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"Now?" Beckett's tone is casual, but I feel the tension in his body.

Graham, the man I don't recognize, steps forward. "It's important."

The three men exchange glances in a silent communication that excludes me entirely. Then Beckett turns to me, his expression neutral but his eyes intense.

"Stay here," he says, his voice low. "Don't speak. Don't move."

Twenty-Seven

BECKETT

I step away from Luna,leaving her perched on the velvet bench, a study in elegant submission—back straight, hands folded, eyes lowered. The perfect picture of obedience, even as I feel her curiosity burning holes in my back.

Sebastian's expression is grim as I approach, his usual diplomatic mask slipping just enough to show genuine concern. Graham stands beside him, drink in hand, watching our surroundings with the practiced vigilance of someone who's spent years in rooms where walls have ears.

"This better be important," I say, keeping my voice low.

Sebastian doesn't waste time. "The Collectors know about her."

My body goes still. "What exactly do they know?"

"That you walked out with a woman who wasn't wearing an anklet." Graham leans in, his beard nearly brushing my shoulder. "And they're asking why you didn't follow protocol."

"Protocol," I repeat, the word bitter on my tongue.

Sebastian nods. "More specifically, they know it was Genevieve Laurent's invitation that was used to get in. They're connecting dots, Beck. Fast."

I resist the urge to look back at Luna. "How much time do we have?"

"Days. Maybe hours." Sebastian's eyes flick toward the main floor, then back to me. "Baine's been asking questions. Direct ones."

"Fuck." The word escapes before I can catch it.

Graham takes a sip of his whiskey, the ice clinking against the crystal. "You could just give her up, you know. Save yourself the trouble. The girl's pretty, but is she worth?—"

My hand moves before my brain catches up, fingers curling into Graham's lapel. I don't slam him against the wall, but it's a near thing. Sebastian's hand appears on my arm, firm but cautious.

"Easy," he murmurs. "He doesn't understand."

Graham's eyes widen, not with fear but with surprise. "What the hell's gotten into you, Beckett? It's just a girl."

I release him slowly, smoothing his jacket with deliberate control. "She's not just anything."

Graham raises an eyebrow, looking between Sebastian and me. "Shit. It's like that?"

Sebastian steps between us. "The point is, the Collectors are making inquiries. Official ones. They're going to want to know why you claimed a woman who wasn't officially initiated. Why you didn't report the breach of protocol."

I exhale slowly, pulling my focus back to the immediate problem. "You said Baine specifically is asking questions?"

"Anthony Baine," Sebastian confirms. "He's been particularly interested. Seemed surprised when he heard it was Luna Laurent who showed up instead of her sister."

That's interesting. Specific. Targeted. Not just about protocol then.

"Thanks for the heads up," I say, decision made. "I'll handle it."

"How exactly do you plan to handle Anthony Baine?" Graham asks, skepticism clear in his voice. "The man's a Collector for a reason."

"I have my methods."