Page 53 of A Smile Full of Lies
“Knox, I don’t want to take advantage of you.”
“You’re not.” My voice dropped. “I’m giving it to you. You’d rather starve than betray me — I know that. You already proved it. That’s why it has to be you. No one else will handle it with the respect you will. And it gives you what you’ve always wanted — a book with your name on it, without Nina pulling your strings.”
I didn’t move.
She looked up at me like I’d just told her I was volunteering for a public execution.
“The book issue aside, I can’t believe you’re letting people into Stonewood Manor. Knox, that’s the house. That’s where the murdershappened.”
“Yes.”
“Jesus.” She shook her head, card still in hand. “You’re staging ahaunted housein the place where your entire family was murdered.”
“I know.”
She stared at me like she didn’t recognize the man standing in front of her.
“This isn’t just your trauma,” she said. “It’s acrime scene.”
I leaned against the counter, voice quiet.
“Not anymore. It’s just a house.”
“You don’t have to do this.”
I met her eyes without blinking.
“I won’t be there.”
That was a complete lie, delivered perfectly.
She didn’t speak at first.
Just kept staring at the ticket like it might rewrite itself if she looked long enough. Like the house’s name would disappear. Like I’d take it back.
I didn’t.
“You’re not really okay with this,” she said finally, voice low. “Youcan’tbe.”
I tilted my head.
“Why not?”
“Because it’s Stonewood Manor, Knox. It’s not just another location on a map. Yourfamily?—”
“Died there,” I finished for her. “I’m aware.”
“You talk about it like it’s just…a venue.”
“It is.”
Her mouth opened, then closed again. She looked like she was trying to breathe underwater.
“I don’t understand how you can be so calm about it.”
I shrugged one shoulder, deliberately casual.
“Maybe I made peace with it.”
