the shower fi

the cold water from his face. He stared at his reflection in

. He convinced himself the nosebleed was just dry air. He was Bowen

and marched back into the livin

avy silver lighter she found on the coffee table, flipping the lid open and s

n front of her. He stood tall, trying

s voice into a deep, vibrating regis

you've won an

e forced gravel in his voice was

377 flashed a bright gold noti

ovocation. Say the exact phrase: "Is that it?" with a m

her entire livelihood, a genetic skin upgrade was worth mo

er lighter shut. She

e dragged her gaze down his neck, ov

s right at the knot of his bathro

at broke out on the back of his neck. His knees jerked,

. The sound bounced off the high ce

e curled her upper lip into a perfe

it?" sh

Bowen like a physica

unadulterated shock. It was as if she had j

shattered into a million pieces.

his mouth, but his brain couldn't form a single word of

g in Aria's head. [Task Com

a's body. She felt her pores tighten. The du

had felt slightly dry and tight just moments ago, was now as smo

by her own hand. She ignored the to

ried to glue his pride back together. "I... I was

ue, dismissive nod, waving her perfect hand

negotiation tactics, the ones that made old Wall Street

t in frustration. He spun on his heel and walked s

m door cli

o the floor-to-ceiling mirror near t

ight then that this system wasn't a curse. It was a to