CHAPTER 044 : MilitaryBugs *** ~~SLOANE~~ *** Irunoutofthebathroomwithatowelclingingtomyskin,hearthammeringasIcheckthetimeonmyphone.Shit.Ivebeenawayfromtheofficewaytoolong.
Way,waytoolong.
Sooner orlater,Harperthesupervisorwhopretendssheschillbuttrackseverysecondofyourworkdaylikeabloodhound-willstartpinging meabouttheCypherGuardproject.
AndIdonthavetheenergyforHarper rightnow.Orforthatendless spreadsheetmappingoutendpointvulnerabilitiesweresupposedtoisolatebeforeendofquarteraudits.Wereonlyhalfwaythroughcodeflagging,andIvealreadymissedtwocheckpoints.IfImnotcareful,theyllreassignit.AndIveworkedtoodamnhardtogettrustedwithsomethingthissensitive.
Ifumbleintomyroom,dryingoffasIgo,heartstillracingfrommorethanjusttimestress.
Iknowmy problem.Itsthattattooedmancurrentlyinsidemyhouse.
Everythingremindsmeofhimthesepastfewdays,remindsmeofthefeelingofhavinghiminsideme.
Idlookattherestroomsinksinmyofficeand rememberbeingbentoveroneinAsheville.
Thehardpressofachairbackagainstmyspinebringsbackthewayhepinnedmetoawall.
Eventhegentlethrumoftheofficeprintermakesmethinkofthelow,satisfiedsoundshemakeswhenImoanintohismouth.
I hatehoweasyitistogetlostinithowIcravetheacheheleavesinsideme.Howitfollowsmeeverywhere.Frommy bedroom,Ispothiminthelivingroom.
Hesmoving.Notinarelaxed,casualwaylikebefore.Hes scanning.Checkingcorners.Liftingpillows.
Issomethingwrong?Icallout,alreadypullingoutfreshundiesfrommydrawer.
Notexactly,heanswers,eyesfixedonmybookshelfnow.
Iyankonunderwearandabra.AndthenIpulltherestofmyclothesbackon.Myhandsarefast,practiced.
Atleasttellmeyourenotcheckingforbugs,Isay,halfjokingasIzipmypants.
Heturns,andforasplitsecond,hisfacedoessomethingstrangelikeIjustcaughthiminalie.Butsoonenough,hisbrowslift,realizationdawning.
Oh.Bugs,asinbedbugs? WhatelsewouldIbetalkingabout?Militarybugs? Ilaugh,expectinghimtojoinme.
Hedoesnt.I eyehisseriousfacesuspiciouslybeforemovingovertothemirrortofixmyface.
Youshouldchangeyourlocks,hesays.
I freeze,mascarawandhovering midair.
WhywouldIwanttochangemylocks? Hestepsintothedoorway,foldinghisarms.Hisreflectionisallmuscleandshadowsintheglass.

Theyreeasytopick.
Iraiseabrow.Andyouknowthathow?Have youpickedlocksbefore? Hislipstwitch.Asamatteroffact,Ihave.
Iturnaround,narrowing myeyes.Iamveryinterestedinthisstory.
Well,yourenotgettingit.
Comeon.Younevertellmeanythingaboutyourself.Wereyoualittlethief? Hechucklessoftly,somethingdarkandwarmurSuccessfullyunlocked!boutitsoon.Ipromise.
Irollmyeyesandturnbacktothemirror,fixingmyhatsomethingthatdoesntscreamIjustgotthoroughlyrailedinthemiddleoftheworkday.
Iwatchhimbehindme,slippinghisshirton,smoothingtheblackfabricoverthehardlinesofhisbody.Helooksdangerous likethisandyetdomesticatedinmyspacesomehow.
1/3 CHAPTER044MilitaryBuge WhowouldvethoughtIdlureamanintomyapartmentinthemiddleofthedayforsex?ButthetruthisthatsnotentirelywhyIbroughthimhere.
Hismouthisfilthy,hecouldtalkmypantiesintobeingwetanddroppingdownmylegsinaheartbeat,butwhenitcomestohimself,hesweirdlytightlipped.Andsomepartofmemaybethestupidparthopedthatbybringinghimintomyspace,hedbringmeintohis.That hedsitonmycouch,stareatmyceiling,andmaybesaysomethingabouthispastandpresentlife.Whatkeepshimawakeatnight.
ThatswhatGooglesaid,anyway.Invitehimintoyourspacesohelearnstotrustyou?Ugh.Werejustafewdaysintothisrelationship,andImonearticleawayfrombecomingapsychoticgirlfriend.
Ismooththelastpieceofhairbackintoplaceandglanceathiminthemirroragain.
Hescompletelydressednow.
Withthewayheslookingaroundmybedroomrightnow,searchingforGodknowswhat,maybeheisalreadyfeelingathomeandwouldstartspillinghissecretssoon.Onecanonlyhope.
Dontpush,Itellmyself.
Letsgo,Isay,turningaroundandtryingtowalkpasthim.
Hecatchesmywrist.
Pullsmein.
Andkissesmedeep,intense,slowenoughtostealtimefromtheworld.Whenhefinallyletsmego,mykneesarewobbly.
Dont startanything,Imurmur,eyesstillclosed.
Ijustwantedtoleavemyscentonyou,hesays.Youwasheditoff.
Thatmakesmyeyesopen.
Youreweird.
Hegrins.

