Page 19 of Beautiful Ruins
For the moment people usually had—when awareness kicked in.When they remembered who I was.Where they were.How thin the margin for honesty tended to be in my presence.The backpedal.The apology.The sudden interest in self-preservation.
It never came.
She picked up her fork.
And ate it anyway.
No hesitation.No drama.Just a bite, chewed thoughtfully, like she hadn’t just insulted my cooking and my character in the same breath.I watched her, fascinated despite myself.
“Well?”I demanded.
She swallowed.Considered.Then shrugged.
“I’ve had worse.”
She continued to chew thoughtfully, frowned, and took another bite like survival didn’t require manners—or fear.
Like she wasn’t trying to impress me.Or placate me.Or earn a place in my good graces.
I found that… refreshing.
“God,” she made a face, swallowing.“Yeah.Still bad.”
I snorted before I could stop myself.
Her eyes flicked up, surprised.Then she smiled—quick, crooked, unapologetic.
“That a laugh?”she asked.
“Hardly,” I straightened, regaining my composure.“It was a lapse in judgment.”
“Well, don’t let it happen again.Wouldn’t want to ruin your reputation.”
She twirled pasta around her fork, then glanced up at me.“So.Is interrogating your captives over dinner your thing, or am I getting special treatment?”
“That depends.Are you planning to confess to anything?”
She considered that, then shrugged.“Depends.”
“On what?”
“Being hungry and having very low standards when starvation is involved.”
I leaned back against the counter, studying her.“You’re remarkably calm.”
“Don’t confuse calm with acceptance.I just panic better internally.”
Interesting.
“So,” I started, twirling my fork once and setting it down again, “what is it exactly that you do?”
I kept my tone casual.Light.Like we were two normal people sharing a meal instead of captor and captive circling each other with careful precision.
She glanced up at me, eyes bright with something that looked suspiciously like amusement.“You mean other than spying onyourstruly?”
I laughed at that—an actual laugh this time.It caught me off guard, her timing perfect, the jab precise.She’d dodged the question neatly, wrapped the evasion in humor instead of defensiveness.
Interesting.
