Page 135 of The Obedient Lie

No.

I stepped forward slowly, scanning the room like maybe it was a mistake. Like maybe they’d just moved it temporarily. But it wasn’t leaning against the wall. It wasn’t in the hallway. It wasn’tanywhere.

“You moved my bed?” I asked sharply, not bothering to hide the disbelief in my voice.

They didn’t answer.

Bastion lounged against the couch arm, flipping a lighter open and shut, his eyes on me now. Luca sat beside him, still, relaxed —annoyinglyso.

“You moved it?” I asked again, louder this time.

Luca didn’t blink. “We didn’t move it.”

I turned to him. “Then what?”

“We got rid of it.”

My stomachdropped.

“Youwhat?”

Bastion finally stood, stretching with the kind of lazy grace that made my spine tighten. He took a step toward me, then another, until the heat of him hoveredtooclose.

“I don’t get it,” I said, voice sharp with disbelief. “You got rid of my bed. So where do I sleep now? On the couch?”

He didn’t even flinch.

His hand lifted, large and warm, and he cupped my cheek with a gentleness I wasn’t prepared for.

“No,baby,” he said, voice like silk. “You sleepbetween us.”

Ifroze.

Then I laughed — short, cold, bitter.

“Cruel joke, Bastion.”

But he didn’t smile.

Neither did Luca.

And that scared me more than if they had.

Because this wasn’t a joke.

This wasn’t them toying with me or trying to get a reaction.

It was astatement. Ashift.

I took a step back. “You’re trying to punish me.”

Still silence.

Still watching.

LikeIwas the one out of line for being shocked.

“I said I didn’t want to pick,” I whispered. “I said this couldn’t happen. You don’t get to make itworse.”