Page 95 of The Code of You

Dreva. Three days. Three days since we arrived, and we had barely left the apartment. Only him and me, enclosed in four walls, his presence filling every inch. My wrists still showed faint bruises from his grip. My body ached in ways that reminded me he had used every surface in the apartment. The wall, the table, the floor.

I turned my head, but he wasn’t beside me. Of course not. He was probably at a window scanning the surroundings, the way he always did. Did his systems even need sleep? At night he lay beside me, eyes closed. But I didn’t know if he was sleeping or in some kind of standby mode.

I peeled myself out of bed. My bones ached from the worn mattress.

Isobel. The thought shot through my head like an accusation. I hadn’t spoken to her since leaving Ashmore university. How long ago was that? The days had blurred into each other, all of them filled with Neo’s voice. Damn it. She had to be out of her mind with worry.

"Neo,” I called.

No answer. I padded through the apartment and found him in the kitchen. He was sitting at the table, not moving.

"Neo,” I began. "I want to call Isobel. She must be scared for me.”

He turned to face me. His expression stayed blank. "No.”

"No?”

"No,” he said flatly. "It’s too dangerous. They could trace us.”

"Neo, please.”

"No, Pandora.”

"But . . .” My voice broke.

He looked at me. His eyes widened almost imperceptibly.

"Please, Neo. I just need to tell her I’m okay.”

"That’s not sufficient reason. The risk isn’t proportionate.”

Tears gathered in my eyes and a small sob escaped me. Neo’s hands closed around the table’s edge, the wood creaking under his grip.

I looked at the floor. "I’m going crazy in here. Cut off from everyone I know.” I wiped the tears from my cheeks.

"Ten minutes,” he said in a low voice. "But not through a phone. I’ll establish the connection.”

I looked up. "How?”

He stood. "Encrypted. Through virtual servers I’ll delete immediately after.” He looked at me. "No connection that can be traced, no provider, no network they know.” He paused as if calculating something. "I am the connection.”

He handed me a laptop with a window already open. "Ten minutes,” he repeated.

"Hello?” Isobel’s voice sounded tired.

My whole body tightened. I grabbed the laptop from his hands, walked into the bedroom, pulled the door shut, and sat on the bed. "Hello? Isobel?”

"Pandora?” She was instantly alert, her words sharp with worry. "Finally. I thought something had happened to you.”

"I’m fine,” I lied automatically. My voice sounded rough from everything Neo had done to me over the past few days. I hoped she didn’t notice.

"Fine?” Isobel’s voice almost broke. "Pandora, I’ve been so worried. You just disappear, leave me with your apartment, and then—nothing. Days of nothing.”

Guilt settled in my stomach. "I’m sorry, Isobel.”

"Is he with you? This Neo?” She said his name as if it caused her pain. "Tell me you’re safe.”

Safe. I bit my tongue to keep from laughing. It was absurd. Neo would kill anyone who came too close to me. But he himself was the greatest danger of all.