Page 70 of A Smile Full of Lies
“Sure.”
He filled it from the fridge’s built-in dispenser, the sound louder than it had any right to be in the quiet house. I kept my eyes on the backsplash tile like it held all the answers to how the fuck I was supposed to handle this situation.
He handed me the glass without looking at me too hard. I took it with a muttered thanks and immediately chugged half of it, hoping the cold might calm the heat still coiled tight between my legs.
“Was it scary?” he asked, moving back to his laptop like this was any normal night.
I nodded.
“Yeah. They… did a good job.”
His fingers tapped softly against the keys.
“They said they brought in some big names. People who specialize in immersive stuff.”
My throat tightened.
“Yeah, it definitely felt… immersive.”
He hummed.
“That masked guy… Obscura something or whatever. Was he there?”
I nearly choked on my water.
“Uh… maybe? I think so. I mean, someone was there in his mask, but I don’t know if it was actually him.”
Knox didn’t look up, just nodded.
“Was it good?” he asked, voice casual. “The scene?”
I stared at him.
The what, sir?
His face didn’t flicker. Not even once.
“Yeah,” I said, barely above a whisper. “It was… intense.”
He smiled faintly at the screen.
“Good.”
“I’m gonna… um, use the bathroom,” I said, already backing toward the hallway.
Knox nodded, calm as ever.
“Yeah. It’s late. Get some rest, Ros.”
I didn’t answer, just fled.
My hands were shaking again by the time I shut the guest bathroom door behind me. I turned the lock, pressed my back against the wood, and tried to breathe.
It didn’t work.
The mirror above the sink caught me instantly… cheeks flushed, pupils dilated, lips swollen from biting them. I looked like I’d been making out in the backseat of a car.
Except it hadn’t been kissing.
