Page 65 of The Dis-Graced

“Not so loud!” I snap.

“Is this tone more suitable,” he says in a voice half as loud.

“ALAN, can you analyze the last interaction I had with Drake? After I got up from the couch.”

“The moment lasted thirty-seven-seconds. Drake was staring at you, and you had me confirm whether or not it was a micro-movement, which it was not. The stare was quite blatant. You returned said stare. Your heart rates were elevated, and you were breathing about thirty-percent faster than normal, and he was breathing about twenty-percent faster than normal—”

“Was it from the workout?”

“No. Drake had barely begun his, and you’ve had several minutes for your vitals to return to normal.”

“Then what do you think it was?”

“Lust.”

Chapter 20

Drake

I go into the bathroom, one of the only rooms not under surveillance by ALAN, and resume my conversation with Zevran Heartshire on a phone that only I have access to.

Drake:What do you mean by that? Are you accusing me? Accusing my family?

Zevran:We both know our families have done some shady things, and we have to deal with their messes after they’re gone. This has to do with land, prime real estate. I want to discuss it in person. Quietly. I’m sure you’ll understand.

Drake:I’ll send Dalton over with legal—

Zevran:No—it has to be you. Only you. No lawyers. No Dalton. No Elliot. Just you.

Drake:That’s an unusual request. Actually, it’s possibly an illegal request.

Zevran:In your position, with all the many branches of Dallanger Corporation, I’d hate to instigate the people’s mistrust, especially since I’m doing so well in the court of public opinion. I think it would be a grave mistake for you to not take me up on my offer.

Drake:Fuck, this is bullshit.

Zevran:We meet tomorrow, I’ll text you when, but it’s imperative that you tell no one.

I hang up the phone, angry with the turn the night has taken.

Zevran FUCKING Heartshire is accusing my family of theft, but he’s going about it in an altogether odd way, and I’m not sure a confrontation is his true intentions. The Heartshires have been reconfiguring their business model after the death of their patriarch. This could be some kind of power play.

Part of me is glad Zevran interrupted Grace and I, because if he hadn’t, I honestly don’t know where the night would have taken us. As much as I’d love to entertain the notion that things would have turned hot and heavy, it could just as easily have gone in a completely different direction. With Grace’s dismissal.

It’s something I loathe to do. It’s not that she hasn’t been doing her job well, it’s just that she’s been helping in ways I hadn’t anticipated, bringing issues with ALAN to light that I would have never imagined. Sure, I expected that AI would be able to lie, but the version Grace is working with isn’t capable of true emotion, which should mean he would have no reason to lie.

Then, there was the deception. A deception I’m thrilled happened as it saved the beloved child of my best friend, but it’s not something I can ignore.

For these reasons, I’m going to seek the help of global entities and national security in studying ALAN to better understand AI and its true capabilities.

Of course, I’ll assist Grace with whatever she needs to help her land on her feet, whether it be connections or cash…or…

Sever the work relation and forge a new one…

I shove the idea from my head because I’m pretty sure she’s never going to want to speak with me again, meaning dating is out of the question. And, she’s Luke’s baby sister, and that goes against the bro code.

I also can’t ignore the fact that it would sully my reputation, but fuck that. What do I care if people whisper as long as I’m happy? As long as she’s happy.

But…Grace is beyond my reach now.