"And you?" The words came out lighter than I meant them to. Half a joke, half not. "You're not trying to use me either?"
He looked at me. Gold steady behind amber. No flicker, no dodge.
"No. And I won't."
Two words. Three. The simplest sentence he could've built, and it landed heavier than anything fancy would have. I nodded once and let it sit.
Then three fists hit the front door at the same time.
"HARPER OPEN UP WE HAVE INTEL AND ALSO EMOTIONAL SUPPORT."
Priya, Bex, and Sonia tumbled through the door like a clown car with security clearance issues. Priya was clutching a stack of folders to her chest. Bex had snacks. Sonia had the look of someone who'd talked her way past two checkpoints on pure audacity.
All three froze the second they clocked Vane standing in the kitchen.
"Oh,"
