8

After another glass of wine, the world took on a pleasantly blurred edge. We lounged on the balcony, absorbed in the vibrant parade until the festivities below began to wane. Ever the gentleman, Knox offered his arm to help me stand, guiding me toward the bedroom I had chosen earlier. I was playfully stumbling, the laughter light and carefree, until Kael re-entered.

He eyed me with concern. "What's wrong with her?"

I leaned against him, feeling uncharacteristically bold. "Nothing's wrong with me, Kael. I feel better than I have in ages." A cheeky thought crossed my mind. "Maybe you should try this too... you might feel better."

His realization that I was drunk sparked sudden anger. He rounded on his brothers. "Are you kidding me? All of you have been drinking?"

"Yeah, Kael, we had a fun time... too bad you weren't here," I said, trying to tease him, but his anger was already beyond playful banter.

"Lighten up, bro, she wanted to, and she's fine," Ky attempted to defuse the situation.