Page 81 of The Obedient Lie
She paused mid-conversation, her expression tightening. “I can’t,” she said into the phone, softer now. “No—I’m still not allowed off Academy grounds. It’s part of the lockdown thing.”
Her eyes flicked to the window.
“Yeah,” she sighed, shifting her weight. “It sucks. I know.”
She didn’t say it with venom. Justacceptance.
But the kind that stung—like she was gettingusedto cages.
It was a condition Bastion had added last week—right after we figured out she had plans to meet someone in town for lunch. Some heir, probably. Someone who didn’t know how she took her coffee, or the way she got nervous when the thunder got too loud.
So, he just made a quiet call.
The restriction came through officially. A rule like all the others. Looked regular.Standard.As if it was coming from the Academy administration.
Not from two men tightening their grip around her without saying a word.
Bastion even had the reception send a copy of her lockdown terms to her email. It looked completely,impersonal.
She had no idea it was us.
And maybe that was the worst part—howeasyit was to orchestrate.
How easy it was to pull the strings of her world without her knowing we’d threaded our fingers through every one.
She gave a small nod to whoever was on the phone, murmured something I couldn’t hear, then reached up and rubbed at her shoulder.
That’s when I moved.
Took the opportunity for what it was—a crack in her defenses.
She didn’t hear me approach. Didn’t flinch when I stepped behind her.
I didn’t say anything.
Just gently pulled her hand away and replaced it with mine.
My palm against her shoulder. Thumb easing into the knot at the top of her back.
She went still.
Finally and slowly—she relaxed into my touch.
Her body leaned back the smallest amount.
Trust,without even thinking about it.
I didn’t push.
Not yet.
But I wasdonewatching from across the room.
I guided her gently toward the corner of my bed, my hand firm on her waist. Fuck. She felt amazing.
She followed without a word.
Still on the phone and holding some half-heard conversation but her body obeyed mine like itknewwhat it wanted more.
