Ronan's head turned sharply and he stared at Adam once more.

"I would never," he said, slowly, with feeling, "turn you out." The thought was an awful one. The earlier comment he didn't refute—he did hate lies, though he never held anyone else to the same standards. But turn Adam out? No. If the choice was between hurting Adam and dying, there wasn't much of a choice at all.

"I don't like lies, but that's not what I mean." Biting his lip, Ronan moodily looked out the window once more. "You don't have to force yourself to lie about being with me. It's unpleasant for you, right?" He glanced up again. "It'll get around. That you're managing the estate, that I'm fucking you. You don't have to lie about something you hate for me."

Rubbing his hands together, Ronan frowned at the floor.

"And it wouldn't be right," he said, "when I do have..."

He couldn't finish the sentence. Instead, he gave Adam another meaningful look before closing his eyes.