Duke did his best not to hear that as a criticism. As him being wrong for asking for what he needed.

(He might have been wrong about how he asked. His own use of the word 'victim' echoed in his head.)

"You've said things to me, too," he said, rather than try to apologize for things he wasn't sure of. "Things that echo in my head." Some of which had been echoing for years, now. "Things that I get . . . defensive about."