I didn't sit. Not right away. The darkened glass walls made the office feel smaller, like we were trapped inside a secret neither of us asked for.
"Trouble?" I repeated, trying to sound braver than I felt. "What trouble?"
Lukas leaned against the edge of his desk, arms crossed. "You've been in Berlin for barely two weeks and already, people know your name."
"That's… bad?"
"In my world, it's dangerous," he said flatly. "Especially when no one's supposed to know you exist."
I blinked. "I'm not exactly famous, Lukas. I'm—"
"You're connected to me now," he interrupted. "That's enough to make you a target."
The words hit me like cold water. Connected to him? I hadn't asked for that.
I crossed my arms too, mostly so he wouldn't see my hands shaking. "And what exactly are you going to do about it?"
He studied me for a long moment. His gaze was sharp, calculating—like he was trying to decide if I was worth saving or leaving behind.
Then he walked toward me. Not fast. Not threatening. Just steady, like he had all the time in the world. I held my ground, even though my pulse was screaming move.
"You stay close to me," he said finally. "No wandering. No unplanned trips. And no calls to anyone I don't approve."
I almost laughed. "I'm not some… employee you can boss around."
"You're in my building, using my protection," he said, his voice low but firm. "That makes you my responsibility. And my rules keep people alive."
The elevator dinged somewhere in the distance, but Lukas didn't move his eyes from mine.
"This isn't about you trusting me," he added. "It's about me trusting you."
My mouth opened, but no words came out. Because for a second—just a second—his expression softened, and I caught something I couldn't name.
And then it was gone.