CHAPTER 154

ANASTASIA

After I’m not sure how many rounds, I was laid out on top of Valentino’s chest with his arm around me while his other hand played with my hair. We were both awake, but we were also just deep in our own thoughts.

My eyes trailed over to the clock beside the bed to see it was after midnight. “Happy birthday to me,” I whispered. There was a sadness that dawned with my words. I couldn’t help it.

“Something’s wrong,” he stated.

I didn’t say anything, provoking his hand to stop its movements in my hair. Looking up, I glanced into the blue of his eyes and saw the patience within them.

“I’ve never wanted a birthday celebration,” I whispered just before a smile came onto my face as memories raced into my mind. “My sister always made sure I at least did something. She’d make breakfast for me and bake a cupcake with a candle on it. Every year, she’d wake me up and make me blow out the candle before singing me Happy Birthday. We didn’t have the money to do much, but for some reason, she