Chapter three.

Lily's POV.

Slowly, I pulled my eyes open.

Early morning sunrays filtered into the room through the window.

For several seconds, I simply stared at the unfamiliar ceiling.

My mind was completely blank.

Then suddenly... Everything came rushing back.

The Whitmore triplets.

I squeezed my eyes shut as memories from last night flooded my head.

Oh fuck, what have I done?

Had I desperately given myself to my husband's stepbrothers like a bitch in heat, desperately in need of a good fuck?

Slowly, I looked up and my heart literally stopped beating for a second.

Roman had an arm securely wrapped around my waist from behind, pulling me gently against his chest. Damian's arm rested across my stomach as though he'd unconsciously reached for me in his sleep, and Cassian lay on my other side, our fingers still loosely intertwined.

They were all still asleep; even in sleep, they looked unfairly handsome.

Their expressions were surprisingly peaceful, nothing like the dangerously confident men I'd met last night.

I swallowed hard.

This had been a mistake.

A reckless, impulsive mistake born from heartbreak.

And if I didn't leave now, I'd probably die from embarrassment.

Very, very carefully, I lifted Roman's arm around my waist.

He shifted slightly and I froze.

Please don't wake up.

After a few agonizing seconds, his breathing settled again.

I silently exhaled before moving Damian's arm off my stomach. Finally, I slipped my fingers free from Cassian's.

Freedom at last.

I climbed out of the bed as quietly as I could.

My clothes were scattered around the room, I gathered them one piece at a time, dressing as quickly as possible while trying not to think about anything that had happened after I'd walked through those doors last night.

My hair was a disaster, my dress was wrinkled.

I looked exactly like a sexworker coming back from the night's work.

Clutching my handbag, I crept toward the door.

Just a few more steps.

"Sneaking out?"

The deep voice behind me made me jump so hard I almost screamed.

I slowly turned around.

Every single one of them was awake.

Three pairs of identical eyes followed my every movement.

My face burned uncontrollably.

"I... Uhm.. I have to get to work." I stuttered.

None of them looked convinced.

"You know," Damian said, "you didn't have to sneak out."

"I wasn't sneaking," I lied.

"Oh?" Cassian raised a brow at me.

"I... I really do have work." I mumbled, although this time, the sound of my voice wasn't as convincing as it should've been.

"Don't stutter now kitten, you weren't stuttering when you begged me to fuck your brains out last night." Roman suddenly blurted and I almost lost my balance.

My heartbeat accelerated and my grip on my handbag tightened in embarrassment.

"This was..." I hesitated, unable to find the right words. "Last night just... happened, it won't happen again."

Cassian suddenly chuckled amusedly. "Oh kitten, you have no idea, do you?"

"You're claimed by us, you belong to us now."

"What?" my lips trembled. "This was a one night thing, there won't be any..."

"You'll be back kitten." Roman interrupted me with a smug smirk. "Because no other man can satisfy you like we have, do dirty things to your body, and make you scream those dirty words." He licked his lips as his gaze traveled round my body."

"When you're ready, we'll be waiting with our arms open and our dicks hard." Damian winked.

I suddenly felt heat trickling down my face, my hands trembling by my sides.

And without a second thought, I opened the door and ran out.

The moment the elevator doors closed behind me, I leaned against the wall and released a shaky breath.

"You'll be back kitten, because no other man can satisfy you like we have, do dirty things to your body, and make you scream those dirty words."

Their words refused to leave my head.

Why had they sounded so certain?

Last night had been nothing more than one reckless decision born from heartbreak.

So why...

Why did a small, traitorous part of me wonder if they were right

...

Twenty minutes later, I pulled into the driveway of my house and climbed out of the car.

The front door opened before I reached it, and Vanessa stepped outside wearing oversized sunglasses despite the morning sun barely being up.

She stopped the moment she saw me, her lips curled into a smug smile.

"Well." She slowly looked me up and down.

"I see you finally decided to dress like someone desperate for attention."

I didn't answer... I had nothing to say to her.

She walked down the steps, her eyes still mockingly all over me.

"You really left the house looking like that?" She laughed again.

"Lily... You could walk around naked and still no man would look twice."

For a second...

The old Lily almost lowered her head.

Almost.

Instead... I smiled.

I smiled.

"Actually..." I adjusted the strap of my handbag. "Three men did."

Vanessa's smile faltered. "What?"

"You heard me."

She scoffed mockingly. "Please, you don't have to make up stories, not like anyone would believe it anyway."

"Believe what you want, Vanessa, can you leave the way please? I could really use a cold shower right now, I had a long night."

She clicked her tongue, with a little flick of her lashes. "Enjoy your little fantasy, Ryan is still mine, I just fucked him to sleep on a work morning, could anyone ever beat that?"

I couldn't hold back my chuckle as I stared at her amusedly.

"It's only a matter of time before he divorces you, then we'll get married, and everything he owns will belong to us."

She leaned closer. "You'll be left with absolutely nothing."

I continued to look at her with a smile on my face, refusing to give her anymore audience.

For years, words like those would have broken me, but realizing now, how much Ryan's wealth depended solely on my expertise, I could only laugh.

Ryan would be completely useless to her in a few months after our divorce because I built that billion-dollar company he's posing on, and I intend to take everything with me when I leave.

Vanessa turned toward her car before pausing again, and turned back towards me.

"Oh, I almost forgot." She smiled sweetly.

"Father called, he needs money, he is going out with his friends tonight, transfer it before he gets angry."

I stared at her. "Excuse me?"

"Did you just order me to give him money?"

"Well, duh... you always do." She waved her hand dismissively.

I almost laughed; because I'd never realized how absurd my life had become until now.

My mother had married her father after my father died, she died a couple of years later and they'd literally turned me to their slave, I gave them every single penny I made with a wide smile on my face, up until I married Ryan, and I'd continued providing them with whatever they asked, I practically lived to fund their wallets... But not anymore.

"I will decide what I do with my money, make sure to tell him that." I spat, brushing past her and walked into the house.