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He sits down next to me. “You don’t say.”

I smile when I hearhissmile. “My father made us break up.”

“Rude of him.”

“Mmm,” I agree.

A thought suddenly occurs to me. I sit up abruptly, grasping hold of Noah’s arm. The room swirls for a moment, but I close my eyes until it passes. When I open them, I find Noah staring at me like I’ve sprouted another head.

“I’ve thought of something,” I whisper, running my hand down his well-muscled bicep.

He looks wary, but he asks, “What’s that?”

“I’m probably entering the second stage, right?”

“I think it’s likely.”

“No one will be able to infect me again for at least a few weeks then?”

“Yes…”

I sit up straighter, acknowledging the room is fuzzy but not particularly caring. Then I take him by the T-shirt, fisting my hands in the fabric. Dropping my voice to a whisper, I say, “Noah…you couldbiteme.”

He jerks back, startled. “You need blood.”

I laugh. “I’m not saying you should. Or that I want you to.” My hands tighten on his shirt. “Though I do kind of want you to.”

He gulps, looking down at my hand.

I whisper, “I’m just saying you could.”

“Let’s get you your smoothie and see how you feel after that, okay?”

“I’ll feel exactly the same. I’ve been thinking about it forweeks.”

He suddenly laughs. “Next time, you’re taking blood before we train.”

“I don’t want to train anymore.” I turn from him, suddenly emotional. Tears prick my eyes, making my vision watery. “I just want Ethan to leave me alone. He’s in prison—prison! He shouldn’t be able to touch me anymore.”

Noah sets his hand on my shoulder. “I swear to you, I’m going to track down every single one of his henchmen, and they will never bother you again.”

I blink quickly, chasing away the tears. “I feel weird.”

“I know,” he says softly. “I’m sorry.”

I turn into him, wrapping my arms around his middle and leaning my cheek on his shoulder. “I know we’re not supposed to do this, but I’m just using you to keep my balance, okay?”

His arms come around me, and he says into my hair, “Sounds believable.”

“Even though your muscles are super hard, you’re really comfortable.”

Noah chuckles.

I scoot closer and turn my head until my nose brushes against his neck. “And you smell good.”

“I probably don’t,” he answers, his voice strained. “We were just training.”

“You always smell good.”