"Where's Kai?" Zion's deep baritone snapped her out of her reverie, the sound rumbling through the quiet room.
Startled, she spun back to face him with a quick, tight smile. "He's tending to the other guests downstairs. I figured I'd look after you myself today."
Zion felt a cringe twist in his gut. The absolute last thing he needed was Avery hovering anywhere near him.
She'd already overstepped by barging into his room like that, and Zion wasn't about to let it slide into something worse. He had to shut this down before she got any brighter ideas about "helping" him out.
"Don't worry about it," he said, his voice flat and clipped, hoping she'd pick up the vibe and back off. "My assistant will handle whatever needs handling."
The last thing he wanted was to have to lay it out bluntly for her—not because he gave a damn about her feelings, but because he figured she ought to be sharp enough to read the room. He didn't need her here. Didn't want her here, period.
