The door was open.

I knew before I even turned around. Felt it. That weight of someone standing there, watching, lingering.

I sighed, finishing what I was doing before finally glancing over my shoulder.

Lilith.

I smirked. “Oh, girl, you gonna come here every day now or what?”

She didn’t answer. Just stood in the doorway, her eyes steady on me.

“Tomorrow you shouldn’t bother.” I leaned back against the counter. “I won’t be here.”

Her eyes flickered slightly. “Where will you be?”

“By the coast. Got a job to do.”

Lilith frowned slightly, stepping inside. “A job.”

“Yeah, y’know. Work. Earning my keep.” I watched her carefully. “Delivering something.”

Her gaze sharpened. “Drugs?”

I didn’t flinch, but I could feel my chest tighten. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

She didn’t look convinced. “Right.”

I leaned against the counter, trying to hide the tension in my shoulders. “It’s just a job. A delivery.”

“A delivery of drugs, I’m guessing?”

I met her gaze for a moment, trying to hold her stare, but something in the way she looked at me—calm, expectant—made my throat dry. I exhaled slowly. “That’s none of your business.”

Her eyes didn’t leave me. “Is that why you’re going by the coast?”

“Yeah, I’m going to the coast,” I said, flatly. “Got a delivery to make. Not your problem.”

Lilith took a step forward, not backing down. “A delivery. Alone?”

“Doesn’t matter.”

“Sounds like it matters to you.” Her voice was soft, but there was an edge in it, like she wasn’t buying my act. “You sure you don’t need help?”

I almost laughed, but it didn’t come out. “You wouldn’t be any help. Just stay here and stay out of my way.”

She narrowed her eyes, a small smirk forming on her lips. “I think you’re lying.”

I pushed off the counter, glaring at her. “Don’t push it.”

“I don’t care what kind of delivery it is,” she said, unfazed by my tone. “But I know it’s dangerous. You’re not going alone.”

I shot her a look, irritated. “I don’t need you tagging along. Just stay here.”

“I’m not staying here,” she said, firm. “You’re not going alone.”

She just sounded exactly like Dad. He gave me this job, he trusts me, but he’s still worried as always. I got a whole lecture about being careful.

I shook my head, turning my back to her. “You don’t get to decide that.”

“I’ll decide whatever I want,” she replied, taking another step closer. “I’m not letting you walk off into God-knows-what and pretend it’s fine. If you think I’m leaving you to do this alone, you’re wrong.”

I turned back around, meeting her eyes. She wasn’t moving, wasn’t backing down. “You really don’t know when to quit, do you?”

Her lips curled slightly. “You’re going to have to drag me away if you want me gone.”

I stared at her for a long moment, frustrated. She wasn’t going anywhere. And as much as I hated to admit it, maybe that was the one thing I didn’t mind.

“Fine,” I muttered, rolling my eyes. “But you do exactly what I say. Got it?”

“Of course,” she said, her voice calm and certain.

I didn’t trust her, but I didn’t have a choice. If she was going to follow, at least I could make sure she didn’t mess this up.