Page 180 of A Smile Full of Lies
Knox stepped into the room, towel around his waist, hair wet, body still dripping. He stopped short when he saw me, when he saw the look on my face.
“Ros?”
I didn’t move.
His gaze dropped to the laptop. To the drive. And I saw it — the flicker of understanding. Of guilt. Of somethingdeeper.
“You looked.”
It wasn’t accusatory, just a fact.
I nodded.
He closed the door behind him slowly and padded toward me. Barefoot. Careful. When he was close enough, he reached out and took my hand.
“Say something.”
My voice was hoarse.
“How long have you been filming me?”
He didn’t lie to me.
“Since I was eighteen.”
My stomach twisted.
“I didn’t post them,” he said. “Not the ones like that. Not the real ones.”
“Why?”
His jaw flexed.
“Because they weremine.”
That’s what he said. And he didn’t flinch when he said it. He didn’t backpedal or soften or try to explain it away.
He just stood there — barefoot, wet from the shower, towel low on his hips, steam still clinging to his skin — and admitted the truth like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
“I watched you,” he said again. “Because I couldn’tnotdo it.”
I didn’t speak. I wasn’t sure I could. My whole body felt hollowed out. Not angry. Not scared. Just… stripped bare.
“You knew I was with Thayer,” I whispered. “Back then.”
His jaw ticked.
“I did.”
“And you still?—”
“Yes.”
He stepped closer. Slow. Measured. Still dangerous. But not because I thought he’d hurt me. Because I finally understood how far he’dgonot to lose me.
“I knew what I was doing was fucked up,” he said. “I knew it wasn’t fair. That you were with him. That you had no idea I was next door cataloging every moment you smiled when you thought no one was looking.”
He paused. Swallowed.
