Chapter 53 | Proprietary Interest

My system chose that moment to be helpful.

Temptation Gauge: 62%

Status: DEVOTED

Current emotional state: Suspicious, aroused, competitive

Recommended action: Physical escalation with confession component>

Great. Super helpful. I definitely needed to know she was aroused right now while I was trying desperately not to think about her mother’s naked body.

"I’m fine," I said, stepping back to create some distance. "Let’s just get back to training."

Sloane wasn’t having it. She moved forward, matching my retreat step for step until my back hit the wall. Her hand came up, pressing flat against my chest, right over my heart.

"Your heart’s racing," she murmured. "What are you afraid of, Lukas?"

Everything. I was afraid of everything. Afraid she’d find out what I’d done with her mother. Afraid of what that would do to both of them. Afraid of how much I’d enjoyed it. Afraid of how much I wanted to do it again—with Diane, with Sloane, with both of them.

The System was turning me into exactly what it called itself: a scumbag.

"I’m not afraid," I said, but my voice came out hoarse.

"Then why won’t you look at me?" She moved her hand from my chest to my jaw, forcing my eyes to meet hers. "What are you seeing when you look at me?"

You. Your mother. Both of you. Neither of you. Everything I shouldn’t want and everything I can’t stop wanting.

"I see you," I said softly.

"And?"

"And I don’t know what to do about it."

That much was true, at least. I had no fucking clue what I was doing anymore. The System was pushing me toward both of them, dangling rewards for completing quests that crossed every moral boundary I’d ever had. And I was letting it happen because I wanted the power, wanted to pass Halloran, wanted to become something more than just an Unmarked orphan that everyone pitied.

Sloane’s eyes softened. "You don’t have to do anything about it. We can figure it out together."

She leaned forward and kissed me. Soft at first, then harder, more insistent. Her body pressed against mine, warm and strong and so different from Diane’s but just as intoxicating.

I kissed her back, my hands finding her waist, pulling her closer. For a moment I forgot everything else—the System, the quests, Diane, Halloran, all of it fading into background noise compared to the sensation of Sloane’s lips on mine.

Then reality crashed back in as another notification appeared.

Multiple partner detection? Secondary partner? What the fuck did that mean?

The training room door opened with a soft click.

"Well," said a familiar voice, warm with amusement. "Isn’t this cozy?"

Diane stood in the doorway, dressed in a charcoal pencil skirt and cream silk blouse, her hair pulled back in a professional twist. She looked nothing like the woman who’d been naked and moaning underneath me just hours ago. Except for her eyes. Those were the same—knowing, calculating, seeing right through me.

Sloane jumped back like she’d been burned, her cheeks flaming red. "Mom! I thought you were at work!"

"I forgot some files," Diane said smoothly, her eyes never leaving mine. "Thought I’d pick them up before my nine o’clock."

The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife. Sloane stood between us, oblivious to the silent communication passing between her mother and me.

Did Diane know we’d been kissing? Had she seen? Did she care? Was she jealous? Angry?

Aroused?

The Oracle Feed flickered in my vision, giving me the answer I both wanted and dreaded.

Temptation Gauge: 54%

Status: ATTACHED

Current emotional state: Amused, proprietary, aroused

Warning: Manipulation resistance decreased by 67%>

Aroused. Definitely aroused. And "proprietary"—whatever the fuck that meant.

"Don’t let me interrupt your training," Diane said, her drawl more pronounced than usual. "Sloane, honey, remember you’ve got that thing at ten."

"What thing?" Sloane asked, confusion written across her face.

"The call. With Halloran to see if you qualify for the Recommendation Exam." Diane gave her a pointed look.

"Oh! Right. That." Sloane nodded vigorously, playing along with whatever fiction Diane was spinning. "I forgot."

"Clearly." Diane’s gaze slid back to me, a small smile playing at the corners of her lips. "How’s the training going, Lukas? Making progress?"

The double meaning wasn’t lost on me. Was she asking about my Aspect training? Or whether Sloane and I had done anything that might activate my Sexercise trait?

"He’s distracted today," Sloane answered before I could. "Can’t seem to focus."

"Is that so?" Diane’s smile widened. "I wonder why."

I knew exactly why. Because every time I closed my eyes, I saw her—naked, flushed, begging for more. Because my body remembered the feel of her beneath me, around me, over me. Because I couldn’t look at Sloane without thinking about Diane, couldn’t touch one without remembering the other.

"Just tired," I managed to say. "Didn’t sleep much."

"Poor thing." Diane’s voice dripped with fake sympathy. "Maybe you should take a nap later. Rest up."

"I’ll be fine," I said, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears. "Sloane’s kicking my ass into shape."

"Language," Diane chided automatically. "But I’m glad to hear it. A strong partner makes all the difference in development."

Had Diane bought into my bullshit hypothesis? Did she actually believe that sex made my Aspect stronger? That wasn’t true—the Sexercise trait increased my physical attributes, not my actual abilities—but she didn’t know that.

"Well," Diane said, glancing at her watch, "I should grab those files and get going. Sloane, remember—ten o’clock. Lukas..." Her eyes met mine, filled with promise. "We’ll talk later about that thing we discussed. After your nap."

She turned and walked out, hips swaying slightly more than necessary. The door closed behind her with a soft click.

Sloane let out a breath. "That was weird. What was she talking about? What thing at ten?"

I shrugged, trying to look casual. "No idea. Maybe she confused me with someone else?"

"Maybe." Sloane didn’t sound convinced. "And what was that about a nap? Since when do you nap?"

"No idea," I repeated. "You know how she gets. Always mothering everyone."

The irony of that statement nearly made me choke.

Sloane moved back into the center of the mat. "Whatever. Let’s get back to work. I want to see if you can actually last more than thirty seconds against me this time."

I followed her, settling into a fighting stance. "I’ll have you know I can last way longer than thirty seconds."

"Prove it," she challenged, raising her fists.

I lunged forward, throwing a combination I’d been practicing all week. Jab, cross, hook—each movement faster and more powerful than I’d been capable of before last night’s stat increase.

But still not fast enough. Sloane weaved away from my punches like they were moving in slow motion, countering with a swift jab to my ribs that made me gasp.

"Better," she admitted. "But still telegraphing."

I reset, trying again. This time I focused on my footwork, keeping my weight balanced, my movements tighter. I managed to land a glancing blow on her shoulder before she spun away.

"There you go!" She grinned, looking genuinely pleased. "Now you’re focusing!"