"She's in this condition because of you."
"...Because of me?" Derek frowned, a sudden tension tightening his features.
There was something unusual bleeding through Thomas's normally guarded tone—a sharp edge of bitterness. Resentment. Beneath it all lay a quiet, burning undercurrent that sounded suspiciously like jealousy.
It was the first time Derek had ever sensed such a vulnerability from him. Was Thomas actually jealous of him?
"Yes. Because of you," Thomas replied, his voice dropping back into a chillingly cool cadence.
"While you were burning through that fever, she stayed by your bedside the entire time. She flatly refused to rest. She barely ate. She pushed herself past every breaking point until her body finally gave out."
His expression hardened, eyes narrowing slightly. "You're not fully recovered yet, so stay in bed. If you don't want her worrying herself to the bone again, then listen for once."
With that, Thomas turned and reached for the door handle.
