“Security says it’s the safest layout,” she adds. “Closest to my door.”
She doesn’t explain further, but she doesn’t need to.
Safest means close enough to hear if something goes wrong.
I nod once. “Works for me.”
It’s the truth. I’ve slept in worse places for less important reasons.
Her shoulders curl inward slightly, like she’s bracing for something that doesn’t come. She stays by the door, not stepping fully into the room, not retreating either.
Caught in the middle.
I want to say something that makes this easier. Something reassuring. Something normal.
Instead, I ask, “Is there anything I should know? About the space.”
She hesitates.
“Just… don’t move things,” she says. “If something’s out of place, it messes with the system.”
I hear the second meaning in that sentence.
I won’t touch what keeps you steady.
“Got it,” I say. “No redecorating.”
That earns me another almost-smile. Gone as quickly as it appears.
She turns away, and for a second I think the tour is over. Then a door down the hall opens, and Manny steps out, tablet in hand, expression serious in the way that means the real conversation is about to start.
“Camden,” he says. “We need to talk.”
Lila freezes.
I straighten without thinking.
“Yeah,” I say. “I’m listening.”
Manny doesn’t waste time.
He steps into the hallway like he owns it, tablet tucked under his arm, jaw set in a way I recognize immediately. This isn’t a warning. It’s a briefing.
He glances at Lila. “You need the full picture.”
She doesn’t move. She hovers near the guest room door, arms wrapped around herself, like she’s bracing for impact. Not leaving. Not staying. Caught in that in-between space where bad news usually lands.
“Go ahead,” she says softly.
“For the next three months,” Manny goes on, “she’s in Firth City. Fixed residency. Same routes. Same buildings. Predictable.”
“Fans know her schedule better than my team does,” he says. “And that includes people who don’t understand where admiration ends and entitlement begins.”
“Your presence alone reduces risk by almost half,” Manny adds. “People hesitate. Fans recalibrate. Opportunists back off.”
I take a slow breath.
Manny pulls up a tablet, and starts explaining specifics. Layout. What his team covers, and expectations for me.
