Becca raised an eyebrow at Kai, her expression a mix of annoyance and frustration as she waited for him to respond to the encounter with the mysterious man. Kai's face remained inscrutable; his gaze locked on her with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

She gulped nervously, forcing a smile as she turned back to the gentleman who had approached her. "Yeah, I told you I wasn't alone," she said with a tight-lipped smile, her voice tinged with tension.

The man nodded in ...