I nod again, and Colton asks Nate for keys to hand off to Anton, who must already be outside. The band’s posted against the wall by the door, dutifully waiting, no concern showing when we move to leave. Xander respects my space and hangs back behind the other two while I end up in front of the door with Colton. It puts me between him and Foster, leaning beside me. My eyes flit to him as always, and he has his head rolled in our direction.

The animosity I wished for earlier swims in his eyes now. Disdain paints his expression, similar to the look he gave me on the bus when he claimed what we had before wasn’t real. I blink, redirecting to the gray metal door in front of me, the push bar across it. But I still feel him. Forever tugging.

“You’re with me, Remi.” Colton grasps the strap to my camera bag, and I let him take it off my shoulder, smiling at him in thanks.

Foster lets out a derisive breath. “They brought the wannabe in to protect you, yet it’s my security doing the job, first out there and now here.”

I take in a steeling breath to counter his. “Interesting you would say that, considering I handed you the spy glasses for shots of the event, but Felix wore them.”

He refuses to hear me out. It doesn’t mean he can treat me like shit without pushback.

I look over. Our eyes meet, his cold, cold, cold. The tension’s different again, and not back to the way we were before the bus. It’s a new one, missing the heated base notes present since Prague. No glances at my mouth or lower. No warmth at all. Foster might actually hate me.

Colton’s doing a final check when Foster smirks, not in challenge, but in warning. I fight off a shiver.

“I’ll tell you what, director.” He tips his head back on the wall, closes his eyes. “I’ll do my job once he does his.”

* * *

The drivers moved the buses to the venue while we were gone, so the vans take us there.

Colton called it. The fans showed no interest in the crew. Of Men and Wolves walked out, and they lost their shit. I watched out the back window while security moved the barriers to let us leave, and people surrounded the other van. It took the event detail walking in front so Colton could safely get them out of there.

Christian’s already on the phone when we cross paths in the parking lot, upping security for future appearances and shows. They need to adjust for the band’s ever-climbing popularity and reactions to them. Mac Records might have all but taken over the tour from him, but Christian remains the one looking out for the guys in the end.