** ~SLOANE~ *** TodayturnedouttobemoreproductivethanIanticipated.IwishIcouldsaythisrenewedvigorforworkhasanythingtodowithKnoxscrewingmeagainst aclosetearliertoday.
No.AsfarasIknow,thinkingaboutKnoxbeinginsidemeismybiggestsourceofdistraction.
Notmyproudestmoment,butIspenthalfthedayquietlyplottinghowImightstealKnoxsphoneandhackintoit.Funny,isntit? Howpicturingyourselfstealingyourboyfriendsphoneandactivelycontemplatingbreakingaboutahundredcybersecurity ethicstohackintoitcanlightafireunderyourass.
Normalpeoplewouldjustasktheirboyfriendsaboutthethingstheywantedto know.
Normalboyfriendswouldactually answer.
Butno.
KnoxHartleyisaboutastightlippedasaCIAagentundertorture.
Andtheinquisitivepartofme? Yeah,shesnot restinguntilshecrackshimopen.
AsIdrivebacktowardmyapartment,Irun throughthepossibilitieslikeImpreppingaheist: Spendthenightathisplace.Stealhisphonewhilehesintheshower.
Lurehimtomine.Waituntilheinevitablypassesoutaftersexandscan hisdevices.
Findawaytosliphiskeysoffhimandgetintowhateverfortressofsecretshecallshome.
Eachplanismorechaoticthanthelast.
Eachonesharpensmy focustodaylikeablade.
Maybethatsthekey.Maybeevilthoughtsaremypersonalbrandofcoffee.
NowthatImpullingintomyparkinglot,itfinallyclickswhyworkfeltsoeasytoday.
This hasbeenmylifeforyears.
ThinkingevilthoughtsaboutDelilahwhileworking.PlottingimaginarytakedownsofFinnsgirlfriendwhilecrackingencryptionlayers.
Hatredandchaosfueledme.
Not…happiness.
NotgoodsexandsweettextsandbeingcalledBunnywithavoicelow enoughtomeltsteel.
God.
Goodthoughtsdistractme.
Evilonesmakemeefficient.
Imofficiallythat personwhothrivesonlyinchaos.
NomessyFinntobabysit.
NoDelilahtofantasizeaboutpunching.
Just goodmemoriesofKnox insideme.
Andlookwhatitsdonetometurnedmesoft.
Notanymore.
Ifhackingintomymaybeboyfriendslifewaswhatit tooktogetmyproductivityback,thensobeit.
Consider it…fieldresearch.

Successfullyunlocked! Igrabmybagandheadinsidethebuilding,pushingthroughthelobbydoors.
Asusual,Johnnytheoldsecurityguardwhobarelystaysawakepastnoonisdozingbehindthefrontdesk,hisheadbobbinglikeaballoonlosingair.
Averygoodeveningtoyou,Johnny,Icall,stridingpast.
1/4 CHAPTER047:MeetSomeoneNew Hestartlesuprightwithasnort,fumblingforhisglasses.
Sloane!hesays,blinkingatme.Almostdidntseeyouthere.
IgrinandaimforthestairsignoringtheelevatorasIalwaysdo.
Oneclaustrophobicexperienceinthatmetaldeathtrapwasenoughformetoswearitoffforlife.Theelevatormightbefaster,butaftergettingstuckinitoncejustonceIveavoideditliketheplague.
Smallspaces.Noair.
Myhandshad actuallytrembledtryingtoprythedoorsopenthatday.
Neveragain.
Idratherhikesixflightsofstairsinheelsthangettrappedagainwithnothingbutbadlightingandmyownpanic.
Apackage foryou!Johnnycallsafterme.
Ipause,frowning.
Apackage? Ipivotbacktowardthedesk.Hesholdingoutasmallwhiteenvelope,wavingitlikeitsawinninglotteryticket.
Fromwhom?Iask.
Thelockchangingcompany,hesays.
Thewhat? Someguyscameintoday,Johnnyexplains.HadIDSandpaperworkand everything.Saidyouscheduledthemtoreplaceyourdoorlock.
Ijuststareathimforasecond.
And thenitclicks.
Theresexactlyonemanwhowoulddo somethinglikethatwithoutasking mefirst.
Andthestrangestpartis- Insteadofbeingmad,Ifeelasmall,warmtuginsideme.Ibitebackasmile.
Yes,ofcourse,Isaybrightly,puttingJohnnyoutofhis growingmisery.Thelockcompany.Totallyslippedmymind.
Johnnysighs,visiblyrelieved.
Good.Youhadmeworriedthereforasecond.Youresmart,Sloane.Cantbetoocarefulthesedays.
HewinksatmeasItucktheenvelopeundermyarm.
Isawyoubroughthomeafinegentlemantoday,headdswithaknowingchuckle.
Heatcrawlsupmyneck.Umm,thankyou,Johnny.
Doesthatmeanyouvefinallybrokenupwiththatotherguy? Igroaninwardly.ForthehundredthtimeFinnandIwerejustfriends.
Yeah,afriendwhowantstobangyousixwaysfromSunday.
Johnny! Itsthetruth.Youngpeoplecanbesoblind.Manfollowsyouaroundlikealostdog,andyoucallit friendship.You girls today…Hetrailsoff,shakinghisheadsagely.
Ijust smileandstartbackingtowardthestairs.

