Page 52 of Pretty Cruel Love

Head to my side once the roaming camera blinks red.

The roaming robot watches me make my bed and offers a note of encouragement on its screen:

Congratulations, Sadie Pretty.

You’ve made it to Day 11.

Keep making progress.

I continue following Dr. Weiss’s instructions, waiting for the robot to blink red.

Then I make a run for it.

The moment I step outside, the scent of the lake envelopes me. The wind blows hard, pushing me onto the bench.

Dr. Weiss sits beside me, humming occasionally as he types on his laptop. At some point, I press my knee against his, and he doesn’t make a move to push me away.

I stare at the view until the sun falls down the sky, soaking up every bit of this for whatever my future holds.

“What are you thinking about?” Dr. Weiss asks, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“Nothing, Dr. Weiss.”

He slides a hand under my chin, making me face him.

“We discussed this, Sadie,” he says, his voice firm. “That’s not my name if the cameras aren’t watching.”

“What if the guards are?”

“They’re not on this side,” he says. “I would get an alert if they were.”

“Fine.” I look into his eyes. “Then I’m thinking about how you should actually change your name to something like Dr. Jekyll and Hyde when this is all over since I can’t seem to get your personality straight.”

He lets out a low laugh.

“I’m being serious,” I say. “One minute, you’re looking at me like you don’t want to stop, and the next?—”

“I’m doing my job?” He interrupts.

“Yes, that.” I pause.

“You’re just mad I didn’t come into your bed and finish what we started.”

“You didn’t let me touch you.”

He arches a brow, confused.

“I felt how hard I made you.”

“And?”

“It was one-sided.”

He stares at me for a long time before grabbing my hand and placing it over his sweatpants string.

I gently pull it loose, revealing his dark red briefs.

I look up at him, silently asking permission. His eyes narrow and he nods once—slowly.

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