"They can think what they want about the truth," said Noah, blunt and uncaring. Whether they threw their lives away or spent the whole time judging his actions, it had nothing to do with him. Foreigners had no stake in it and couldn't understand the entire situation; natives had no say because they were the ones who had made him in their own desperation. Whatever actions either side took, it was all their own faults. No one blamed a wild animal for acting out. In the same way, Noah was something untamed and wild in a way that humanity couldn't control. "If they try going after me because of it, I'm not responsible for that."

Seeing Diego claim control of himself so easily only made Noah grip his elbow tighter. Enough to cause pain, enough to make weaker men bend, just enough, under his touch. He liked that strength Diego and normally enjoyed the protection that strength could bring — but when he was so high-strung, it was so difficult to not just bleed it out of him right then and there and claim his own dominance. He had to play this right. Part of it was his own pride, and part of it was for Diego's. He didn't want to betray what misplaced trust the mob boss had placed in him or upset the balance they had found. As they got to Diego's room, Noah looked at him straight and as unaffected as possible. "That's exactly why I want it too. Don't act stupid. We want to fight, right? Let's fight."