He'd meant to talk to Crystal. Tell her everything that was in his heart and ask her not to abandon him.
But he'd kissed her instead. Because that was easier than explaining the emotions shredding him from the inside.
And now he had to deal with Max. His brother had always been perpetually late. Of course today would be the day he chose to be early. Valentin had wanted things settled with Crystal before he’d had to face his brother. She was by his side, letting him cling to her like a little kid, but nothing was resolved between them.
Max looked different. Fatigue lined his eyes, and there was a softness there that Valentin didn't recognize. Had it been there on the street last week and he'd been too angry and too ill to see it?
And then there was the fact that as Max settled in the chair across from them, he was glancing between Valentin and Crystal with undisguised curiosity. Everything between them was still new, and a fierce protective urge rose up in him. He didn't even want his brother to see the tenuous threads holding them together.
"Thanks for meeting with me," Max said when it was clear Valentin had nothing to say. He shifted in his seat, looking more uncomfortable than Valentin had ever seen him. "I… I'm sorry."
Max had said it on the street. And now for the second time. Before this, he couldn't remember ever hearing his brother say the words.
And he seemed sincere, which was even more shocking.
"I know I can't repair our relationship. I don't deserve your forgiveness, but..." Max sighed. "I have to try. Clara deserves to know her family."
Valentin bristled. But Crystal squeezed his hand, a momentary distraction.
Max's gaze met his, but his eyes quickly darted away. "She even deserves to know her uncle, a much better man than her father."
All the breath caught in his chest. Valentin didn't know what to say, and when another of Max's glances caught what must have been the stunned expression on Valentin’s face, Max laughed bitterly.
"You never knew, did you?" Max ran a hand through his hair. "I was always jealous of you. From the moment I started toddling around after you."
"You called me dull. Said I was a slave—"
"—to your duty. I remember." Max winced. "You made it seem so easy. You genuinely wanted your destiny. You and Mother were close because of it. And in Father's eyes, you could do no wrong. I wanted to be you."
Valentin shook his head. No. That was not how he remembered it.
"Is that why—?" He choked on the words.
"Is that why I romanced Annika?" Max looked down at the floor. Was this the true test, then? If he was really repentant, Valentin would find out now.
And for a long moment, it seemed his brother wouldn't answer.
Crystal nudged his knee with hers. "Are you sure you want to know?" she asked softly.
Did he want to know?
He glanced at the woman beside him, met her gaze squarely. He was a little surprised she hadn't run from the room. This wasn't her battle. Yet she'd stayed.
He wasn't just falling for her. He'd fallen. He’d dived off the deep end. He was in love with her.
Knowing why Annika had betrayed him didn't matter. He knew, deep in his heart, that Crystal would never do such a thing.
But maybe knowing what had been the root of Max's actions would help as he tried to navigate the difficult relationship with his brother.
"Tell me," he said, looking back to Max.
Max hadn't missed the interplay between them. Thankfully, he didn't comment on it. "At first, it was pure jealousy. I thought to flirt with her and make your relationship more difficult. I didn't even know if it was possible. But the more stolen moments I spent with her..." He exhaled softly, and there were real tears standing in his eyes. "I fell in love with her. I knew it was wrong. I should've come to you. But things spiraled out of control, and then it was too late. And I let my pride and arrogance and jealousy ruin what relationship we had left."
Valentin doubted he would've understood even if Max had tried to confess to him. He had his own pride, and it would've been deeply wounded no matter what.
They sat there, Max beseeching him in silent entreaty while Valentin tried to come to terms with it all.
Would he have really been happy with Annika? He would never know. But he did know that if he'd still been with Annika, he never would've met Crystal. Everything that had happened had brought him to this moment.
