As the technician explained to Karl how the GPS worked, I took a trip to the restroom. Coming back, I was waylaid by Carlos. He didn’t make any excuse for being in the laboratory wing, probably thinking I’d be flattered that he’d tracked me down.

He tried the same routine Troy had—I was new to the city and he could show me around. From Troy, though, the offer had been casual and friendly. If I’d taken him up on it and wanted nothing more than an escort, he’d be fine with that. With Carlos, there was no such subtlety.

“I’ll give you my card,” he said. “You want to go out, you call. I’ll show you a good time. Guaranteed.”

He extended the card. Before I could take it, it was snatched by a hand appearing around me.

“She’s not interested,” Karl said.

“I think she can tell me that herself.”

“She doesn’t need to. I just did. Now, if you’ll excuse us…”

Karl put his arm around my waist and led me away. When we reached the elevator, I slipped from his grasp.

“I thought you want me dating more supernaturals. What’s wrong with that one? He’s closer to my age, wealthy, gorgeous—”

“—with a reputation for leaving girls in worse shape than he finds them. And with your powers—”

“—he’s hoping I’d get off on it. I caught a few vision scraps, enough to know his reputation is warranted, which is why I stood for your ‘hands off my property’ routine.”

Karl grunted.

“Given the choice between insulting a Cabal son and letting him think I’m otherwise engaged, I’ll go with option B. But if you try that with anyone else, you’ll get a very different reaction.”

I said it lightly, teasing him, and expected a retort, but he just watched the floors of the elevator count down, then stepped off when the doors opened.

“YOU DIDN’T GIVE me much of a choice in there,” I said as we walked down the street. “I didn’t want to argue in front of Benicio. But I don’t need—”

“—protection. I believe I’ve heard this before.”

I kept my tone even. “If you want to repay the debt, that’s fine. You go off and do your thing, I’ll hang out here and do mine, and we’ll say you protected me. No one will be the wiser.”

He turned a corner so sharply that I went another three steps before realizing he wasn’t beside me, and had to backtrack.

“I’m just saying you don’t need to protect me. I don’t need it, and I don’t really want it.”