“You can't go.""Give me a reason why I shouldn't.""Because I'll miss you, damn it!" she hissed, splaying her arms. "Because what's the point in anything if you just disappear forever?""The point in what, Celaena?" How could he be so calm when she was so frantic? "The point in Skull's Bay, and the point in getting me that music, and the point in... the point in telling Arobynn that you'd forgive him if he never hurt me again.""You said you didn't care what I thought. Or what I did. Or if I died, if I'm not mistaken.""I lied! And you know I lied you stupid bastard!”

“What are you planning to dowith all my points?”Points? It took Jenny a moment to remember what he was talking about. Points, when he smiled. She turnedaround slowly and put her hands on her hips.“Your points? Those are my points. I earned them. You can’t have them.”Gareth scowled and shoved his hands into his pockets.“Bollocks. I had to smile very hard for every single one of them. And if you don’t take this elephant and marry me, Iswear to God you’ll never get another point again.”Jenny’s world froze. Outside, she could hear the clear voice of a blackbird singing. It was overwhelmed by theringing in her ears. She turned to Gareth slowly.“What did you say?”“I said, you’ll never earn another point again. I haven’t smiled since you left me, and I miss it.” He kicked at the ground, his eyes tracing the dust. “I miss you.”“No, before that.”“Take this elephant—”“After.”He looked up. That feral light shone in his eyes again, but this time the wild look was a plea. A lion yearning to befreed from its cage. “Take me.” His voice was thick and husky. “Please. Jenny. I’m begging you.” She didn’t know what to say in answer. He’d shocked the words right out of her skin. She could only stare, as some frozen expanse inside her tingled to life. It hurt to want.”

“Took me a while to get to the point today, but that is because I did not know what the point was when I started.”

“Stop it!" she hissed. I frowned and rubbed my arm. "What are you talking about?" I whispered back. Riley pointed at me, waggling her finger. "I know that look on your face! You're picturing him naked with you naked.”

“Sometimes I don't get you,' I said. She didn't even glance at me. She just smiled toward the television and said, 'You never get me. That's the whole point.”

“You were saying that the kind of man Robert wasis hard to find,” she said.Yes…it is.”I thought you were that kind of man?”Well…I am that man in the making.”Why do you think things are like that?”Society…you are right. Society has made the modern man promiscuous.”What? I thought you didn’t get my point.”I see your point now…it’s a very important point.”She smiled and allowed me to do the same. “A point that you are now using as anexcuse,” she said.I smiled, “what excuse?”That it’s all society’s fault.”No…oh…no,” I smiled again. “It’s not all society’s fault. We can also blamewomen.”What! Blame women for what?”For making it easier for men to be dogs.”Are you freaking me?”I wish I could but you won’t let me.”