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Ishakemyselfoutofhisgripandheadforthedoor.Heslapsmyass ashefollowsbehindme.
Seriously? Hisonlyanswerisasmirk.
Outside,weheadforhiscaraPorsche911that growlssolouditdrawsstares fromtheoldcoupleonthesecond floorbalcony.Iglanceupatthem,thenquicklydownagain.
Iveneverlikedattention.
Knox,itseems,thrivesonit.Imean,bothcarsIveseenhimdrivepracticallyscreamLookatme.
Hepullsawayfromthecurb with onehanddrapedoverthewheel,andweglidethroughthecity.Thewindowsaredownjustenoughtolettheairslipin.Ileanbackagainsttheseat,watchingthebuildingsblurpast.Then,justaswereaboutablockawayfrom myoffice,Ispotafamiliarstripmallupaheadwitha veryvisiblepharmacy.
Itapthewindow.Canyoustophere? Why?heasks.
Ineedtogetsomethingfromthedrugstore.
Areyouunwell? Ifnotwantingcrotch goblinsclassifiesasanillness,thenyes.
Heparkswithachuckle.Theydbecute,though.
Dontevengothere.
Ireachforthedoor,buthecatchesmywrist.
Letmegetit,hesays.Dontwantyouspendingyourlittlefortuneonmorningafterpills.
Iscowl,buthejustgrinswidercompletelyunfazedandtapsthetipofmynosewithhis indexfinger.Then,withoutaword,hestepsoutofthecar.
AndthenImalone.
InhiscartheonlypersonalspaceofhisIveeverbeeninwithouthimthere.
Onevoiceinmyheadtellsmenottodoit.
Dont.
Buttheother voicethenosy, curiousonewins.
Ileanovertheconsole,fingershoveringabovetheglovebox.
212 CHAPTER044:MilitaryBugs Locked.
ThatmakesitworsebecausenowImmorecurious.

Istartcheckingforkeys.Theresabunchinthecenterconsole.Itryone.Two.Thirdtimesthecharm.
Itclicksopen.
Papers.Receipts.Alighter.Astraypairofsunglasses.
AndthenIseeit.
Agun.
Black.Sleek.Restinglikeitsbeenwaitingtobefound.
Istareatit,breathcaughtinmythroat.
IdontknowhowlongIsitthere.LongenoughthatwhenIfinallyhearfootstepsapproaching,panicflaresinmychest.Ishoveeverythingback,locktheglovebox,anddonthavetimetoreturnthekeystowhereIfoundthem.Ijustclenchtheminmypalm.
Knoxopensthedoor,apharmacybaginhand.
Iwasntsurehowmuchofityouwanted,hesayscasually,slidingintothedriversseat.SoIboughtten.
Ibitemylip,suddenlyawareofhowweirdImustlook,justsittingthereandstaringathimlikehesgotatargetdrawnacrosshisforehead.
Whatisit?heasks,narrowinghiseyes.
Nothing,Isay,tooquickly.Toohighpitched.Myvoice skipsoveritselflikeastonetossedwrongonwater.
Hedoesntmove.Justwatchesme.Thenslowlyhiseyesdroptomyclosedfist.
Whatdoyouhavethere,Sloane? Myfingerscurltighter.Nothing.
!Youreverycutewhenyoulie.Handitover.
Ihesitate.Buttheresnowinningagainstthatlook.SoIextendmy handandletthekeysfallintohisopenpalm.
Hedoesntevenglanceatthem.JusttossesthembackintothecenterconsoleliketheydontmatterlikeIdidntjustunlockapieceofhisworld Iprobablywasntsupposedtosee.Allthewhile,hiseyesstayonmine.Notblinking.Notsmiling.
Hestartsthecar,shiftsintogear,andtheenginehumstolifeagain.Weglide intomotion.Ikeepmygazeonthesideofhisface,watchingforasign.
Andthenhespeaks.
Istheresomethingyoudliketoaskme?hesays,voicequiet.Andpleasedontsaynothing.
Iswallow.Myheartssuddenlyinmythroat.
Whydoyouhaveagun,Knox?