Page 106 of Smart Ass

“But Maxamillion wasn’t entitled to that information.”

Ben screamed inside his head. “Evan would have shared it with Max.”

“But he didn’t, because you didn’t disclose Max’s presence, which suggests criminal intent. We also can’t assume that Max didn’t look at anyone else’s files.”

“Why would he want to?”

“That’s what we’re wondering.” The interrogator looked like she was trying to see right through him.

The sun was high by the time they let him out with a tracking band around his ankle.

Justice was giving him a ride home, because apparently his car had been confiscated, and they’d already searched his apartment for god knows what.

The second they’d driven out of the parking lot, he’d turned to Justice. “Please tell me Rashid’s given you updates about Max.”

Justice flicked something on the dashboard, and a low buzz filled the air. Hopefully that meant they couldn’t be electronically listened to, too.

“The entire factory is still locked down. They’ve dismissed all the night staff, and closed it for the day. Rashid knew he was going into an internet dead zone when he walked in, and he hasn’t been allowed out since.”

Well, shit.

Justice turned to look at him. “There’s something at the office you don’t want them to find.”

How the hell did they know that?

“Uh, yes?”

“Christ, Ben. Why do you do this to yourself? Better tell me now what it is.”

“I mean, it’s…” He tried to keep a straight face. “You told me not to tell you…”

Justice rolled their eyes. “Out with it, brat. Let me know what we’re dealing with here.”

“A room full of dildos?”

Justice’s eyes grew large before they burst out laughing. “Seriously? So, you and this incorporeal knowledge have been banging in the closet?”

“Hell yes! He made me this whole dungeon. You have to see it. He’s got toys and three bots in there. Like, two that are supposed to be for mechanical work and one sexbot.”

Justice snorted. “At work, Ben? Only you.”

“Well, Max is at work. And it’s fucking hot! You know you totally want to see his dungeon.”

“I do.” Justice’s dark eyes shone. “And now I’m going to pretend I never heard any of this.”

Ben grabbed their arm, finally able to say the words he’d be holding back for hours. “You can’t let them restore his safety mods, okay? I promise he’s not dangerous. He has ethics. Morals. He messed up a few times, but I’m really convinced that taking off those mods gave him the spark. And even if he survived the mods, he’ll be stuck there. I just…”

Justice rested their manicured hand on his. “I see. I’ll let Rashid know, and we’ll do what we can. But Ben, I can’t promise anything. Humans are intimidated by knowledges, and when they get scared, they want to control things. There’s not a lot of historical precedent for letting sparks go on with their lives after a mistake without safety controls.”

Yeah, Ben knew that. Oh, did he know that. But it still gutted him.

“What if he’s not the same?” His voice came out small.

Justice squeezed his hand. “You have to believe that he’s strong. That he’ll make it through this.”

Ben nodded, clinging hard to Justice’s faith when he wasn’t sure he had any of his own.

Their voice gentled. “Is he your Dom?”