INTJ would say, there's a guy who won't do better because he's dumb enough to think he's being clever.
If someone were using me as a smokescreen to get at a friend of mine, as soon as I got the chance--like literally as soon as intuition told me something--I'd uber-totally-not-casually-at-all say, "So-o-o-o... you, him, mm, mm, right?" And then I'd listen to whatever was said next. (I probably wouldn't listen for too long though--the purpose of bringing up the topic at all would have been only to get this third person to start dealing directly with my friend himself.)
Call it a concern for the truth, call it disinterest in people stuff, call it an introvert's lack of networking energy, but I find the "Hey, look! A dirty secret!" approach much more appealing than the long, circuitous human harmony management approach.
You guys are indirect. You can afford to be. You have good goals in mind and the energy (and interest) to see the game play out. INTJs by contrast are saving their strength for other stuff.
I honestly believe I'd prefer to be flayed than misdirected. I was advising an ENFP once. He was trying to work out how much to tell a nice INTJ girl about what he had been up to when they weren't together. I told him, don't manage her, tell her what you know, you're probably going to be really surprised what hurts an INTJ and what doesn't.
Bravado? Dunno. ENFJs, you are the people lovers/managers. Am I being too brave with my future flayed self when I set about asking other people to be direct?
EDIT: I'm guessing here, but I think the thing makes you say you like direct is, when you decide the moment calls for it and you think it's right, you like jumping right in and doing something.