Billie was supposed to be out of her room and ready for the airport an hour ago. Cedric had been pacing in the living room, his watch ticking louder in his head with every passing second. He'd knocked twice already—firm but polite—and gotten no response. Her flight wasn't going to wait for her, and as her bodyguard, Cedric's job was to ensure she was where she needed to be on time and in one piece.

But Billie wasn't making that easy.

He sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose, before finally deciding to take action. Marching down the hallway, he knocked on her door once more.

"Miss Eilish," he said, his voice calm but authoritative. "We're late. You need to be downstairs."

Still no answer.

"Bloody hell," Cedric muttered under his breath before turning the handle and pushing the door open.

The sight that greeted him made him freeze in place. Billie was standing in the middle of the room, her back to him, wrapped in nothing but a towel. Her damp hair clung to her shoulders, and the steam from the bathroom lingered in the air.

"Bloody hell," Cedric repeated, this time louder, as he immediately turned away, one hand coming up to shield his face. "I'm so sorry, I didn't—"

"Didn't expect me to actually be in here?" Billie teased, a smirk tugging at her lips.

Cedric kept his back to her, his tall frame rigid with embarrassment. "I thought you'd be dressed by now. We're an hour behind schedule."

"And whose fault is that?" Billie quipped, tightening the towel around her. "Maybe if you'd given me more notice..."

"I gave you plenty of notice," Cedric said, his voice strained. "You've had over two hours."

Billie chuckled softly, finding his flustered state amusing. She rarely saw him break his stoic demeanor, but catching him off guard like this was a small victory.

"Relax, C," she said, grabbing a pair of cargo pants from the chair near her bed. "I'll be ready in five."

Cedric exhaled sharply, his shoulders visibly relaxing. "Five minutes," he said firmly. "No more."

"Yes, sir," Billie teased, her tone dripping with mockery.

Cedric shook his head, still facing the door. "I'll be waiting in the car. Don't make me come back up here."

"Wouldn't dream of it," Billie said with a grin as he walked out, his long strides echoing down the hallway.

True to her word, Billie emerged five minutes later, her outfit effortlessly casual yet stylish. She wore a pair of comfy olive-green cargo pants and a ripped black pullover that hung loosely on her frame. Her freshly blow-dried brown hair was pulled into a messy bun, a few strands framing her face. She didn't bother with much makeup, letting her natural features do the work.

Cedric, who had been leaning against the car with his arms crossed, straightened as she approached. His green eyes scanned her quickly—likely assessing for anything out of place or a potential threat—but his expression remained unreadable.

"Finally," he said, opening the car door for her.

Billie slid into the passenger seat. "Don't sound too excited to spend the next few hours with me," she joked.

Cedric didn't respond, his focus already on getting them on the road.

The ride to the airport was mostly quiet, save for the hum of the car engine and the occasional notification pinging from Billie's phone. She scrolled through Instagram, but her mind kept drifting back to Cedric's reaction earlier.

She'd caught the way his green eyes had widened for a split second before he'd turned away, the faint flush creeping up his neck. It wasn't often she got to see him rattled, and she couldn't deny the small thrill it gave her.

"Something on your mind?" Cedric's voice broke through her thoughts, his eyes briefly flicking to her in the rearview mirror.

Billie smirked, leaning back in her seat. "You're surprisingly quiet today. Usually, you're lecturing me about punctuality or safety or whatever else."

"Would you prefer a lecture?" Cedric asked dryly.

"Nope," Billie said, popping the 'p.' "Just saying it's weird when you're not bossing me around."

Cedric shook his head slightly but didn't reply.

At the airport, Cedric navigated them through the private terminal with practiced efficiency. Billie, used to the process by now, followed his lead.

As they boarded the plane, Billie plopped down onto one of the seats, pulling her hoodie over her head.

Cedric took a seat across from her, his posture straight and professional. He pulled out a tablet, likely going over her schedule for the next few days.

"You know," Billie said, leaning forward slightly, "you could relax for, like, two seconds. We're on a plane. What's the worst that could happen?"

Cedric looked up, his green eyes meeting hers. "It's my job to think about what could happen."

Billie rolled her eyes. "Yeah, yeah. Mr. Responsible. I get it."

She leaned back in her seat, pulling her phone out of her pocket. But instead of scrolling, she found herself sneaking glances at Cedric.

Billie studied him for a moment, her curiosity piqued. She wondered what he was like underneath the mask—not just his face, but the person he was when he wasn't in bodyguard mode.

"One day, I'm gonna see what you're hiding," she said, her tone light but teasing.

Cedric didn't reply, but the faintest flicker of amusement crossed his eyes before he returned his attention to the tablet.

The flight passed quickly, with Billie alternating between napping and scrolling through TikTok while Cedric remained quietly focused on his work.

When they landed, Cedric was the first to step off the plane, scanning the surroundings before giving Billie the all-clear.

"Welcome to New York," he said as she stepped onto the tarmac, the city skyline visible in the distance.

Billie stretched, taking a deep breath. "God, I love this city."

"Let's hope it loves you back," Cedric said, his tone half-joking.

"Don't jinx it," Billie replied with a grin.