Louis's POV
It was Levi's voice on the other end, calm and curious. For a moment, I froze. My throat tightened, and a dozen excuses rushed through my mind. I thought of telling him the truth—that I was with Olivia—but the idea died before it could leave my lips. Things between us were already strained, and throwing this into the fire would only make the tension worse.
"I had to check on a contact," I said finally, keeping my tone as calm as I could.
There was a pause, then Levi's voice cut back, laced with disbelief. "A contact? Since when? Why don't I know about this? What's going on, Louis?"
I clenched my jaw, forcing my voice to stay relaxed. "Not everything I do has to run through you, Levi. This one's… personal. It came up last minute."
The silence on the line stretched uncomfortably, heavy with suspicion. I could almost feel his frown through the mind link, his mind racing to piece together the lie. My heart thudded against my ribs, but I kept my emotions intact.
