Cold settled over me, but I kept my expression neutral. “I don’t know what you mean.”
“Don’t insult me.” The words came out flat. “I’ve watched you all week.”
The sharp, bitter edge in his voice nailed me to the spot.
Marek dragged a hand through his hair. “You stopped hiding it. With Foster.”
My heart hammered. “We are friends.”
His laugh this time carried no trace of amusement. “Right.” Then his gaze sharpened. “You know what the funniest part is? You actually look happy.”
I stared at him. I had not realized anyone else could see that.
Marek looked away, his jaw tightening. “I kept thinking maybe I imagined it at first. But then after the medals…” He exhaled sharply. “Kvrat, Luka. You look at him as if the rest of us are not even there.”
My face grew hot. “I do not?—”
“Youdo.” His eyes snapped back to mine. “And the problem is?” His lips twisted into a bitter smile. “People notice things like that.”
The federation meeting echoed through my mind in a heartbeat.
Optics are delicate.
I forced my voice steady. “If you came here to lecture me?—”
“I came here because you’re being reckless.”
That startled me enough that I actually blinked.
Marek laughed again, the sound roughened by exhaustion. “You think this is about morality?” He shook his head. “Bože, you really do not understand what you look like from the outside right now.”
A chill inched slowly down my spine.
He stepped closer, lowering his voice even though no one was near enough to overhear. “You think they will not destroy you if this becomes real publicly?”
The question hit like a physical blow.
“They have already noticed.” His voice was low and raw. “Themedia noticed. The federation noticed.” His expression tightened. “You know what happens next.”
I swallowed. I did, but the terrifying thing was that part of me no longer cared as much as it should have.
Marek must have seen something shift in my face, because all of a sudden his nostrils flared and his eyes seemed to bulge, his anger on view for the first time since he’d opened his mouth.
“Unbelievable,” he said through gritted teeth.
“What?”
“You actually want this.”
I gaped at him.
His jaw flexed hard enough that I saw the muscle jump beneath his skin. His hands clenched into fists at his sides.
“Do you know how long I have spent making surenobodyever looked at me that way?”
The words stopped me cold.
Oh.
