“You’ve never said my name before.” His touch lingered longer than it should’ve, his fingers ghosting against my cheek before falling away.
I swallowed. “I hadn’t noticed.”
He laughed under his breath, but it wasn’t mocking, more like he found me unbearably fascinating. “Liar.”
My chest tightened, caught between the memory of Lionel’s coldness after knowing what I am and the way Malakai’s gaze burned, like he could see every hidden piece of me and wasn’t afraid.
His grip shifted, not tighter, only… firmer. “Do you want me to leave?”
The question wasn’t a taunt, it was an out.
“I…” I hesitated, hating that I was uncertain. “I don’t know.”
He smiled then, sharp and wicked and just a little soft. “Good.”
Instead of letting go, he moved closer, slow enough that I could’ve stopped him at any moment. He sat up, still holding my hand, until we were nearly eye-level.
“If you want me gone,” he said, voice dropping to something darker, quieter. “Say it. But if you don’t… stop pretending you do.”
My breath caught. He didn’t press closer, didn’t force me, didn’t demand. He merely… waited.
Something in his expression softened, once he realised I wasn’t going to tell him to leave, almost relieved, before he finally let go of my hand. For a moment, I thought he might’ve changed his mind and was going to leave, but instead, he reached for the edge of the cover and tugged it over me, pulling it up with provoking care.
I blinked. “What are you—”
“Tucking you in,” he said, his smirk returning, though his voice was lower now, quieter. “Can’t have you falling apart before tomorrow.”
He stretched out on top of the covers beside me, one arm folded behind his head as if he had every right to be there. Not touching me, not quite, but close enough that I could feel the heat radiating from him.
I turned on my side to face him, frowning. “You’re staying?”
“Obviously.” He shut his eyes like it was the most natural thing in the world. “You think I’d leave you here alone with that storm in your head?”
I narrowed my eyes at him. “Since when do you care?”
He cracked one eye open, grinning in that maddening, knowing way. “Since you touched my magic. That makes you my problem for the night.”
I rolled my eyes, but my chest was strangely warm, not with irritation, but something else.
“You’re insufferable,” I muttered.
“Mm.” His grin widened as he shut his eyes again. “And yet, you’re still talking to me.”
I wanted to argue, to tell him to leave, but the weight of the day pressed down all at once, and somehow his presence, solid and steady, kept it from crushing me.
The room was quiet, except for the even rhythm of his breathing. Against my better judgment, I let myself relax, my eyelids heavy.
“You’re not supposed to make me feel… calm,” I said quietly, almost to myself.
His voice was softer now, almost a murmur. “Maybe I’m not supposed to, butyouneeded it.”
I glanced at him, his eyes were still closed and at ease, like some dangerous creature pretending to nap, only so that I could.
And against all reason, I let sleep take me with him there.
CHAPTER
27
