She was an emotional one, wasn't she? Such a difference in her opinion of him since the last time they spoke. But that couldn't be helped. Like she had guessed, he had used her to get to Royce. The fact that she was calling him out on it though made him smile. It had been a very long time indeed that a human had spoken so harshly to him. He wondered if she would have shown the same courage had she known more about him.
Probably so. This human had quite the spirit. He liked that.
Crowne sighed and humbly dropped his gaze from her face. She knew what he was doing, the game he was trying to play and was forcing him out of it. Her words were as honest as her face. She didn't care anything at all for him. His previous manipulation of her had proven him to be a dastardly fellow and she wasn't shy about letting him know that. Her anger towards him was rightly deserved but it wasn't helpful. The problem was that he did need her. Daniel and Mark had forbidden him from contacting Royce and Rosemary directly. It was a ridiculous rule but a rule he had to follow. The price of redemption was having to bow to such things.
"I apologize, dear. It was a necessary action on my part but I do regret having to trick you." He looked back to her, hoping that the eye contact would prove his honesty. "If it were my choice, I would have approached the two myself. However," and there was plenty of annoyance in his tone as he went one. "I've been instructed to stay my distance. They must approach me first." Three weeks he had waited for that to happen. Nothing. And he had been watching ever so vigilantly. While he did enjoy his solitude, he wasn't here in this boring town for 'alone time'. He was here for a purpose. With that purpose unfulfilled, it left him feeling useless. Listless.
For her, he took a step back. Whatever that would prove, he hoped it at least showed that he meant her no harm. But she wasn't afraid of him. She should have been. Heaven and stars, she should have been. Wasn't her instinct telling her so? Fear was so much easier to work with. But she was making things interesting for him. Clever girl. He held out his arms, fingers stretched out. "I have no more strings to pull of you, I promise." Which was true. The only thing he could do now was let the stubborn pups know where he lived. Any other move he made after that would be against the rules that had been set. "I won't lie and say that I'll be disappointed to not see you again," for she was proving fascinating. "-but this is my last hand to show. No more tricks." He twirled the card in his hand, drawing attention back to it and once more, holding it out for her. "You'll see no more of me after this, if that's your wish."
She would be doing him a favor. Did she realize that? He was asking something of her. That left him in her debt. That was something that he didn't do for anyone. If only she did know more of him, than she would know how serious he was being.