Page 37 of The Carnage We Keep

Dr. Fallon smiles as she shakes her head. “Right.” Her brows pinch, like she’s thinking. “And how long after you were attacked⁠—“

“Metaphorically attacked,” I correct her with an exaggerated, knowing wink.

“Right…metaphorically,” she adds. “How long after that did Blandrew⁠—”

“Oh, instantly.”

Her head cock to the side. “Instantly? He was close by?”

I’ve left out the bit about Damiano hunting me while I was hunting the guy who’d been badly stalking me around town all afternoon. Mostly because then I’d have to tell her Damiano was following me because I broke into his room and trashed it, which, honestly, makes me sound like a crazy bitch.

So I just nod.

Dr. Fallon smiles broadly. “Which means he was following you.”

I smile, reliving my amusement at having fucked up Damiano’s room.

Dr. Fallon interprets it differently.

“Can I ask a personal question?” she asks.

“Isn’t that the point of therapy?”

“Touché,” she chuckles before she regards me. “Do you like this guy?”

The question legitimately catches me off-guard. I stumble, my mouth opening and closing repeatedly as my face heats.

Shit.

“No,” I blurt. Then I frown. “Mmmaybe? I…don’t know.”

Dr. Fallon circles her finger in the air, like she’s winding something. “More. Keep going with this thread.”

I groan. “I honestly don’t know. I mean, he’s hot enough, I guess…”

“So you’re at least physically attracted to⁠—”

“But it’s in like a douche way,” I mutter. “His hotness, I mean.”

She smiles. “But you are attracted to him.”

My face heats. “I…guess?” I shrug.

Dr. Fallon nods. “You don’t typically find yourself attracted to men?”

My mouth twists as I shrug. “I mean… It’s complicated.”

“Care to elaborate on that?”

Fuck no.

“I mean…” I glance at my untouched mug of tea. “I go on dates. Sometimes.”

“With men.”

I nod.

“But are you actually interested in them?” Dr. Fallon presses. “Do these dates fulfill you on an emotional level, or are they purely a means to an end?”