MALIA
His brow furrowed.
“And who exactly did you think I was?”
“A pervert who changed me out of my bloody clothes,” I replied flatly.
That earned me a groan.
“I told you I didn’t touch you. Claire and Isabella handled it.”
“Yes,” I said. “But you still watched me sleep.”
“I was making sure you didn’t die,” he said instantly.
“Uh-huh.”
His chuckle came low, real. “Fine. Maybe I stared … a little.”
I turned, amused by his honesty—but he was already looking at me.
I looked away first, maybe because I wasn’t ready to unpack what I’d seen in his eyes. Or perhaps because I was starting to feel something dangerously close to comfort. And that couldn’t be allowed. Not here or with him of all people.
We moved on, circling back into the main hall.
“This wing,” he said, gesturing down a
