Peter," she began. He looked up at her, and she could see the pain in his eyes. "I love you," she said freely. With Peter, she was laid bare; he extracted her from herself.<br />Peter didn't know what to say. HIs eyes glimmered, bright and burning. He only let her see them a moment before he turned away. He took a ragged breath.<br />"What were you doing with Rose anyway" she demanded, asking a lot of him.<br />Peter darkened again. He turned his back to her, took a step farther into the alley, and said in a dead voice, "I don't have to like her<br />to get what I want."<br />"I don't believe you," Valerie said, reaching for his face, again. Peter pulled away from her. "You're lying.