Page 110 of Smoke Screen
Finally, Phin slid out a chair and dropped into it. “I guess you’re the only one allowed to work at night?”
“Not at all. But it’s my thing. Mypattern. You? You sleep.”
“Sometimes I can’t.”
Cruz rolled one hand. “Exactly my point. I know you, little brother. Are you losing it over the shooting?”
Phin shook his head, let out a huff. Cruz, as big of a heart as he had, lacked a sensitivity chip. “Losingit? Did you seriously just say that to me?”
“Yeah. If you are, it’s normal. I’d be freaked.”
Could it be the shooting—and not Maddy sleeping in his bed—tripping him up? “Maybe.”
“There’s no gray area here. You either are or you aren’t. Which is it?”
Phin tilted his head one way, then the other, thinking it through.
Across from him, Cruz put his feet on the floor and leaned in, knocking on the table. “Listen up. Whatever is going on with you, just say it. Get it out.”
“I fucked up.”
“Now we’re getting somewhere. Is this about that mess with Ash?”
“No. It’s … uh … Maddy.” When the words wouldn’t spill from his trap, Phin rolled a hand. As ifthatwould help him. “I …”
“You fucked her.”
Freaking Cruz. “No!”
He didn’tfuckher.Fuckingwas … impersonal. A means to an end. Something you did with strangers. A quick, meaningless release.
A hook-up.
Definitely not what he did with Maddy.
Cruz held up two hands. “Okay, fine. I get it. Whatever you want to call it, you had sex with her.”
“Yeah.”
Cruz lowered his hands. “And was it, you know,casual?”
“I don’t think so.”
“For her? Or you?”
Phin scrunched his nose, once again considering the question. “Both?”
“I see.”
He sees? What the hell did that mean? “Listen, Dr. Phil, are you going to help me or not?”
His brother laughed. “Would love to, but I’m still trying to figure out what you want me to do. I mean, are you happy about this?”
Yes.
No.
Shit.
