Page 94 of Brainwashed

My lashes flutter and I crane my neck, peering up at the culprit.

Dr. Love.Wearing some tailored beige pants and a navy-blue button-down that fit himwaytoo well.

“Morning,” I rumble, closing my eyes once more and curling up as if to go back to sleep.

He’s standing, sort of towering over me. And even though my eyes are closed, I canfeelhim staring at me.

One of my eyes creeps open and I huff with attitude, “What?”

His chin juts toward the couch. “You had the option of sleeping on an actual relatively comfortable piece of furniture for the first time in weeks, and you opt to sleep on the floor next to my desk?”

“I was snooping.” I release a bored sigh. “And I got tired.”

He goes quiet, so I reopen my eyes fully and glance up to find him squinting at me. His face still shows very little emotion, but I think that’s the look he’d give someone if he were mildly perturbed.

It’s actually really cute.

“Snooping?” He repeats the word. “As in, looking through my personal belongings?”

“Good, you know what that word means.” I smirk.

I witness his jaw clench. “Felix, enough with this snarky, immature little game. I’m here to work. Now, get off the floor and go sit down.”

Something about the unenthused way he’s ordering me around sends a thrilling tingle through my insides. I can’t help myself. I slowly rise to my feet and putter my way over to the couch at his command. All the while with him standing there looking at me like I’m an inconsequential inconvenience.

I can’t tell if I hate it or love it.

I know I shouldn’tenjoyhim treating me like I don’t matter, but for some reason, it intrigues me. Maybe because I know it’s not true. He’s captivated by me and what I do. That much was made clear when he came at me in the showers, after I killed O’Malley. He’s sincerely invested in me and this job.

So why is he acting like he doesn’t want to be near me now?

Oh, right… The kiss.

I almost forgot for a second there. I tried kissing him yesterday, and he didnottake it well. That must be it, then. He’s pissed off that I tried to kiss him.

Well, guess what, Doc?? I’m pissed off that you seem to think you know everything about me from a few measly visits. And that’s worse than your reason.

Nestling myself into the velvet couch, I take a moment to appreciate the ease to my stiff muscles and sore ass. I really should have slept here last night. But I was exhausted, and I guess I just passed out. It’s not like I did it on purpose.

My eyes follow Dr. Love as he strides over to where I’m seated, long legs bringing him here in only a few steps. As he’s sitting down, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and presses on the screen, I’m guessing to turn on the recorder.

“I don’t want to be recorded,” I mutter, giving him a sharp look.

He stares at me for a solid five seconds in silence before he says, “Why are you being so obstinate today?” Then he pauses before lowering his voice to add, “Is this about last night?”

The deep grumbles and the way his normally robotic face has shifted to reflect roughly three percent concern magnifies the flutter in my gut. And now it really feels like butterflies are just eating each other alive in there.

Ignoring it, I fold my arms over my chest. “No. I don’t care about that anymore.”

“You don’t?” He raises an eyebrow.

My head shakes back and forth steadily. “Nope. It wasn’t that big of a deal, anyway. You’re the one still harping on it.”

I can feel the heat from his confused glare on my face, but I’m finding it very hard to look at him right now. Mainly because I know I’m acting like a stubborn fool, and he’s reacting the way my father used to.And I’m really not trying to think about my daddy issues right now.

“Felix,” he says my name on a condescending sigh, as if I’m testing his patience, “I need to record you. This is what I’m here for. We need to have a session so that I can—”

“What?” I cut him off. “Make some more assumptions about me?? You’ve been doing that since day one. You don’t need any more sessions to figure me out. According to your notes, it’s pretty much case closed.”