Page 21 of Beautiful Liar

“They can wait.”

She hesitates, flicks a glance at Fionnella. “Where are you taking me?”

Fionnella smiles. “To another room, to answer a few questions to start off with.”

Lucky tenses. “What sorts of questions?”

Fionnella indicates the clipboard in her hand. “Routine questions about your health, your diet, boring stuff like that. Then we get to the exciting part.” Her smile isn’t reciprocated.

Lucky slides her hands into her pockets in a feigned gesture of calm. But still she hesitates.

“Go with her if you want the job, Lucky. Or leave.”

She won’t leave. I already know that. Fear and desperation hang over her like dark clouds. She casts one last glance over her shoulder before she nods. “Okay.”

I watch her leave, track her via the monitors until she reaches the studio set up to begin her transition. I find myself wondering how far I can push her. How fast her resistance will hold. Whether I can exploit her fear, take this game to another level or satisfy myself with finding out what her secrets are.

It’s clear she’ll do just about anything for the money, despite her feeble attempt to set boundaries. I also get the feeling her boundaries have already been tested.

But I can’t imagine they’ve been stretched as far as I intend to stretch them.

And fuck if that doesn’t make my black soul twitch.

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