(KRYSTAL'S POV)
Valentino and I walk down the long hallway of his house, the silence between us thick enough to choke on. The marble floor gleams under the dim lights, but all I can really focus on is him—the quiet weight in his eyes, the tension riding his shoulders like armor he can't take off.
I reach out, gently laying a hand on his shoulder. "Hey… Val," I murmur, keeping my voice soft. "I hope you're not still thinking about the things your brother said."
He exhales hard, shaking his head like he's trying to toss the thoughts out. "How can I not? The shit's still pissing me off, Kay. Especially the way he talked to you. You shouldn't have held me back. You should've let me punch that smug grin right off his face."
A laugh slips past my lips before I can stop it. "Please. I don't need you throwing punches for me. I'm perfectly capable of doing that myself."
