Connor listened patiently through the demonstration even if it was information he already knew. 

Afterward, he shook his head. “It’s not that.” 

He proceeded to elaborate. “What you’re suggesting makes objective sense. However, I would be causing you physical harm to get that information.” Perhaps it didn’t seem like a big deal given it was a minor amount of pain and she was the one requesting it, but as someone who struggled with making calculated choices in the past to get what he wanted, he was more than aware when choices like that were presented. 

So he could be sincere when he said, “I would rather not harm you in any way, even if that would mean sacrificing the information I want.”