Page 45 of Say My Name

Dominic follows.

His hired car waits near the curb with the driver inside. Mine is parked in the driveway beside Cliff’s rental, giving us enough privacy to talk while remaining far too close to every member of my family.

I unlock my car.

“What did you think Marcus was going to say?” Dominic demands, his voice low.

“I don’t know.”

“You went completely still.”

“I was thinking.”

“About what?”

“The conversation was boring.”

His mouth curves. “Do you know the nickname?”

“No idea.”

The answer comes too quickly, and he knows it.

Dominic steps closer. “You’re a poor liar.”

“I’m an excellent liar when I’ve had time to prepare.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You shouldn’t keep any of this in mind. We’re supposed to be discussing the clinic.”

“Our appointment is next week.”

“And no one in there knows.” I glance toward the front windows, my voice tight. “This is already complicated enough, Dominic. Let’s stick to the part that isn’t.”

“The method doesn’t have to be clinical.”

His voice is low, stripping the word of its clinical meaning.

I look at him. “The method we agreed to is specific.”

“It is.”

“And preferable.”

“If that’s what you want.”

“It also saves us from finding out the hard way that we’re incompatible.”

Dominic laughs.

He doesn’t give me one of his controlled half smiles. He laughs, low and genuinely amused, and the sound dismantles the wall I just tried to build between us. As if I’ve said something absurd.

“Am I amusing you?”

“I find it unlikely.”

“Do you hear how arrogant you sound?”