Figured he’d want such an expensive drink. The way he was looking at me like he could own me if he wanted, made me think he must have money.

“Plus, eggs scrambled with extra cheese. Extra bacon. Extra butter on my toast.” His gaze traveled over my body as he spoke, making my skin feel extra greasy.

I showed him my teeth, hoping he’d mistake my expression for a smile. “Anything else?” My tone was a little too sharp, but he didn’t notice. His gaze stayed fixed on my chest.

“Not right now, sweetheart. But maybe later.”

I bit back a retort and turned around carefully. Spinning too fast would make my short skirt rise, and no way would I let him see even a glimpse up my skirt. I reached into the metal fridge, bending at the knees to find the Orange Fizz.

It took me entirely too much time and effort to find the last bottle hiding under a mountain of other sodas and ice cream. When I turned back to the jerk, his head was tilted to the side.

Pervert.

I knew it. I had him pinned from the second he walked in the door. He was at least a decade and a half older than me—maybe more—and he was trying to see up my skirt? Disgusting.

I grabbed my multitool from the counter, popped the cap off the bottle, and barely stopped myself from slamming it down in front of him. Losing my cool wouldn’t be smart. Especially not when I was so close to escaping this hellhole. But, thankfully, Declan had been right. Not a single officer in uniform had entered the diner today. This perv’s haircut had me wondering for a second if he was one in plain clothes, but he was too tubby around the middle to be SpaceTech. They had fitness requirements because of all the space travel that was required of them.

I dropped the multitool in the sink under the counter, placed a glass of ice next to the bottle, just in case, and showed him my teeth again. “Anything else?” Even with my clipped tone, the idiot mistook that as an invitation, wrapping his fat hand around my arm before I thought to pull away.

My finger burned again, and the urge to unleash every emotion I was holding inside grew so strong my hands shook. It was taking everything in me not to kick his ass, grab my go-bag from my locker, and leave the diner.

But that’s not what Declan said to do, and I wasn’t about to blow my chance at getting away from here by losing my temper with some random customer.

I clenched my fists. Don’t do it. Don’t do it. Don’t be stupid now, Maité.