(SANTINO’S POV)I still can’t believe she slapped me.

Even now, as I walk down the quiet hallway toward my home office with Marcus beside me, I can still feel the faint sting on my cheek. It’s not sharp anymore more like a warm tingle. But it is enough to remind me of how her palm connected with my face, how her eyes were blazing, how she stood her ground like she wasn’t terrified of me, like she wasn’t the girl who used to tremble around me.

She slapped me.

Hailey.

Slapped me.

The ...