Page 62 of His Fury

He was still stretched out on the bed and looked relaxed. Too relaxed. When his eyes lifted to mine, I saw the calculated calm as he watched me. I hovered for a second longer in the doorway, unsure if I should speak or wait for him to.

He watched me as I made my way back to bed, saying nothing as I debated for a moment whether to slip back under the covers or lie on top of them like he was.

“You’re still dressed.”

He didn’t look at me, but I saw the twitch in his jaw when he said, “You sleep?”

“Eventually,” I murmured.

He gave a slight nod. “Good.”

I sat carefully on the bed and turned towards him, pulling my legs under me and tugging the T-shirt down. I tried to keep my voice even. “It’s late.”

“You noticed.”

“I waited.” My face heated. “I tried to.” I cleared my throat. “I’m not really a night owl.”

“I know.”

I swallowed hard. “You didn’t call back.”

He finally turned to face me, and his eyes landed on me—dark, unreadable. “What did you want me to say, Is?” he asked simply.

This was no fun. The silence returned for a moment as we held each other’s gaze, tension weaving between us like thread.

“I told you because I didn’t want anyone else to,” I said quietly. “Plus, I knew you’d find out. You always do.”

He studied me. “And if I hadn’t?”

“I was never going tonottell you.” I heard the frustrationin my voice. I didn’t need to explain myself to him. Shit, did I?

Zayn exhaled, slow and deliberate. “You letting him in? It wasn’t smart.”

“I know.”

“It wasn’t safe.”

“I know that too.”

His eyes searched mine for a long moment. “But you told me.”

“I did.”

And when he looked at me then—really looked—something shifted. Not forgiveness. Not yet. But something close.

He sat up, his body twisting slightly so we remained face-to-face. He wasn’t avoiding my gaze as much as I wished I could look away when he looked at me like that.

“Are you scared of me?”

My mouth dropped open. I hadn’t anticipated that being a question. I shook my head. “No.” He raised an eyebrow. “No,” I said more firmly. The eyebrow didn’t lower. “You’re intimidating, okay. You know that.” I pushed myself off the bed. Now, I was the one who needed distance.

“This is still new between us. This relationship. If it even is a relationship. I don’t want to piss you off, and I’m sure you don’t want to piss me off…” I gave him a look of speculation. “Or maybe you do, I don’t know.” I ran my hands through my hair, piling it on top of my head as I considered him. “I don’tknowhow we work because we haven’t had achanceto work yet, and I want to try, which is why when I told my best friend that you wouldn’t hear that he dropped in unannounced to speak to me about me gettingkidnappedbecause ofhim, I thentoldyou anyway!”

Zayn’s lips twitched as he watched me.

“Are you laughing at me?” I asked him, my eyes narrowing as I watched him.

“You’re really cute when you’re frustrated.”

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