Trust Me

She broke off as realization dawned. She looked at Stark. “You followed me, didn’t you?”
    “Yes.” Stark met her eyes.
    “I knew it,” Tony howled. “You’ve probably had Desdemona under surveillance all along. You were just waiting for her to lead you to me. It’s all part of your plot, isn’t it?”
    Desdemona threw up her hands in disgust. “For goodness’ sake, Tony, calm down and listen to me. Stark is here because he was worried about me, aren’t you, Stark?”
    Stark stood like a chunk of granite in the middle of the tacky motel room. “You could say that.”
    Desdemona smiled wryly. “I knew you sensed that something was wrong earlier when we said good night.”
    “He sensed something was wrong?” Tony’s voice rose in patent disbelief. “What are you talking about? He deliberately followed you tonight. He used you to get to me.”
    “No, no, no, you’ve got it all mixed up, Tony.” Desdemona looked at him. “You asked me not to tell anyone where you were, so I didn’t. But Stark and I have grown so close that one of us can tell when something is worrying the other. Isn’t that right, Stark?”
    “Sure,” Stark said derisively. “Mental telepathy.”
    “In a way.” Desdemona smiled.
    Tony glowered at Stark. “Telepathy? Give me a break.”
    “It’s true,” Desdemona assured him. “I didn’t have to say anything at all this evening. Stark immediately sensed that there was a problem, and that I couldn’t talk about it. He was probably very worried, weren’t you, Stark?”
    “Let’s just say that I knew I’d never get to sleep tonight until I found out what was going on,” Stark muttered.
    “There, you see, Tony?” Desdemona said. “It was perfectly natural for Stark to follow me here. I would have done the same if the situation had been reversed. You know how it is when you’re in love.”
    Stark stared at her with unblinking eyes. He said nothing.
    Tony erupted in frustration and outrage. “In love? Desdemona, are you nuts? The guy’s not in love with you. He wants to use you. Hell, he’s been using you right from the start.”
    “Tony, I know you’re upset,” Desdemona said soothingly. “But you don’t have to become a fullblown paranoid.”
    “I’m pissed off, not upset.” Tony clenched his hands into fists. “And, yeah, maybe I am a little paranoid. Do you blame me for being worried that my sister thinks she’s in love with a cold-blooded computer who passes for human?”
    Desdemona lost her patience. She leaped to her feet to confront Tony. “That’s enough. Do you hear me? I know you’re scared, and I know you’re feeling trapped, but that is no excuse for insulting the man I love.”
    “He doesn’t love you,” Tony said tightly. “He’s got his own agenda here, and he’s decided he can use you to secure it.”
    “What agenda could he possibly have?” Desdemona retorted.
    “Who knows?” Tony shot a furious glance at Stark. “This whole thing is beginning to feel like a conspiracy. Maybe Stark’s involved in a high-tech deal with the wrong people. Maybe he’s selling stuff he shouldn’t be selling to foreign interests. And maybe he needs someone to take the fall.”
    “An interesting theory,” Stark said. “I was working on a similar one, myself.”
    “Yeah?” Tony narrowed his eyes.
    “With you as the lead.”
    “Stop it, both of you,” Desdemona said loudly. “None of this is true.”
    Tony scowled at her. “How do you know? Look at the way he followed you here tonight. It was downright sneaky. A man who really loved you wouldn’t have tailed you to see where you were going. It wouldn’t have occurred to him that you would be going anywhere. He would have trusted you.”
    Desdemona raised her chin. “Stark does trust me. I told you, he followed me tonight because he was worried about me, not because he doesn’t trust me. Now will you kindly shut up and sit down, Tony? We’ve got to talk this over rationally.”
    Tony threw himself into a chair. “All right. You want to talk? Go ahead and talk. Let’s hear what your android lover has to say for himself.”
    Desdemona drew a deep breath and turned to Stark. “I’m sorry about this. Wainwright family arguments can get a little heated.”
    “I noticed,” Stark said.
    “And I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you what was going on earlier this evening. Tony asked me not to tell a soul.” Desdemona smiled tremulously. “It was very clever of you to figure out