She scowled at me. “Is that a joke?”
“Apparently a bad one.”
“Are you sure you were the joker?”
“What can I say? I’m out of practice.”
At my shrug, she huffed. “Why would I want you to go anywhere?”
“Freedom is sweet, and you’ve never had any.” I cut her a look, saw she was staring straight at me, and her head was tipped to the side like she was considering me and what I was saying.
“Some people,” she eventually remarked, “will never be free. When you’re in the life, you’re always in it. There’s no running away, there’s no avoiding the taint.” She shrugged. “I knew that. It’s why I never fought the wedding.”
“Because of your sister?”
“Yeah. She whored herself out for safety, what’s the difference between—”
“Don’t you dare compare me to a clubhouse of dirty bikers.”
A laugh escaped her, and this time, the smile that blossomed almost had me crashing the fucking car. “I did at first, then I got a sight of your ass in boxer briefs and I was a convert.”
I rolled my eyes for the third time in this conversation. “My butt is a lifesaver.”
“Well, I wouldn’t go that far, but it’s sure pretty.” She wolf whistled, then giggled when I glowered at her. “Anyway, before I knew you, maybe I got it. Maybe I understood, but I also knew that chasing freedom is only going to get me one place.”
I frowned. “Where?
“Nowhere. We have to make the best of things, and I’d like to think we’re doing that. Getting to know each other, you know?”
I dipped my chin. “Are you sure you’re not trying to poison me?”
“Well, I’d be doing a damn good job of it if I was, wouldn’t I?” she muttered, utterly disgruntled now. “I follow the recipes exactly.”
My lips twitched. “Remind me to speak to Winnie in the morning, would you?”
She shifted in her seat. “You don’t have to do that.”
“Yes, I do. I’m not having her make you feel uncomfortable in your own damn home. She’ll change her tune—”
“She’ll spit in our food is what she’ll do.”
“I have cameras in the kitchen. You can watch the footage—”
“You have cameras in there?” she squeaked.
“I have them everywhere.” I cut her a look. “Why? You had to know that.”
Her cheeks were bright red, and what I’d mistaken for embarrassment, I swiftly realized was the opposite.
My tongue felt thick in my mouth as I rasped out, “You want to watch us in the kitchen, don’t you?”
She swallowed, and her pupils were like pinpricks. “I’m weird, aren’t I?”
Weird?
More like perfect.
We’d be late to dinner, and that came with a wooden spoon to the back of the head, but fuck.