Snow’s Point of View:

The ride home was quiet, but my mind was anything but. I sat in Kingston’s red Lamborghini, staring out the window, trying to process everything that had just happened.

Kingston Grey. My father’s rival. The man I was supposed to avoid at all costs. And yet, he’d been the one to help me when I was at my worst. He’d carried me, spoken to the doctor, stayed by my side the entire time.

But then there were the words he’d said.

“You’re mine.”

I shook my head, trying to push the thought away, but the memory of his blue eyes staring into mine sent a shiver down my spine.

“Thinking too hard again?” Kingston’s voice broke the silence.

I glanced at him, startled. He was focused on the road, his strong hands gripping the steering wheel, the rings on his fingers catching the light. He looked relaxed, but there was a hint of amusement in his tone, as if he already knew what was on my mind.

“No,” I muttered, crossing my arms.

He chuckled softly. “You’re a terrible liar, princess.”

I rolled my eyes, refusing to engage. He seemed to enjoy teasing me, and I wasn’t about to give him the satisfaction of knowing how much he’d gotten under my skin.

The car pulled into my driveway, and I spotted Zino, Karsten, and Dimitrios standing by the front door. Their expressions shifted from relief to confusion the moment they saw Kingston’s car.

“Here we go,” I muttered under my breath.

Kingston parked and stepped out first, walking around to my side of the car. He opened my door with the same confidence he seemed to carry in everything he did.

“Thanks,” I said softly, stepping out.

Before I could take another step, Zino was already in front of me, his eyes scanning me for any signs of injury. “What happened?” he asked, his voice a mix of concern and frustration.

“I’m fine,” I said quickly, holding up my hands. “I just... wasn’t feeling well. Kingston took me to the hospital.”

Karsten frowned, his gaze darting between me and Kingston. “Why was he here in the first place?”

“That’s a good question,” Dimitrios added, his tone much colder as he crossed his arms.

Kingston, unfazed by the hostility, leaned casually against the car.

“Your sister needed help. I happened to be around,” he said smoothly, his blue eyes locking with Dimitrios’.

“Why were you around?” Dimitrios pressed, his tone sharp.

Kingston smirked, his confidence unwavering. “Business.”

Dimitrios opened his mouth to argue, but I stepped in before things could escalate.

“Can we not do this right now?” I said, my voice firm. “I’m tired, and my head hurts. Can we just go inside?”

Zino glanced at me, then at Dimitrios, before nodding reluctantly. “Fine. But this isn’t over,” he said, pointing at Kingston before turning to head inside.

“Noted,” Kingston replied, his smirk never fading.

Karsten followed Zino, but Dimitrios lingered, his eyes narrowing at Kingston. “Stay away from her,” he said quietly, his voice low enough that only we could hear.

Kingston raised an eyebrow, his smirk turning into something more serious. “Noted,” he said again, though his tone was anything but submissive.

With that, Dimitrios turned and walked inside, leaving me alone with Kingston.

“Your brothers are fun,” Kingston said dryly, watching them go.

I sighed, rubbing my temples. “You didn’t have to antagonize them.”

“I didn’t,” he replied, his tone softening as he looked at me. “I just told the truth. You needed help, and I was there. That’s all.”

I glanced up at him, unsure of what to say. For all his teasing and arrogance, there was a sincerity in his voice that caught me off guard.

“Thank you,” I said finally, my voice quiet.

He tilted his head, his blue eyes studying me. “You already thanked me, princess.”

“Well, I’m thanking you again,” I said, managing a small smile.

His lips curved into a faint smile of his own, but he didn’t say anything else. Instead, he reached out, gently brushing a strand of hair away from my face.

“Take care of yourself,” he said softly, stepping back toward his car.

I watched as he climbed in, the engine roaring to life. He gave me one last look before driving off, his red Lamborghini disappearing down the street.

As I turned to head inside, I couldn’t shake the strange warmth his words left behind.