They didn't want to do another press event.
Not after the public implosion. Not after the screaming protestors and flying eggs. Not after Eliana sobbing on the balcony and Nicky locking himself in a room for nearly a day. Not after the hashtags turned into weapons and news anchors debated them like scandals instead of people.
But maybe that was exactly why they had to.
They were sitting in Nicky's apartment when Valeria slammed her phone face-down on the table.
"I can't keep reading this shit. They're dissecting everything from Nicky's voice to the way Eliana blinked."
Everyone froze. Renee dragged slowly on her cigarette. Elias sipped from his Red Bull like it was holy water, the can half-crushed in his grip.
Earlier that day, they had walked with purpose to Nicky's apartment.
