Chapter 43

MALACHI “L ook at her.” I nudge Xavier in the ribs and jerk my head in Ophelia’s direction. I could—and often do—spend hours watching her read or study. I pay close attention to her features. The way her nose scrunches when she’s thinking. The way she chews on the end of her unicorn pen when she’s puzzled. The way she smiles to herself when she gets to a good part of her book or her eyes fill with tears at the sad parts. My heart beats double time in my chest just from looking at her. “She’s so fucking cute.” He grunts, but he looks up from his cell phone, and the corners of his mouth curve. “Yeah.” I jump onto the sofa next to her, causing her to yelp in surprise. She closes her book and places it on her lap, resting her hands on the cover as she fixes me with a sweet smile. “I thought you were all too busy with trial business tonight to entertain me. That’s why I brought a friend.” I take the book from her hands and examine the cover. “I hope this isn’t research, sweet girl, because