(KRYSAL'S POV)
The drive from The Palace of Sin to the villa feels like floating through fog—everything silent except for the hum of the car and the pounding in my chest that still hasn't stopped. By the time we pull through the iron gates of Val's residence, I'm not sure whether I'm trembling from exhaustion or adrenaline that just refuses to die.
Sandra walks ahead with Bruno and Leo close behind, but I'm the first to reach the bedroom door. My fingers hover over the handle for a heartbeat. I can feel the warmth of him on the other side before I even open it.
I push the door and step in.
He's lying there, shirtless, sheets pulled low on his hips, eyes fixed on the ceiling. Bruises still paint his ribs and chest like a fucked-up work of art. But the second he hears the click of my heels, his head turns and those green eyes find mine instantly.
"Krystal?"
