2026-03-16 19:18:13
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Ch 30. Full Transparency
I crossed the room to her slowly, like approaching a skittish cat. "Clara.""Don't.""I'm going to anyway." I stopped in front of her. "You matter. What we have—whatever it is—matters. Tonight with Jade doesn't change that.""How can it not change it?""Because feelings aren't zero-sum. Caring about her doesn't mean I care less about you." I ran a hand through my wet hair, frustrated. "I know that sounds like bullshit. I know it sounds like something a guy says when he wants to have his cake and eat it too. But I don't know how else to explain it."Clara stared at me. "You're terrible at this.""I'm aware.""You're soaking my carpet.""Also aware.""And you smell like rain and sex and I really want to be mad at you but you literally just saved me from my stalker using skills I taught you, and I don't know what to do with any of this information."Jade moved to stand beside me. Both of us facing Clara. Dripping on her floor."Take your time," Jade said. "We're not going anywhere.""You
Ch 29. Soaked and Seriously Screwed
We took the stairs three at a time.Jade moved like water flowing downhill while I moved like a garbage bag full of wet laundry tumbling after her.My phone was in my hand, Clara's security feed still open. Derek hadn't moved. Just standing there under the streetlight, hands in his pockets, staring up at her window like he had all the time in the world.Creepy bastard."Wait." I grabbed Jade's arm, stopping us on the landing between floors eight and seven. "I have an idea.""Ideas later. Running now.""No, listen, the building has networked security. If I can flag him as a trespasser through her camera system..."Jade's eyes narrowed. "You can do that?""Maybe?"Mira’s voice chimed in my head, "Basic Hack Toolset skill should allow remote access to unsecured residential networks. Clara's camera is already streaming to your phone, which means you have partial access."I pulled up the interface, fingers flying across the screen. Clara had shown me her setup once with paranoid layers of
Ch 28. A Terrible Idea
She pulled back just far enough to breathe. "This is a bad idea.""Terrible idea.""We're on a rooftop in a thunderstorm.""Very unsafe.""I'm using you to not feel things.""I know.""That's not fair to you."I reached up, cupped her jaw, ran my thumb along her cheekbone. "Maybe I want to be used.""Careful what you wish for, Cross."She kissed me again, and this time she didn't stop.Her hands slid under my soaked shirt, nails dragging across my ribs. I hissed, half pleasure, half pain from the bruises she'd just spent an hour giving me. She smiled against my mouth."Too much?""No.""Liar."She peeled my shirt up and off, tossing it somewhere into the rain. Then she sat back, straddling my hips, and looked at me.I was suddenly very aware of every flaw I had. The skinny arms. The ribs you could count. The complete absence of anything approaching muscle definition."Stop thinking," she said."Can't help it.""Then I'll help you."She unclipped her sports bra and dropped it on my che
Ch 27. Heavy Exertion
Attempt two: I tried to sprawl. Jade shot lower, hooked my ankle, and I ate mat.Attempt three: I tried to push her head down. She used my own momentum to spin me into an arm drag, then dumped me on my face.Attempt four: I actually got my hips back in time. Small victory. Then she kneed me in the thigh and I crumpled anyway.[END drain: Heavy exertion][Current END: 14/28][Warning: Approaching fatigue threshold]"You're thinking too much," Jade said.I was on my back again, staring at storm clouds that had gotten significantly closer. Rain started to fall, light at first, then heavier, fat drops that exploded on the mats and ran into my eyes."Hard not to think when you keep finding new ways to hurt me.""Pain is information. Your body learns faster than your brain." She reached down, grabbed my wrist, hauled me up. "Again.""Can I at least have a—"She shot in.This time I managed to get the underhook, my arms under hers, fighting for position. For about half a second, I felt like
Ch 26. Wet, Wrecked, and Way Too Close
My apartment greeted me with its usual enthusiasm: stale air and unwashed dishes.I dropped onto my couch and pulled up my Quest Log. The familiar blue glow painted the ceiling.[QUEST LOG - ACTIVE][Quest: Public Speaking - Panel Discussion][Status: Pending decision][Reward: +2 PRC, Influence Path skill upgrade][Risk: Public image damage on failure][TIMER: Offer expires Thursday]The timer pulsed red. Aggressive. Passive-aggressive, actually. Like Leona had personally programmed it to judge me."You're staring at it like it owes you money," Mira said."It might. I'm still not sure if I owe Leona for the wine glass."[Quest Reminder: Public Speaking - Panel Discussion]"Yes, thank you, I saw it the first time—"[Timer: Offer expires Thursday]"—and the second—"[Bond Quest Candidate: Jade Kwon]"Okay, what the hell is that last one?"“Bond Quests,” Mira said cheerfully. “They unlock when a Link is emotionally significant enough to merit dedicated challenges. Jade qualifies.""And
Ch 25. PR Lessons
"So was it manipulation?" I asked."Does it matter? You responded honestly either way." She checked her watch. "Next exercise. I need you to convince me to donate to a fictional charity. Go.""What charity?""Make it up. You have thirty seconds."Shit. "Uh... Save the... Pigeons?""Save the Pigeons." Her face was perfectly neutral. "Pitch me.""Okay, so... pigeons are everywhere, right? But nobody cares about them. They're rats with wings. Except they're not. They're descended from rock doves. They used to carry messages. They're actually... important?"I was dying. This was awful."Boring. I'm not convinced. Why should I care?""Because—" I stopped. Thought about what she'd taught me. "Because you're the kind of person who makes unpopular causes work. Pigeons are the underdog of birds. And you love a good underdog story."[RSN +2 with Leona Hart][Leona Hart — Resonance: 6 → 8]Her expression changed. "Better. You pivoted from the cause to my ego. Flattery works if it's specific." Sh
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