BEHIND CLOSED DOORS | D.M

046 | tell her, you fool

Draco paces back and forth in front of Kallista's bureau, sometimes passing his hand through his hair, sometimes glancing at her empty chair.

He inhales calmness. Exhales anxiety. Tries to eliminate the cloud fogging his mind.

He isn't even aware of the exact reason for his distress. He knows Kallista. He knows she's a powerful woman. Knows she'll win and crush whoever dares to defy her.

He glances at his wristwatch. She should be done by now. And the more he watches time pass by, the bigger the pit in his stomach becomes.

"Can you stop? You're making me nervous."

Draco glares at Kaïa who is sprawled on the sofa, hands on her stomach as she reads through a novel that floats above her head, the pages flipping on their own whenever she flicks her wand in the air.

"Well, sorry for being nervous," he huffs.

Kaïa gapes at him, then grabs the book to shut it close. "There's nothing to be nervous about. Kalli is going to crush that, you know it."

Sitting on the edge of Kallista's bureau, he tucks his hands in the pockets of his trousers, meeting Kaïa's gaze. She stares at him with a small smile on the corner of her lips, like she knows something he doesn't. With a glint in her eyes that is all malice and sabotage.

"I know," he says then, lifting his shoulders in a nonchalant shrug as though he isn't affected by the situation.

He and Kaïa have been waiting for Kallista whilst the latter is facing Giada Lannister at her trial. There isn't a shadow of a doubt in Draco's mind that Giada will be found guilty.

If he could, he would kill Lannister with his bare hands. Would rip her heart out of her chest for causing so much affliction to his wife.

Lannister deserves nothing more than to suffer for the rest of her life, and he knows Kallista will ensure that. This woman never backs down without a fight—without forcing her opponent to bow.

When Kaïa sits up, she puts the book on the sofa next to her and sighs. "Malfoy."

"Miller," he deadpans, slipping his gaze to the ceiling.

"When are you going to tell her?"

The mere question causes his heartbeat to speed up. He swallows the lump that has suddenly built inside his throat. "Tell her what?"

Draco knows damn well what she is talking about.

"Don't act like a fool," she murmurs. "Why haven't you said it yet?"

Draco looks down at his shoes. His words are barely audible when he says, "I can't lose her, Miller. She's all I have."

All he's ever known. All he's ever loved. All he's ever found purpose in. It took a long time to realise it, but Kallista holds his very soul in the palms of her hands. At any moment, she could crush it to dust, but she'd never hurt him like that—he doesn't doubt it.

For a moment, Kaïa is silent. He can feel her regard on him—analysing, cataloguing. And for a fraction of a second, he wants to Occlude, to shield himself from the truth that is about to explode inside this room.

"You're everything to her, you know that?" Kaïa's voice is soft, patient. "She doesn't know how to tell you, but I know she truly loves you. More than anything she's ever loved in her life. She's terrified to lose you, but she's also scared to admit her feelings. And you know, it's so damn obvious that you're in love with her."

A soft scoff rises from the back of his throat. He still doesn't meet her gaze. "Where are you going with this?"

"Come on, Malfoy. I've known you since we were in Hogwarts. I watched you be a dick to everyone except to your little group of Slytherins, and for the strangest reason, Kalli was always the one you kept pushing away because you wanted to protect her. I see that look in your eyes when you look at her. It's like she's the most beautiful woman you've ever seen, like nothing else matters when she's in the room."