Page 182 of To Catch a Sub

“You didn’t stop to think what it would sound like, to hear you tell the men who saved my life, that they were stupid for their willingness to do that. That as far as you’re concerned, their being ‘smart’ by whatever definition of that you use, is of equal value to my life.”

“I didn’t?—”

“Don’t be ashamed. If that’s what you think, say it. Tell them it would have been better for them to leave me there. To wait until they had a plan you deemed smart, even if it meant I endured more torture and mutilation and rape.”

Her words hung heavy in the air, and Mateus looked horrified.

“I’m sorry.” Mateus took a deep breath. “I had no right to question them. I was concerned about the reports I was hearing, which did not include anything about what happened to you.”

“And in your experience women who are kidnapped are treated well?”

Mateus looked haunted for a moment. “No. No, they are not. I came here wanting answers, because I didn’t know or understand what happened.” He held her gaze. “You’re right. I do expect to have my questions answered. But I didn’t think through my actions, and I’m sorry.”

Colette still had a lot of pent-up rage that hadn’t been spent when she stabbed Damien. But Mateus’s apology stole her momentum.

“Sometimes I let my desire for knowledge and the truth lead me astray.”

“Truth?” She clucked her tongue. “Aren’t you too old to believe in fairy tales?” Colette backed up without looking. Landon was there, gently holding her against his chest with one arm. She leaned back against him, feeling utterly safe. It was like walking through the woods alone in the dark, except when something tried to attack, a wolf far more dangerous than anyone or anything else in those woods appeared out of the darkness, ready to defend her.

Mateus blinked. “You think truth is a fairytale?”

“Absolutely.”

“It’s…not.”

“Oh, it is.” Colette smiled.

Mateus cleared his throat. “What did you say your name was?”

“Another question? I didn’t say what my name is.”

“I can find out,” Mateus said gently. “I’ll get the report.”

“Then you’ll get the name I gave. Will that be the truth?”

Landon squeezed her gently. “You won. Stop taunting him.”

“Why? I’m enjoying myself.”

“I can tell.” Landon smiled against her hair. “But Rolf is going to start banging his head against a wall.”

Colette tipped her head back against Landon’s chest, looking at him upside down.

He kissed her forehead, and a ghost flittered through her, there and gone. “Feel better?” Landon asked.

“A bit.”

“It’s good to see you like this.”

“As long as it’s not you I’m taunting?”

“You’re welcome to taunt me.” Landon turned her gently, bending to whisper in her ear. “As long as you’re willing to take the punishment.”

Colette inhaled sharply.

Landon searched her face. “Was that a good or bad gasp?” He sounded so worried that it made her smile.

“Good,” she assured him. “Very good.”