It’s a double-edged sword for him; he wants to see her again, but not like this. He’s going to take whatever crumbs he can get, though.
Silas doesn’t glance up from his screen. “Just install them. Get in, get out.”
“She’ll recognize me,” Jace mutters. “Eventually.”
“She doesn’t want to recognize the AI you,” I say, not exactly trying to be helpful. “But she’ll recognize the man from the one-night stand. The one who slept with her and didn’t bother texting afterward.”
That pulls two sets of furious gazes in my direction.
I shrug, resting against the edge of the counter. “She’s scared. That makes it easier, sure. But she’s already leaning toward us, even if she doesn’t know it. So maybe… We can all trynotto fuck it up.”
I don’t mean fear the way Silas or Jace hear it. It’s not panic. It’s the awareness of a cornered animal deciding which way to strike. She’s too sharp not to notice the pattern, but she’s also not ready to stop it either.
I hand Jace a folded ID badge with a fake logo. The credentials are fake too, not that it matters since she knows his real name. But it’s definitely real access to her building, enough that no one will question him walking through all the floors and locked doors.
He takes it without a word, sliding it into his jacket pocket.
Silas finally looks up, gracing us with his undivided attention. “Are you sure about this?”
“No,” I say. “But she’s already ours. We’re just catching up to what that means.”
Jace rolls his eyes at me as he answers Silas. “I’m sure. I’ll be back in a bit.”
He pushes the door open, bright afternoon light spilling in, sharp and unfiltered.
The door closes too loudly, the sound punctuating the feeling hanging in the air like a live wire we’ve all learned to avoid.
But we can’t avoid this one anymore…
None of us wants to, either.
I’m brushing my teeth when I get an alert for a new notification from HimLock. The unprompted messages feel… Normal. At least, now they do… Because I’m pretty positive this app is more than a clever AI.
Locke:
I want you to feel safe. I’m sending someone over to install cameras.
I freeze mid-motion, toothbrush still in my mouth. This is exactly what I need to start poking holes in the well-crafted lie. I’m just not sure how I want to play it yet.
Eris:
What do you mean you’re sending someone to install cameras?
Like… At my home?
Locke:
The technician was pre-screened. He’s discreet.
And he’ll be there at 3 p.m.
I spit, rinse, wipe my mouth on the edge of a towel, all while I glare suspiciously at my screen. Did I even finish brushing my teeth? I can’t remember. The HimLock app stares back like it expects gratitude I’m not willing to give.
Eris:
That’s… fast.
Locke:
