The hospital hallway was quiet- night shift silence, the kind that always felt heavier.

  Stacy was finishing notes at a nurse’s desk tucked between two wards when she felt him before she saw him.

  Kalil.

  He was watching her.

  Again.

  She kept her eyes on the chart, pretending not to feel the way her pulse jumped.

  But his voice cut through the stillness. “Are you avoiding me?”

  Stacy froze.

  Then slowly, she looked up. “I thought that’s what you wanted.”

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  Kalil’s jaw clenched. His arms were folded, sleeves rolled up, exposing those veined forearms that should not be allowed. His eyes searched hers- dark, unreadable, but simmering.

  “I didn’t say I wanted you to ignore me,” he said.

  “You said I should stay away.”

  “I meant it.”

  “Then why are you here?”

  Silence.

  Heavy. Loaded.

  He took a step closer.

  Stacy stood, her back lightly brushing the wall now. His body heat reached her before he did. The space between them was almost nonexistent.

  “You know why,” he said, voice low. “And if I get any closer, I won’t be able to stop myself.”

  Her lips parted. Her body betrayed her again- leaning slightly forward, drawn to him like a tide.

  Then—

  “Stace?”

  The moment shattered.

  Matthew stood at the other end of the hallway, holding a container of food and wearing a confused smile. His eyes flicked from Stacy to Kalil, and the shift in his expression was instant.

  Territorial.

  Stacy stepped away from Kalil so fast she nearly dropped her pen. “Hey,” she said, trying to smile. “I didn’t know you were coming.”

  Matthew walked over, offering the food but keeping his eyes locked on Kalil.

  “Thought I’d surprise you. Didn’t know you were… busy.”

  Kalil straightened, voice cool. “She’s not. We were just discussing her patient’s lab results.”

  Stacy shot him a quick look- his tone was distant again. Cold. That mask he always wore was firmly back in place.

  Matthew forced a smile. “Right. Doctor stuff.”

  Kalil’s gaze didn’t leave Matthew’s. “Exactly.”

  The silence stretched—awkward, tense.

  “I’ll let you two get back to it,” Kalil said finally. “Good night, Ms. Ramdial.”

  He walked off, spine straight, fists clenched, teeth grinding.

  Good night, Ms. Ramdial

  So formal. So distant.

  So not what he wanted to say.