Page 33 of Their Arrangement

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A near-expired yogurt. Two condiment packets. A bottle of water I’d already refilled from the office sink three times this week.

I closed the door.

Stared at the nothing.

My phone buzzed.

UNKNOWN:

Final notice. Balance: $2,378. 72 hours remaining.

I silenced it.

Didn’t respond.

Then turned back to my bag.

The lipstick was still there.

Still in its case.

Still pulsing in the back of my mind like a dare.

I pulled it out.

Set it on the counter.

Stared at it under the kitchen’s flickering fluorescent light.

The gold casing gleamed like it knew something I didn’t.

I could still feel Royal’s knuckles against my cheekbone.

Still hear Wolfe’s breath in the hallway.

Still taste the shame in my mouth.

I picked up the lipstick again.

Ran my finger along the engraved word.

Obedience.

And I whispered?—

“I don’t want this.”

But I didn’t throw it away.

4

CLOE

The elevator doorsopened onto the executive floor, and the air shifted—again.

Colder.

Smoother.

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