Maybe I just needed to take a more direct approach. Lay it out for her, plain and simple.
“No. What they need to do is drop bodies.”
She blinked. “Okay. That’s … less cute.”
I moved closer without thinking about it but she didn’t move back.
“You can’t assume people are harmless anymore.”
She probably never should have, but it felt smarter to not point this out.
“I don’t,” Addy fired back. “I assume they’re human.”
“And you think it makes them safe?”
“No,” she countered evenly. “I think it makes them predictable.”
Thatcaught me off guard.
“You think you can predict them?”
“I think if you treat people like monsters, they act like monsters.” She shrugged. “If you treat them like people, sometimes they surprise you.”
“You are not conducting a social experiment in my organization.”
“I’m not conducting anything. All I did was bring muffins.”
“You hopped my enforcers up on sugar!” I closed my eyes briefly. “This is not helpful.”
Addy pursed her lips. “I didn’t realize you needed help.”
Oh, it’s on now, Little Devil.
I flattened her with a look, but she tilted her chin up defiantly.
“You don’t want them to like me.”
“That’s not the issue,” I growled.
“It’s part of the issue.” She narrowed her eyes at me.
“The issue is,” I replied carefully, “if someone decides you are leverage, I won’t stay calm.”
Addy watched me, searching my face for … something.
“You’re not worried about them. You’re worried about what you’ll do.”
I didn’t answer. Addy moved closer, close enough for her tits to brush against my front. I desperately tried to stop my body from reacting.
“I’m not made of glass.”
“I’m aware,” I grunted.
“Then stop acting like I’ll shatter if someone raises their voice.”
“I’m not concerned about raised voices.”
“What is it you’re concerned about?”