Page 302 of Good Boys Don’t Bite

“You said earlier—”

“I know what I said.”

Elliot went quiet. Ronan exhaled. This was impossible. He wanted Elliot close. He wanted Elliot gone. He wanted to grab him. He wanted to ask five hundred more questions. He wanted to forget every answer he had already received. None of those things canceled the others. That was apparently his life now.

“Come here.”

Elliot didn’t move. Ronan stared.

“Seriously?”

“You’re angry.”

“Yes.”

“You’re confused.”

“Yes.”

“You might turn me in tomorrow.”

“Yes.”

Elliot swallowed.

“And you want me closer.”

Ronan’s jaw tightened.

“Yes.”

Something changed in Elliot’s expression. Not triumph. That would have pissed Ronan off. Hope. That was worse. He came around the island slowly. Stopped two feet away. Still too far. Ronan looked at him.

“Closer.”

Elliot stepped forward. One foot between them now. Ronan could smell his soap. Feel the heat of him. See the tiny split in his lower lip from Nathan’s fist. His stomach tightened. Wrong fucking reaction. Or maybe not. That was what Ronan no longer understood.

“You almost killed him.”

Elliot’s face changed.

“Yes.”

“For cutting me.”

“Yes.”

“You would’ve done it.”

“Yes.”

No hesitation. Ronan looked at the bruises across Elliot’s knuckles.

“Even with police coming upstairs.”

“Yes.”

“That’s insane.”