Arden says nothing. Takes up position near the wall, arms crossed, eyes moving across the room like he's counting threats. Victor claps Malachi on the shoulder, murmurs something I can't hear, then heads toward the war room. James squeezes Kyle's shoulder once before breaking away to follow.
Leo doesn't follow. Instead, he drifts toward the bar as though he's being pulled by gravity. Ruby notices first. She elbows Frankie hard enough to bruise.
"Incoming," she sings under her breath.
Frankie's spine goes rigid. "Shut up."
"Too late. He's already seen you. And he's smiling. God, he's so into you it's embarrassing."
"Ruby, I swear to—"
"Ladies," Leo says, sliding into the empty space beside Frankie with the ease of someone who's done this a hundred times. "Plotting world domination or just Ruby's next bad decision?"
Ruby gasps, hand to her chest. "My decisions are excellent, thank you."
"You set a man's car on fire last month."
"He deserved it."
Leo laughs, rich and genuine. "Fair."
His attention shifts to Frankie, playfulness softening into something warmer. "Hey."
"Hey," she says. Carefully neutral.
"You avoiding me?"
"I saw you yesterday."
"Exactly. Twenty-four whole hours ago. Practically a lifetime." He leans one elbow on the bar, angling his body toward hers in a way that blocks out the room. "You eat today?"
Frankie's eyes narrow. "I'm not a child."
"Didn't say you were. Just asking if the woman who forgets to eat when she's working on a piece got food in her body today."
Candace's eyebrows shoot up. Darla hides a smile behind her drink. I watch, fascinated, as Frankie's cheeks go the faintest pink.
"I had coffee," Frankie mutters.
"Coffee's not food."
"It is if you add enough cream and sugar."
Leo sighs, long-suffering, then flags down Ruby. "Can you get this one actual food before she passes out and I have to carry her to the couch?"
"You'd like that," Ruby fires back.
"Yeah," Leo says simply, eyes still on Frankie. "I would." The conversation around them fades while they hold each other's gaze.
Frankie looks away first, fingers drumming against the bar. "You're annoying."
"You've mentioned that."
"And you're still here."
"Also mentioned that." His grin sharpens. "Starting to think you like me annoying you."
"I tolerate you being annoying."