in a corner booth, back to the wall, coffee cup grippedtight in both hands. She doesn't look up when I slide into the seat across from her.

"I told you I didn't need company," she says quietly.

I signal Helen for coffee. "We need to talk."

"We talked. In the war room. I was very clear about where we stand."

"You were clear about the lies you're telling yourself." I lean forward, and she leans back. "Royce got to you. Threatened you. And now you're running scared."

"I'm not running from anything." Her knuckles go white around the coffee cup. "I'm being rational."

"Rational." I let that sit for a moment. "Is that what you call it when you can't even look at me? When you flinch every time I get close?"

"I don't flinch."

"You're flinching right now."

Her jaw hardens. "You want to know what I'm doing? I'm correcting a mistake. I'm getting back to why I'm here instead of letting myself get distracted."

"Distracted." Christ, that cuts. "Last night was a distraction? What you told me about Carman was a distraction?"

"Yes." Flat. Final. "It was just sex, Ash. Don't make it into something it wasn't."

Her eyes are wet. She's fighting not to take it back.

"You think sleeping with me gives you the right to hover and protect and manage every aspect of my life?"

"That's not what this is about."

"Isn't it?" She leans forward. "This was always about control with you. Protection, partnership—just different words for the same thing. You can't stand that I might handle something without your input."

My hands clench under the table. She's ripping apart what we had, making it sound ugly. Every word meant to wound me. To drive me away.

"You want to know about control?" My voice drops low. "Control is sitting here listening to you lie instead of dragging you somewhere private and demanding answers."

"There it is." No warmth in her smile. "When you don't get your way, you threaten to force it."

Something twists in my chest. She just called me exactly what everyone else sees—a monster who takes what he wants.

"The real me held you while you confessed your deepest secret. Made you feel safe enough to surrender." I lean closer. The fear's stronger now. Desperate. "The real me knows you're terrified, and it's not because of anything I've done."

Something cracks in her face, just for a moment.

"This is about Carman, isn't it?" I watch her carefully. "If I could find out about your sister, so could he."

Her eyes snap to mine, and her face goes pale. "What did you just say?"

Fuck.

---