Saying it into Tair’s head didn’t make the admitting any easier. I didn’t know what he already knew, so I swallowed, and then started at the beginning. When Nagi pulled me out of the main lab and put me in here, I had… It was hard to readjust.

Tair’s hands bunched into fists on the table. I saw.

So Tair knew part of the story already. I wasn’t sure if that made me feel better or worse, but I forced myself to keep going. While I was trying to deal with the past, I couldn’t see much of the future… I made the mistake of thinking Darren could actually care about me.

It was my turn to move, but I couldn’t focus on the board. Remembering this chunk of the past made me want to hurl, but repeating everything to Tair was that much worse. I believed him when he said he loved me. It lasted maybe six months before I realized he was playing me.

Jesus. Quanta… Tair rubbed his forehead, rumpling his bangs, and I bit back another wave of nausea.

I never told him anything I wasn’t supposed to. Even then.

He drew in a sharp breath. I don’t care about that.

His words sliced through the anxiety fluttering in my chest. Isn’t that what you’re supposed to care about? Like, the number one thing he was supposed to care about? Suddenly uncomfortable, I adjusted my position on the carpet. The motion moved my toes against his leg.

Tair shifted, bracing against the table so hard the plastic creaked. All I care about is getting you out of here.

The fluttering came back with a vengeance—but a different kind. The warm, hopeful one that made me even more nervous. You’re going to get yourself killed.

Then you’d better resurrect me again. He bumped my leg with his, just in case I wasn’t already melting.

Was I already falling for him?

A neon sign wasn’t going to pop up telling me when it happened. Smile by smile. Breath by breath. We were both getting closer to the point of no return. With the pheromone/mental-connection whammy in the mix, that point might as well be a cliff.

I’ll do my best. I tried to swallow down my emotions, but that was getting harder, too.

Do you know how he earned Doctor Nagi’s trust? Tair asked. If I could undermine him or—

My snort cut the silence in the room. I clapped a hand over my mouth. Oops.

Tair didn’t quite smirk, but it was close. Does that mean it’s impossible?

Probably. I rubbed my nose, hoping it would look like I was getting allergies or something. Did they warn you what I do with new people?

Something like that. Darren said you’d pick at anything I was hiding.