Page 17

“Because you’re inside the situation, I bet you filter out a lot of his stabby tendencies, don’t you?”

Peacemaker: “Well, yes? It’s a lot of work.”

“I bet. Then you’re right where you need to be. Besides, if you stayed with me twenty-four-seven, we’d end up strangling each other.”

Peacemaker:“Why do you say that?”

“Well, I’ve lost my mind for one. Andalso…”

“Anyone you end up with would eventually kill you in self-defense.”I can hear the Old Man’s voice clearly and picture him rubbing his hand over his face before glaring at me. The image is so clear it’s like I’m reliving it.

Peacemaker: “What did you do?”

“I may have told him I was running away with a boy that doesn’t exist because he loved my lousy attitude. Damn, I was an even bigger asshole during puberty.”I remember the weight of the backpack and my righteous indignation and smile a little.

He laughs uproariously at that, and my smile gets a little bigger.

Ben pulls out a cigarette, and I reach to push in the lighter, wait for it to pop, and light it for him. He rolls down his window and winks at me with a smile.

Is it me, or is this twenty minutes going at a snail’s pace?

Peacemaker: “Time is relative.”

“I bet. Don’t you get bored? Oh! Can you take over his body, and we can talk face-to-face?”

Peacemaker: “I wish. Not in my skill set.”

“What’s your skill set, then? Is there any chance you’ll help me harass your owner into submission?”

Peacemaker: “Yes. All of the yeses. I’m at one hundred on a scale of one to ten.”

His vicious delight makes me giggle, then I quickly clear my throat and drink.

I glance at Mitri from the corner of my eye, but he hasn’t turned away from the window.

Did he really kill his wife?

The thought pops up before I can catch it, and I wince at my lack of tact.

Peacemaker: “That’s something you’d need to speak with him about. Not my story.”

I wince again. “Sorry, that wasrude.”

How do you converse with someone who can read every insane thought that pops up?

Peacemaker: “Some thoughts are unstoppable.”

I think of all the times I spoke without thinking and silently agree with him. At leastsomepeople have enough self-control to not say it out loud. I’m definitely not one of them. He laughs again, and my lips twitch.

Ben’s hand slowly shifts up to my thigh, and I look up in surprise. His grip is affecting me, and I’ve got someone in my head. Cue panic. It makes no sense that males can be so casual about touching without knowing the havoc it can wreak on a female.

Peacemaker: “He has a hand. Wait, you think he doesn’t know what he’s doing? He’s male. Are you sure you aren’t a virgin?”

“I’m not a virgin. Why is everyone always asking me that?”

Peacemaker scoffs.“You miss the completely obvious social cues. Fuck, you and Mitri were meant for each other. Clueless wonders.”

“Hey!”I jostle my knee back and forth angrily, knocking it into Mitri’s and gaining his attention. I try not to panic as our eyes meet.