Page 26 of The Genius
“Are you aware that Advanced Technologies has created a prototype of a sex-bot that is an exact copy of you?”
She narrowed her eyes. “What did you say?”
“It’s true. I’ve seen it.”
Shelly blinked a few times.
“Did you know?” I repeated.
“No. I mean yes.”
My face hardened. “You let them do it?”
She moved her feet, shifting her balance. “It’s complicated.”
“Is that a yes?”
“Marco, I’m sorry, but it’s none of your business.”
“None of my business.” I jerked back, anger brewing inside me. “The hell it is.”
“It’s just a prototype. The final version won’t be modeled after me.” She turned to leave again, but I was quicker and blocked her.
“I don’t care that I haven’t seen you in ten years, Shelly. No one is going to make a whore out of you. Not even if it’s for research. Does Tristan know?”
“No. You can’t tellanybody.”
I didn’t tell her that Hunter and Storm already knew part of the story.
“Just tell me this. Did you authorize Advanced Technologies to make a sex-bot in your image?”
Shelly drew in a large inhalation of air and bit her lower lip, but she didn’t answer.
“Did you?” I pressured her.
“Can we just drop it? I don’t want to talk about it.”
“No, we can’t just drop it. I saw it… her… the sex-bot.”
“And?”
“And I didn’t know it was modeled after you. Otherwise I would have never…” I scratched my shoulder, not able to finish the sentence. If Shelly didn’t know I’d tested the bot, I sure as hell wouldn’t tell her.
Her eyebrow rose. “You would have never what?”
“Nothing. Just tell me what you know about the sex-bot.”
Shelly looked down, her lips closed tightly.
“What the fuck, Shelly? You used to be outspoken and honest. What happened to you?”
“I told you, it’s complicated.”
“Did you swap your personality for beauty or something? Looks like you changed both inside and out.” My words were nothing but a low mumble, but when she raised her gaze to meet mine, she looked like I’d shaken her to her core.
“You wouldn’t understand,” she whispered.
“Then explain it to me.”
