Christian was not the jealous type. Protective, sure—he’d always keep a hand low on Kai’s back in a crowd or offer that unreadable look to anyone who stared too long. But jealousy? That wasn’t his thing. He was confident enough in himself. Or at least, that’s what Kai had always believed.

So when they slipped into the back seat of the town car after the awards show and Christian didn’t say a word, Kai noticed.

He was quiet. Too quiet. His posture was tense, one leg bouncing subtly. The hand closest to Kai rested still on his thigh, clenched just enough to be noticeable. His jaw was set like stone, and his usually warm hazel eyes were flat, unreadable.

Kai turned toward him, brows pinching slightly. "Are you okay?"

Christian gave a slow blink. “Yeah.” One-word answer. Neutral tone. No smile.

Kai frowned, flashing back to the show, to the actor his age who had all but glued himself to Kai's side—charming, touchy, laughing a little too hard at every joke. Kai had been polite, but not particularly interested. Still, Christian had seen it all.

And now he was distant.

Kai could feel it in the space between them, like a chill had settled in. He didn’t understand. Not fully. But Christian did.

Because he was terrified.

Terrified of being exchanged, of being replaced by someone newer, someone shinier—someone who matched Kai's rising stardom and had none of Christian’s baggage. He knew he was immature sometimes, impulsive, too blunt for this world Kai was stepping into. He wasn’t the polished, clean-cut poster boy people expected at these events.

He knew all of that. And still, he couldn’t help the tightness in his chest, the way his throat felt like it was closing the moment he saw that actor leaning just a little too close to Kai. Laughing like he knew him.

Christian hated that it bothered him.

But it did.

Because Kai mattered. More than anyone else. And the thought of losing him—no matter how irrational it seemed—was starting to feel all too real.

So he sat there in silence, swallowing his fear, trying to pretend he wasn’t cracking just a little beneath the surface.