"Sit down," I say. My voice is deadly calm, a stark contrast to the storm raging in my chest.Alex doesn't argue. He sits on the edge of the disheveled bed, surrounded by the debris of my solo session—the ball gag, the weights, the blindfold. He looks at them, then at me, shame coloring his cheeks."Harlan and I founded NeuralKink together," he begins, staring at his hands. "Five years ago. We were... partners.""You said that," I snap, pacing the room. My robe is loose, exposing the red welts on my thighs. "Partners in business.""And in bed," Alex whispers.I stop pacing. The air leaves the room."You were lovers," I say. It’s not a question."For two years," he admits. "He was brilliant. Charismatic. We were obsessed with the same things—code, control, the human mind. We built the core architecture of Echo together in a garage in Palo Alto.""So why lie?" I demand, stepping closer. "Why tell me he’s just an investor? Why hide it?""Because of how it ended," Alex says, looking up at
Last Updated : 2025-12-31 Read more