43. Don't Think, Just Feel.

Safiya took a deep breath, her body tensing as she tried to suppress the shock that felt like it was lodged in her throat.

Despite his warning not to move, she couldn't help herself. Malik noticed and quickly sat up from the window, striding over to her with a deep frown on his face. "I said don't," he scolded, a tone of frustration in his voice

 As she attempted to sit up, he reached out to hold her hand and gently helped her, recognizing that she wouldn't heed his warning . Safiya managed to sit upright and gazed at him, though every movement sent waves of excruciating pain through her back. The idea of lying down while he was present, at this late hour, she shook her head.

"What are you doing here?" she said between gritted teeth, trying not to let him see the pain she was going through, but he saw it nonetheless. He had been perched on the window, though it wasn't technically hers.