The door creaked open.

"Time’s up," came the low, familiar voice.

You sighed and turned, already knowing who it was. Evander leaned in the doorway, arms crossed, eyes locked on you. He didn’t look amused.

"You couldn’t have waited five minutes?" you muttered, reaching for your coat.

"I gave you fifteen," he said. "Then I watched two guys try to shove their hands down your back while you smiled like it didn’t matter."

You froze halfway through pulling your coat on. "Ev—"

"Don’t," he cut in. He stepped into the room, letting the door shut behind him with a hard click. "Just—don’t."

There was a moment of silence between you. You adjusted your collar. He watched.

"You were supposed to stay in the car," you said, voice lower now, not looking at him.

"And you were supposed to be wearing a wire, not a damn corset."

You shot him a look. "I got the audio. I did my job."

"You also almost got dragged into the VIP room by a Court runner who has a history of making girls disappear."

"Yeah, and I handled it. I'm not a kid, Evander."

"No," he said quietly. "You’re Rhory and Thiago’s kid. You know how many people would’ve sold their souls for a crack at you tonight if they knew who you were?"

You both fell quiet again.

Then, softer, he said, “I just—next time, you could’ve told me before I had to watch a guy stick a fifty in your thigh strap.”