A flush washed up my neck, but I still managed to pop the P on, “Nope.” “A-plus on creativity, by the way.” “Thanks.” He chuckled, and after the soft laugh filled the corners of the room, he pushed the box of cereal and almond milk toward me. “Tm not hungry,” I said. His eyes narrowed. “Eat.” I glared at him for a second but, knowing this wasn’t a battle I wanted to start, I acquiesced and poured a bowl, ignoring the stupid sensation that surfaced at the idea he still cared enough to force me to eat. My heart should be committed. Frustrated with all these feelings, I decided to do the bare minimum and pick through the dry cereal with my fingers, eating one piece at a time and as slowly as possible. Holding his annoyed stare, I put a Fruit Loop in my mouth with a saucy crunch. I didn’t know if he wanted to smile or kill me. “The last man who tested me the way you do is floating in the Moskva in seven different pieces.” A bite of cereal caught in my throat, but I refused to cough or look away. Even having seen Ronan murder, I sometimes forgot the type of man he was. Maybe my view was distorted by the side effects of captivity, or by his smile, laugh, and handsome face. Although, deep down, I knew it wasn’t those things. I forced the cereal down my throat and plopped another in my mouth. “T guess I’m narcissistic I’m not a man then.” “You being a woman has nothing to do with it.” The childhood memory of my papa’s girlfriend resurfaced, and I pulled my gaze from him, chest suddenly tight. “I don’t want special treatment.” T don't deserve it. “You should treat me like anyone else who happens to look at you the wrong way.” “T find your sacrificial lamb mentality nauseating.” “I’m sure selflessness is hard for you to stomach,” I said in understanding. “You think you have me all figured out, don’t you?” “Charismatic gangster who’s an introvert at heart? Sexual deviant? A villain with a sad past I refuse to sympathize with? Check, check, check. If you were a subject on my SATs, I’d ace it.”