One corner of his mouth twisted up as she pushed back, amused at that small retreat. "Are you entirely unable to take a compliment?" he countered with mild curiosity. "No matter."
He shrugged shoulders that were still slender, despite filling out since school. "You will, eventually, read my file, and as you are intelligent, you will recognize that there are those who are equally invested in seeing such labels removed from my name as well." With Alyssa as the benefactor in case of his demise, and Amelia named as her sole guardian in that same case, his interests were laid plain. "I am not as alone as you might care to imagine me."