June's POV
We both tensed up, feeling the heavy weight of the situation. I looked up at JJ and saw his jaw clench, a clear sign that he was ready to defend me. But I didn't want him to fight this one for me. Just like he always had my back, I wanted to have his too. So, I reached out and gave his hand a reassuring pat, silently telling him that he didn't need to take this on for me. I wanted to keep him out of trouble, just like he wanted to keep me safe.
JJ, realizing what I was telling him from a single pat, placed me on the ground carefully. When my feet were touching concrete once more, I turned to face Nash. That once dreamy smile was nothing more than a reminder of how naïve I had been. Rolling my eyes at him, his smile faded.
"We were just playing around, Nash. Nothing is happe
