“Wha-what? Me?” I asked in shock.“I can’t?” He asked as he watched me intently. I could swear seeing a trace of disappointment on his face that moment.“When you meant that, you mean, my nude?” I asked as he stared at me as if I wasn’t making sense. “Of course, it’s your nude dummy. He only paints nudes.” Arya pointed out as I swallowed still waiting for a response from him.“Yeah.” He replied with a smile.“Ah!” I retorted in surprise and my eyes looked like they would pop out of his socket. Aren’t these brothers filled with surprises?“Don’t want to?” He asked calmly as if scared I would refuse.The problem wasn’t him painting my nude, of course, he was a professional and nothing would happen….“Don’t deceive yourself, Rose,” Arya mentioned as I bit my lower lips and felt my throat suddenly go dry.“No, I mean. Yeah, I would love to. I mean, it’s no big deal. I just need to strip and…..”I paused as if the word ‘strip’ was a forbidden word. And to make it worse, the look he was giv

“This is my best work yet.” He murmured as I raised my head to look at him. “How did you do this?” I asked as my hand roamed freely on the Portrait loving every part of it.“The subject in question is one I am more curious about than anyone I have ever drawn.” He said as I looked up slowly to him.“Valerio I-“ I started to say as I feared what was to come next.“You promised,” I said almost in a pleading tone. “We are done with the protract Rose. That’s the end of AJ.” He mentioned as my lips pressed together.“What do mean?” I asked dreading his reply.His hand slipped effortlessly around my waist as he drew me to him with easy reflex.“You can’t say one thing and mean another Rose.” He said as his face moved slowly towards mine. “Yes, finally!” Arya shrieked with joy as his mouth landed on my lips, and he brushed it softly on mine as if teasing me.“What are you doing right now?” I asked, anticipation coursing through my veins.“Kissing you.” He replied huskily.“This is torture.”

As I got out of the chairman’s office, I couldn’t help but think about the chairman’s word. Then the money, I sighed as my mind juggled on different thoughts.“I should leave. That is the most sanest decision right now Rose.” I said to myself as I made my way towards the elevator that would lead me to the ground floor of the building. As the door was about to close, someone stopped it with their foot as I looked up to find Valentino grinning sheepishly at me like some little boy that just found his doll.“Right. Exactly what I needed.” I muttered to myself.“Are you about to leave without even coming to see me?” He asked with a wide smile on his face.“As if, you narcissistic jerk.” I scoffed in a mocking way that made his chuckle. He must find that cute. I should think of ways to get them to hate me.“What are you doing here?” I asked as he folded his arm and stared at me like my question was weird.“Hello.” He waved his hand at me. “Where do you think you are, Princesa?” He asked a

"When?" I asked, praying it wouldn't clash with my date with Valentino."Do you have an appointment? Maybe—""No," I stopped him. If I allowed him to celebrate his birthday alone, I wouldn't live with myself. It might sound crazy, but Vicente was as important to me as Valentino."I don't have a prior appointment. Even if I do, I would cancel," I lied as he smiled. "I didn't know I became so important to you, Rose," he teased as my face reddened."Little slut," Arya said to me as I maintained a smile on my face."Well, I still feel you have a prior engagement. Would you be done by 9 pm?" He asked."Yeah, it's perfect," I said with a gleaming smile. I had just been worried for nothing. Everything was working perfectly, and it seemed too good to be true. I get to please both brothers, and no one gets hurt.Getting along with Vicente was as important as paying back a favor or satisfying my insatiable desire for his elder brother."Nice," he replied with a smile and moved close, planting a

VALENTINOI followed Vicente’s gaze and landed on Rose, who stood there looking like a helpless little girl, desperately thinking about what to do.I scoffed at first, followed by a short laugh, and then a continuous, loud laugh that made the three people in the room stare at me.“Sure. Let’s have a good fight, brother,” I pretended to straighten my brother’s clothes as he watched me with a confused look. “Don’t get hurt, though,” I added with an angry look and turned away, leaving without another word.All the while on my way to my room, I couldn't imagine my fears were coming to pass. The day my brothers would want to fight with me for Sabatini Internationals, the one thing I’ve lived for, apart from Rose, my mate. I don't know if she knew or felt it, but the attraction between the two of us was undeniable.I drew in a deep breath as I made my way to the bathtub and dipped myself in, trying to shove the troubling thoughts away, but they stuck to me as if glued. She was the reason for