Bennett wanted to be close to me, and I was suspicious of him.
I held my book close to my chest, folding the piece of paper with the clue up to shove it into the book. Tucking away the photo along with it, I closed the cover and placed it on the table. With nothing to do, I played with my nails, and the hem of my sweater, and repeatedly brushed my hair behind my ear.
We awkwardly sat there for five minutes or more before Bennett laughed. “You’re uncomfortable.”
“Can you blame me?”
“I suppose not.”
“If you told me why you’re here, I might be more comfortable.”
He laughed again. “Am I not allowed to want company?”
No. Bennett wanting my company was abnormal, when half the time I heard him railing Waylon at this time of day. I must have done something to incite his interest this morning, but I couldn’t figure outwhat.“You don’t simply want company.”
“How would you know? We’ve barely met each other.”
I stifled my disgruntled sigh. This was getting old, and I was getting attached. I’d memorized their habits and found joy in watching how predictable they were. The routine had me thinking this was a friendship, when it was far from it.
Although, to be fair, I’d spent less time with Bennett than the others. He spent his afternoons and evenings in his bedroom, dealing with what I now knew was his full moon transformation, whatever that entailed. All I saw of him was the morning, when he was nothing but kind and friendly, and the sexual beast when he was in total control.
“Call it a gut feeling.”
“Well, I’ll admit your gut feeling is correct. I’m curious about you, Hadley. What was your childhood like?”
My back stiffened. “If we’re going to go into deep subjects, I’ll be asking you questions as well and expecting you to answer them.”
Shrugging, he grinned. “I’m an open book.”
He appeared to be, from the outside, but he would try to give me the runaround as soon as I asked him anything substantial. I’d experienced his deft avoidance of heavy topics more than once, but he didn’t know I knew his tricks. Maybe I’d rattle him.
“Fine. My parents were wonderful. My mother was a seamstress and ran a boutique, so I spent my childhood trying on all sorts of frilly dresses with fine craftsmanship. Dad worked for the Federation of Mage Betterment, helping people from the lower classes gain access to things they might not have had otherwise.”
Something flickered in Bennett’s sharp brown gaze. Confusion?
“That wasn’t the question I asked, but I suppose hearing about your parents will do for now. What’s your question?”
“Where are you from, originally?”
“North of the Earan Falls.”
“Not specific enough,” I said.
“About as specific as your answer to my question was.”
I rolled my eyes, but he had a point. My question to him had been significantly easier to answer in full, but I didn’t point it out. As far as I was aware, all wolfmen came from the north, so I had gained no new information. “Fine. Ask me something else, then.”
“What did your parents say about your Uncle, growing up?”
“That I should stay away from him,” I answered without hesitation. “Funny how I didn’t listen, and ended up here. If they were still alive, they’d be scolding me right now.”
If they were still alive, I never would have come. I’d have had the cushion of family to fall back on when I lost my job and was on the verge of losing my housing. Solstice would never let me live on the streets, but I wouldn’t take advantage of her kindness. Especially not when she’d spent her whole life being used by people for her money and status, and being flaunted around by her mother as a political prop.
“Did they warn you away from any other people?”
“It’s not your turn, but no. I was too cautious to need them hovering over me. What are your parent’s names?”
My question was one he couldn’t skirt around. Once I had his parent’s names, I’d be able to use them to ask specific questions about them. He had more information about me than I had about him, making the type of questions each of us could ask far from a fair exchange.
