Page 53 of Us Defiant Few

“Why? Would you believe anything I said?”

“I don’t know what to believe anymore,” he admitted in a low voice, that simple dark truth haunting him more than anyone.

“I know you don’t trust a lot of things right now,” she swallowed, “but you can trust me.”

He shook his head. “You might be the person I trust the least.”

“Me?” Khalani reeled back. “Why?”

He let out a humorless laugh. “If there’s no radiation, then my superiors lied to me. I can’t dismiss that. But that doesn’t mean you’re not lying either.”

“That’s such bullshit. What about everything I just told you? If I know about Apollo and Braderhelm, that means I’m telling the truth!”

“Or…you’re a spy and had research to use against me.”

“You know, for someone so good-looking, you’re incredibly stupid. Did you know that?”

“I’m aware of my looks.” He shrugged. “Just didn’t know you were affected by them.”

“I’m not affected by them,” she lied. “I’m just objectively pointing out something that others might find nice to…you know…” She gestured to him, and he raised a single eyebrow.

“Not quite sure I follow. Please elaborate.”

“Ugh. Just forget it.” She stormed past him, wondering why she’d thought this conversation was a good idea.

All her “good ideas” should be thrown in a casket to die.

“I’ll add easily flustered to the list,” he said, his stupidly long legs keeping up.

“What list?” she snapped.

“My list of targets.” He spoke casually, but his eyes were bone-chillingly cold. “I’m cataloging my enemies’ weaknesses so I know how to ruin them first.”

“Ah, yes. Can’t forget that killing me is still your favorite thing to dream about.” She mimed slicing her throat.

“That’s not what I dream about,” he murmured in such a low voice, Khalani wasn’t sure if she imagined it. But he didn’t clarify or say anything else, he just stared ahead in a strange daze.

“Well, as fun as this was, I’m gonna keep walking,” she grumbled.

But what Khalani really wanted was to bury her head in the sand and never come back for air.

“Wait,” he said before she could catch up to the others. “You still haven’t finished telling me the rest.”

His charcoal eyes sliced her open.

Like he needed to hear more.

“What do you want to know?” Unable to help herself, she glanced back at him, nearly tripping over a metal car door that was flung across the road.

In an instant, Takeshi reached out and gripped her elbow. But he released her just as quickly, putting even more space between them than before.

“If what you say is true,” he said bluntly, “tell me this. Why would I have gotten close to you if you were my prisoner?”

“I don’t know.” Khalani exhaled. “I got beat up in Braderhelm and needed to learn how to defend myself. When I asked you to teach me, you said no.” She rolled her eyes, remembering how Takeshi wanted to be anywhere else but in the medical ward beside her.

“I think you took pity on me and said yes,” she continued.

“I was the one who taught you how to fight?” He frowned.