Page 68 of Whispers of Wisteria

“No, I’m not.” This was stupid. I was going to go there and not speak a word. That way, I wouldn’t technically be breaking any rules, and they could do whatever they needed for their case.

Easy peasy.

Titus groaned, stepping back as he covered his eyes with his hand. “You’re so stubborn.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Stop it!” He dropped his arm and glared at me.

Glared. Like, how dare he.

“You’re extremely stubborn,” he said, almost accusingly. “But you’re not considering something.”

“What’s that?” I asked, my blood still burning.

“I’mmore stubborn than you.” He crossed his arms, glowering. “Ihaveto be, and I’ve had lifetimes of practice. Just likeyou’vehad lifetimes of sacrificing yourself for other people. You’re still thinking of everyone else first. So, you’re not going unless you can convince me youwantto. Not that you’re doing itto impress Maria or any of us, or that you’re feeling pressured to help. We can figure this out without you.”

“But Iwantto go.” My voice wavered as my anger shook.

He cocked his head, and his pupils changed. A weight felt like it was pressing down on my shoulders as he studied me in a way that made my skin crawl. “I don’t believe you.”

My breath caught in my throat, and I moved back. “W-what are you doing?”

“Showing you why you’re not ready,” was his only reply. His features were surprisingly blank. “You’re not going to challenge me now?”

What the heck?

My ire began to swell once more. I searched through the items on Titus’s desk. Where was it? I’d left it here when Maria dragged me downstairs.

“What are you looking for?”

“My purse!” There it was—he’d set it behind his laptop. Right next to his drink, which was just a terrible place for a purse. It wasn’t like you could throw these things in the washing machine.

Zero consideration.

I grabbed the bag and blindly shoved my hand inside until I found what I sought.

I jumped off the desk and held up the can of pepper spray. “You can’t stop me. I’ve done it once before, and I’ll do it again!”

He was frowning at the pink can, cautious in a way that most animals were when confronted with something they feared. “It’ll hurt,” he pointed out.

My resolve wavered, but only slightly. I didn’t like the idea of hurting him, but sometimes, annoyingly overbearing men needed to understand that life wasn’t about them. For example, when we first met. I wasn’t about to let him tell me what to do, even if he thought it was for my own good.

“Yes, it will,” I agreed. “And your face doesn’t look pretty swollen either, but I’ll still do it!” I shook the can. “I’ll do it again and again and again until you realize that you’re not in charge of me.”

Titus laughed—the nerve—and closed the distance between us, pulling me closer. My face squished against him, with the pepper spray harmlessly pointing out to the side, rendering my weapon useless in terms of defense.

I should have been scared, especially considering how he’d just been acting, but I wasn’t. The can slipped from my fingers and fell to the floor.

“Fine,” he said against my hair. “We’ll go together.”

Well, of course. I nodded.

“Damen and some of Gregory’s team, too.” He rubbed his hands in circles over my upper back.

Uncle Gregory could linger in the background like a fly on the wall; I didn’t care. But did Damenhaveto come? He was very pushy and had an issue with boundaries. He’d probably ask a million questions—rendering my plan not to talk useless. And I might throw up on him again.

Actually, maybe that was a good idea.