“… I’ve never meet someone where I could, um, just be me.” She was fidgeting with her jacket’s tattered cuff, honing her focus on a loose string as she continued to ramble. “But then I realized, that I’ve never really been me around you. And even though I guess I could start being myself now, that’s not who you want to tie up, obviously.”

Obviously?

“Yeah, obviously.” She gestured toward his hands that were fisted at his sides. “No rope.”

He must have spoken out loud. Yet, instead of being grumpily bemused by the turn of events—he being the one verbalizing his inner musings—her misconstrued notions about his intentions riled him.

Yes, he had rope.

Of course, he had rope.

He’d almost torn Two-Four-Kay down to its sewage system until some skittish human tossed rope into his line of sight.

But that rope had been shit.

Besides, now wasn’t the time for rope. Which he had in his possession. Obviously....

Chapter Thirteen is now available!