"I admit that I have yet to witness any upsides," he informs her, his tone brittle and terribly angry. He contains it because this is no place to make a scene, but he sees no point in withholding his opinions on the matter. There are people and they are, all of them, deluded into thinking they've found a kind of paradise.

He settles his covered forearms on the table, grimacing heavily as he regards the board. "What's so enticing about this place to keep a woman like you placated?"