Lies(30)

A sigh.

“I’m serious. What’s the plan?”

“You’re not going to let this go, are you?”

“Not a chance.” I gave him my very best fake smile. The one that’s so blatantly obvious it’s like a slap across the face. Never say sarcasm can’t be a superpower. “I know all about your bullshit now, sweetheart. May as well answer my questions because there’s no way I’m just going to go along quietly with whatever you want. Consider us partners in this whole staying-alive thing.”

“Well, that sucks. Though I must say, you’re particularly hot when you’re being all stubborn and demanding, telling me off like that.”

I look to heaven. “Just answer the question.”

“There’s a few ways to go about obtaining someone’s assistance or compliance in a situation,” he says. “Start by trying to appeal to their principles or feelings of patriotism. I know you haven’t seen much of it so far, but the zoo actually does a lot of good in the world. If neither of those work, then you move on to their ego. Sometimes it takes a mix of all three. Last resort is usually blackmail or threat, because once you try that, there’s no putting it back in the box. The key is finding an incentive that hooks them on a personal level. Even if you’re paying them, they need to feel emotionally invested so there’s less chance they’ll turn on you. Especially if you need them to act against their own interests or just not do what’s easiest for them. People are lazy as all hell, and ninety-nine percent of the time, they’ll choose the path of least resistance.”

“But you’re not going to be paying them.”

He shakes his head. “No. These people have the sort of wealth that makes billionaires look low-key.”

“And standing back and letting you all get killed would be easier for them.”

“Absolutely. No one’s irreplaceable,” he says, voice matter-of-fact. “I imagine they’re pretty busy covering their own hides right about now.”

“You need to convince them to come out and play.” It makes sense. Whoever these people are, they obviously have serious power and resources. But maybe we can still get out of this without anyone else dying. If we can get them to help us.

“I’d rather convince you to play with me.”

“This is serious.”

“I’m being very serious, Elizabeth.”

“No, you’re not, Thomas.”

“Gonna have to respectfully disagree with you there,” he says. “After all, I answered your question. Don’t I get a reward?”

“You get the warm, fuzzy feeling that comes with telling your fiancée the truth for a change.”

His eyes light up. “My fiancée, is it? That means we’re still together. We’re going to get married and have babies and drive a minivan and live in a—”

“Wait. No.”

“You said it.” He grins. “There’s no taking it back now.”

“Oh my God, what are you? Eight?”

“Thirty-four.”

“You lied about your age too? Holy shit. Is there anything you didn’t lie to me about?”

The mirth disappears from his face. “I wasn’t lying when I said I love you.”

“That seems ironic. Seeing as it’s the one thing you told me that I’d definitely worked out was a lie.”

“Let me convince you.”

“Prioritize, please,” I snap. “People are trying to kill us. There are bigger things to focus on here.”

“Yeah. But what if we died without having makeup sex? That’d be a tragedy.”

Give me strength. “A tragedy, huh?”

“Absolutely. But I’ve got to say, I do like how instead of giving in to panic, you’re trying to figure things out.”

I just shrug. “It helps distract me.”

He smiles. He has a really great smile.

“Why are you so hell-bent on us staying together? Answer me that.”

His fingers move up to my scalp, working their magic. “Pretty sure I’ve answered you that about a dozen times already. I like your smile. Hell, I like every damn inch of you. And I like who I am when I’m around you. The way I don’t have to be on edge all the time. Especially now that I don’t need to pretend to be someone else. Now that you know all my secrets.”

“Hmm.” My eyelids slide closed. I can’t help it. Nothing like a good massage to render you helpless. Without a doubt, his knowledge of anatomy is top notch. Probably makes him a better killer. My knees turn to water at the thought. The ever-present threat of a panic attack turning my insides to jelly.

But then he moves closer, lips skimming over my cheek, my jawline. He’s with me. I’m not alone. However, I should put a stop to this. Any minute now. “I highly doubt I know all of your secrets.”

“More than pretty much anyone else alive.”

“Maybe.”

“Definitely. You do more than just give me a home. You let me feel things like a normal person. You make me human.”

That might be the saddest, loneliest thing I’ve ever heard. “Thom…”

“Most of the time it feels like I’ve been at war my whole damn life. But not with you. With you, even the fighting is fun. Touch me, Betty.”