The Prison-Made Queen novel Chapter 1034

"Seriously, I'm fine."

Callahan brushed off his injury with practiced ease, but his heart ached as he took in her pale, exhausted face.

"All he needs right now is observation. There's nothing active for you to do."

"I need you to go home and get some real sleep. Don't worry, I'll have my people stand guard here. If his vitals even twitch, we'll be the first to know."

She hadn't slept properly in weeks. Between saving his grandfather and now fighting for Mr. Larson, she had withered down to a shadow. It physically pained him to see her like this.

Leilani shook her head stubbornly. "No. I have to monitor him myself. If something goes wrong, I need to be right here."

Callahan frowned, but his voice grew even gentler. "Listen to me. You look terrible. He's taken the cure and needs quiet rest. You pacing outside his door isn't going to help him—it's only going to stress him out if he wakes up and sees you ruining your own health."

She opened her mouth to argue, but he gave her hand a firm, reassuring squeeze.

"How about this," he offered, compromising slightly but keeping a tone that brokered no argument. "I'll take you back to the apartment. You take a hot shower, change into some comfortable clothes, and we eat a proper meal. Then we come right back. I promise, just one hour. Deal?"

"Because if you keep running on fumes, you're going to end up on a gurney before he does."

Without waiting for a response, he grabbed her heavy backpack, slung his arm securely around her waist, and guided her toward the elevator. His hand against her side was gentle but completely unyielding.

"We don't need to leave..." she protested weakly, letting him half-carry her forward. "I can just shower in the clinic's bathroom..."

"Absolutely not."

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