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"What about Javier?"

The amusement vanishes from both their faces in an instant.

Good.

I press harder, voice going low and cold.

"What’s the plan? What are you going to do to him?"

They exchange a glance—quick, practiced, silent. The kind of look that tells me whatever their answer is, it’s already written in blood.

But Bodhi—no,Rule—is the one who answers, voice slow and careful.

"Patience, princess," he says, almost gently. "The plan’s still in motion."

I narrow my eyes. "I’m not asking for a full play-by-play. I just want to knowsomething."

Matteo—Ruin—shakes his head once, final.

"It’s better if you don’t. Not yet."

"You’re not protecting me," I snap.

"No," Matteo agrees, standing slowly, stretching his shoulders with a casual roll that makes every muscle under his shirt shift. "We’re protecting the plan."

He steps closer, slow and easy, like he’s circling prey he already knows can’t outrun him.

"And," Bodhi adds lazily, following suit, "we can keep you...distracted... while you wait."

My stomach knots, heat flashing low in my abdomen even as my jaw tightens in defiance.

I push up from the chair, slow and deliberate, facing them square.

"You think pastries and a quick fuck are going to keep me from demanding answers?"

Bodhi’s mouth curves—not into a grin this time, but something darker. He steps closer, voice a low, lazy rasp that brushes against my skin like smoke.

"I’m pretty sure," he says, gaze dragging down my body with shameless hunger, "we can both agree when we fuck it isn’tquick."

I snort under my breath but don’t rise to the bait. Not this time.

Instead, I fold my arms and level them both with a flat look.

"Fine," I say. "You don’t want to tell me about Javier yet. Then you’d better find another way to keep yourselves useful."

Matteo’s mouth twitches, that small little twist again.

"We thought you might say that," he says smoothly.

Before I can ask what the hell that means, he gestures behind him with a lazy tilt of his head.

"Come on, little storm. Let’s show you what else we built for you."

I narrow my eyes suspiciously but follow as they move toward a set of double doors tucked discreetly off another hallway on the other side of the living room.

Matteo opens them with a flourish, stepping aside so I can see inside first.

The breath catches in my throat.