Page 69 of The Obedient Lie

To us.

The ones who’d been standing there like fucking predators.

The image I’d just built in my head—of us teaching her how to serve, how to kneel, how to beg—cracked wide open. Shame cutting through me like glass.

And that made it worse.

Because even then...

Even when I should’ve stepped back, looked away, said something decent?—

All I wanted was to step forward.

Take her face in my hands.

And say, “Let Daddy in, baby. Show me how deep your sweet mouth can take me.”

“Why aren’t you two at the game?” she asked.

Considering I had Bastion to thank for that beautiful sight of her on that mat, I figured I could take the fall for how we got here.

I nearly missed him walking off. I’d been too busy forcing her ex-boyfriend to the ground during warmups.

Made damn sure I was paired with him. Every hit felt better than the last. Nothing like slamming that smug fucker onto the turf over and over again for stress relief. If he wanted to talk about her like she was just some cheerleader he used to fuck—I’d put him on the ground for it.

“Felt dizzy,” I shrugged.

“Wait,” Emilia said again, softer now. “When’s the last time you ate actual food?”

That’s when she bit her bottom lip—like she was thinking too hard—and fuck me if that didn’t knock something loose inside my chest. She could’ve cursed us out, screamed, or thrown something at our heads. But no. That wasn’t her.

She worried.

Even after everything.

I caught myself before I smiled. Before I let it show how deeply that hit.

She couldn’t help it. She was just like that.

Ourperfect,goodfucking girl.

The kind you corruptslowly.

The kind you ruin withreverence.

I shrugged. “Didn’t feel like it.”

“I’m gonna order pizza,” she said quickly, like it was decided. “If…you want any.”

Bastion stood behind me and cut in first. “I’ll order it.”

Her eyes flicked to him. She nodded once. No argument.

And then she stood. That slow, fluid kind of grace you couldn’t teach.

Her hair spilled down her back. The crop top had ridden even higher. And her panties? They’d vanished between her ass cheeks —and fuck, what a sight it was.

She walked toward the dresser like nothing was wrong.