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Somebattlesarentworthfighting.
Imheadingupnow!Icall.
ButJohnnysvoicefollowsme,almostcatchingmemidstep.
Whatdidyousaytohimthatgothimsoworkedupanyway?heasks.Youcameinwiththatfinegentleman,andminuteslateryouroldfriendstormedout,facelikeathundercloud.
I freeze.
Stomach dropping.
Whatareyou talkingabout? Finn,Johnnysays,likeitsobvious.Camebythisafternoon.Maybetenminutesbeforeyoushowedup.Youmusthavesaidsomethingtohimupthere.Hedidntlooktoogood.DidntreplywhenIsaidgoodbye.
Myheartstopsbeatingforasecond.
CHAPTER047:MeetSomeoneNew Finn.
Here.
Today.
Mymindrunsahead ofme,connectingdotsIdontwant toconnect.Andasthememoriesfloodin,realizationcomeswiththem.
Knoxsearchingmylivingroom.
Knoxstaringalittletoolongatthecloset.
Oh,mygod.
Finnwasinmycloset.
Finnwatchedus.
Igriptherailingtightly,feelingmyfacegohotandcoldallatonce.
ShouldIbemoreangryatFinnforsneakingintomyhomelikeaderangedstalker? OratKnox…forlettinghimstayhiddenwhilewe- Isqueezemyeyesshut.
Nope.
Notthinkingaboutthat.
Notrightnow.
Psychopathictendenciesmustreallyruninthatfamily.
Istumble mywayupthestairs,hearthammering,fumblingtopulloutmyphone.
WhodoIevencall? Knox? !Finn? God,Imangryenoughtocall911atthispoint.
Butthen- Sloaniebug! Isnapmyheadup.
Standingrightinfrontofmydoor aretwofamiliarfigures.
Mymother,smilingbrightly,armsfulloffreshflowersfromhershop.
Andmysister,Serena,rollinghereyesandbalancingapaperbagthatsmellssuspiciouslylikeItaliantakeout.
Mom?Serena?Isay,breathless,walkingtowardthem.Whatareyoutwodoinghere? Wewantedtosurpriseyou,honey,Momsays,givingmeawink.Andwebroughtfood! Noticedyouchangedyourlocks,Serenasays,nudgingthedoorwithhersneaker.Which,bytheway,makesmykeyuselessnow.Andseriously,Sloaneakeycardlock?Whatareyourunninghere,apenthouseinManhattan?OnlynowdoIactuallynoticethe lock.
Asleekblackkeycardreadermountedflush againstthedoorframe.

Nota normallock.
Notevenclose.
DefinitelyaKnoxmove.
ItearopentheenvelopeJohnnygaveme,pullingoutaslimkeycard.
Iswipeit.
Thedoorclicksopenwithasoftmechanicalhumthatfeelsweirdly…satisfying.
Paranoidboyfriend,Ireply,usheringthembothinside.
Inside,everythingis…cleaner.
Tooclean.
Thethrowpillowsareactuallyonthecouch foronce,notscatteredonthefloororpositionedaskew.
Thefloorlooksfreshlyvacuumed.
Eventhekitchencountershines.
CHAPTER04]SheetSomages EitherKnoxinstalledalockorhecalledinanentireSWATteamofdeanerstoo Romanticorderanged? The jurysstillout.
Serenatossesthefoodonthetable.
IfbyparanoidboyfriendyoumeanFinnsbrother,yeah,weheardaboutthatshesays.
1freezemidstep What? Finnsbeencallingeveryone, SerenacontinuescasuallyMom,me,Dad.Apparentlynoweveryoneknowsyouredatingadruglordwhoownsasexclub Icantevenformwords.
Ijuststandtherewithmybaghangingoffoneshoulder,staringatthemliketheyvegrownsecondheads.
Isthatwhyyourehere?Ifinallyask Mom,whodjustsettheflowerscarefullyintomyvase,plopsherselfdownontomyovercleancouchandturnstome,herexpressiontenderandserious, Sloane,baby,shesaysgently,Iknowyoureprobablyexperiencingwithdrawal- Withdrawal?Iechoblankly, BreakingupwithFinnandallthat.
Oh.
Right.
That.
Youdontneedtojumpfromthefryingpanintothefirejustbecauseyourehurting,shesays.YoumadeagooddecisionleavingFinn.Nowyoucanmeetnice,normalpeople.Likeartists.Goodpeople.
Shepauses.
Lowershervoicelikeshessharingasecret.
Butbaby…notsomeonelikethat.
Ijuststare.
Silent.
Heownsasexclub,sweetheart,shesays.Doyouknowwhatkindofthingsamanhastodotomaintainanundergroundclublikethat? Iwanttocrumpleontotheflooranddisappear.
Momseyessoften.
Iwasntalwaysthereforyougrowingup,Sloane.Iknowthat.ButImherenow.AndImnotjustgoingtositbywhileyou makethewrongchoice.Cometothebarbecuethisweekend.Meetsomeonenew.Please.