Page 59 of White Noise

“Let him go.”

“No.”

Void coughs against the pressure, shoulders tensing while Silas leans closer to his ear.

“You paid for an hour, didn’t you?”

Void doesn’t answer, and Silas’s eyes lift back to me through the camera.

“Well, then you should get the rest of it.”

My stomach twists. “No.”

His mouth lifts again, darker this time. “Wasn’t fucking asking you.”

I shove my chair back from the desk. “Fuck you.”

The cable tightens another inch.

Void chokes, and Silas watches my face while he does it.

“Maybe he should ask.”

My eyes snap to Void.

Silas lowers his head beside him, voice calm and almost conversational.

“Go on.”

Void shakes his head.

Silas pulls tighter.

“Ask her.”

Void’s face twists as he forces the words out. “Violet…”

“No.”

Silas doesn’t even spare him a glance. His eyes stay locked on the camera.

On me.

“Go on,” he says, mouth curling. “Remind her how this works. You paid, didn’t you? Three fucking years throwing money at her and convincing yourself that bought you something.”

Void swallows against the cable, and Silas gives it a lazy tug.

“Come on, big spender. Tell her.”

“I paid.”

Silas smiles wider. “There you go. Wasn’t so fucking hard, was it?”

Void’s breathing turns rough.

“Now tell her you want the rest of your hour. Since apparently that’s what all this was worth to you.”

Void looks straight at me, humiliation burning across his face.