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“Whatever.” Cosima rolls her eyes. “At your speed it will never happen.” She turns, heading back down the hallway toward the kitchen. “It took years for you to seal the deal with Tova,” I hear her mutter.

“Do you truly wish to go shopping?” Warren asks when we’re alone.

“I could use a friend.”

“I’ll be your friend,” Warren offers. Even though his suggestion makes me melt, he knows that’s not what I mean.

“Girlfriend. I need girl friends.” I dip under his arm, pretty sure he only lets me because when I do, I’m heading into his office. The door clicks closed a second later.

“You want friends that are girls?”

“Yeah. I have one, and I’d like my phone back so that I can call her. I bet she’s worried.”

“Marks.”

I brace my arms behind me on Warren’s desk and lift myself onto it. “I don’t think I care for the way you said her name.”

“How did I say her name?” Warren flicks the lock on the office door, making his way toward me.

“Very War business mode.”

“Do you know who Marks is?” he asks.

“Sit.” I point to the chair in front of his desk.

“Are you ordering me around?”

“I am.” I give him a bright smile. It works because he sits down in the chair. The second his butt hits the seat, I drop my smile. “Doyouknow who Marks is?”

“Not as much as I would like.”

“I thought you weren’t going to look into her! Isn’t that what you said on the dock?”

“I never fully agreed to that.”

Crap, he hadn’t.

“Wait, do you do that on purpose? Moving the subject along so I forget you never fully agreed to that?”

“Yes.” I open and close my mouth because how do I respond to that? He didn’t lie or dance around his answer.

“So you tricked me.” I wring my hands together in my lap. Warren’s hand covers both of mine.

“I did. I hadn’t thought of it as tricking you, but I did purposely move you away from it. I don’t enjoy telling you no and seeing you upset, but I will do what I need to so that you are always protected.” Only Warren can annoy me and somehow make it sweet. I suppose it’s all about intent. I know in my heart that he’s only looking out for me. That he wants to keep me safe at all costs. It doesn’t mean I’m not going to continue giving him a hard time about it.

“Like never letting me leave.”

“Do you want to leave?” Warren’s eyes search my face.

“I don’t want to feel trapped, but I get that I’m not living a normal life.”

“Do you want a normal life?”

“I thought I was the one here to ask questions and demand things, like my phone.” I lift my chin.

“I am only trying to understand what you need so I can try to make it possible.Ifit can be possible.”

“You make it really difficult to argue with you.”