"Before you get into a habit of lying to me, I should tell you what I did in the war." I keep my tone light, but I am dead serious. "I was an interrogator. They set me to pulling truths from enemy prisoners. I wasn't like... them." He's seen my scars; I don't think I have to spell it out. "I didn't need to be. So you can choose to tell me the truth, but I might feel compelled to get it out of you anyway."

I realize what I sound like, and drop his hand because I am awful.

"I didn't mean that to sound like a threat."