Nathaniel blinks.
“Yes.”
My cheeks burn. My entire body heats.
God, why does that answer make me clench?
“I was anxious,” I rasp. “He… helped.”
Cassian’s gaze jolts between us.
“Next time you decide to ‘help’ her,” he growls at Nathaniel, “you tell me first.”
Nathaniel tilts his head, polite as ever.
“Why? So you can watch?”
Heat detonates in my stomach. Cassian’s eyes flash—hunger flickering under irritation—but he doesn’t take the bait this time. Barely.
“Let’s just get down,” he mutters. “Some of Rhea’s… friends arrived.”
“Friends?” I echo.
He shakes his head once. “Let’s get down.”
I stare at him. That… is a development. And suddenly the fact that my legs feel like they’ve been replaced with warm gelatin becomes a real problem.
I try to stand. Iwillmy knees to behave. But after one heroic attempt and about three seconds of dizziness, I end up right back on my ass on the bed.
Cassian sighs. Then he slides an arm beneath my knees and the other behind my back and lifts me like I weigh nothing.
My stomach drops. My head lolls against his chest. The blanket slips but he yanks it back into place with a curt flick.
“Cassian,” I protest weakly. “I can walk.”
He snorts. “Only in theory, sparrow.”
“I can,” I insist, even as my toes do absolutely nothing except dangle decoratively while he carries me toward the door.
“Alright, alright,” he says. “How about you stay in my arms formysake, then?”
“Are you enjoying this?”
“Sure, I am,” he says. And honestly? I can’t tell if he’s being sarcastic or if he actually likes carrying me around like a freshly fucked princess.
“At least help me get dressed!” I squeal, clutching the slipping blanket.
Cassian doesn’t respond.
He just keeps walking, big bastard strides, zero sympathy.
So I shoot a desperate look at Nathaniel, still standing at the foot of the bed, watching all of this with that scientist-with-a-god-complex stare, the one that makes my body remember every place his tongue just was.
Thank God he’s merciful.
He smiles and dips his head in a nod before heading to the closet. He grabs a handful of things and follows after Cassian and me.
By the time we’re out of the room and into the corridor, my brain finally catches up with my body. Reality trickles back in on a time delay.
