All Chapters of The Valentino’s Contract (48 hours of sin) : Chapter 21 - Chapter 30

Thalia’s eyes roamed the guest room the moment they stepped inside. She was wowed; the space was larger than her entire apartment. Julian moved toward the bed, his arms still firm and warm around her, providing a steady heat that made her chest tighten for reasons that had nothing to do with her injury.He gently lowered her onto the bed.“Ouch,” she winced the moment her back hit the soft bed.His hand froze against her, “Did I touch it?”She offered a small smile. “No”“Okay...” he muttered, settling her fully in before straightening up. He stood there, staring down at her while Thalia’s gaze starts to fully take in the room. The decor was minimalist but expensive, the air filled with the clean masculine scent.Literally, everything about the space screamed pure perfection.“Nice...” she complimented, not knowing what else to say.“Hmmm,” Julian murmured. He stood with his hands shoved deep into his pockets, and eyes still on her.Then, her gaze landed on a small pink box sitting ne

She stopped.Turning, her eyes collided with Julian’s walking down the stairs, looking incredibly hot in his grey sweatpants and white T-shirt. His hair was styled back and slightly damp, and his brows were brushed out perfectly. He looked far too hot for a Sunday afternoon.“Has he always been this hot?” she screamed in her head.“What exactly do you think you’re doing?” he demanded, his voice sounding closer now.Thalia shook her head, forcing herself back to reality. She caught the hard lines of the frown etched onto his face and rolled her eyes, defiantly reaching for the bottle to pour a second cup."Put the glass down,” Julian snapped, his shadow looming over her.“What?”“Don’t piss me off, Thalia. Just put it down.” He was close enough now that she could see the sparkle in his eyes.Thalia chuckled. Instead of obeying, she snatched up the bottle and drank directly from it, swallowing a massive gulp before slamming the glass back onto the wood with a defiant smirk.“It tastes g

Julian stayed rooted there, his head thumping. He bowed his head, muttering a silent prayer to himself. This was exactly why he always avoided alcohol,his tolerance was non-existent. A single glass was already enough to make his head spin, let alone the five glasses Damian had pushed on him. He remained there for several minutes, eyes closed, hoping that the room would stop spinning soon.He pulled himself up after a while, forcing his eyes open, but quickly squeezed them shut again when the room began to move in a 360 degree tilt, instantly making him feel nauseous."God, please help me get through this night," he prayed, staggering his way towards the stairs.He waited at the base for a few more minutes, gripping the stair railing for support to stop the place from tilting before he began his shaky steps upward. He dragged his heavy body step by step. When he finally reached the top, he contemplated where to go before heading for the guest room.He pushed the door open to see Thalia

“Bianca… don't leave.”Thalia stayed frozen, her hand now resting on his burning shoulder, the heat of his fever seeping into her palm.“Julian?” she called, her voice barely audible.He didn't answer. Instead, it got worse. His head tossed against the pillow, his breathing fast and heavy, and his hand clawed into the bedsheets.“No… no, please,” he begged in his sleep, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple.Thalia stared in shock. Confused about what to do, she shifted closer, taking his hands in hers. His fingers gripped hers as he continued to murmur.“Julian, listen to me,” she said, her voice coming out extremely soft. She leaned over to his ear, her hair brushing against his face. “It’s okay… It’s okay, Julian.”She just kept humming, "It’s okay," over and over again like a mantra designed to ward off whatever demons were chasing him in his dream.Slowly, the tension began to drain from his frame. The violent thrashing subsided into a heavy, exhausted tremor. He didn't let go

Without hesitating, Gigi rounded the car and slipped into the passenger seat, as the engine roared to life, she brought out her phone to send a quick text to Thalia. Gigi: Damian was here, but don’t worry, I’ve handled it. It clicked sent and she slipped deeper into the car seat, feeling triumph to have been able to protect her friend, and even perhaps, finally have a taste of the life Thalia had always enjoyed.The car came to a halt in front of Damian’s house. He stepped out, his eyes glued to his phone, while Gigi followed immediately behind“Wow…” she mouthed, once she stepped her feet into the living area.Damian kept walking, he took the stairs and she followed, matching his pace till he opened the door to his bedroom. Only then did he turn to look at Gigi."Strip," he commanded, taking off his shirt in one swift move.Gigi knew he didn’t want a conversation, he just wanted a release. She hurriedly took off her dress… all thanks to Thalia’s stories, she already knew the rules