ROSE“What—what are you talking about?” I stuttered, completely confused, as I tried hard to comprehend what he was saying.“I made a deal with grandfather,” he said, and my brow creased in confusion.“In return for your freedom, we will be allowed to leave here,” he continued, and it felt like he lacked emotions at that point, as I stared at him. He looked completely different from the Valerio I knew—the one with that soft look that always comforted me. I was trying to find it.“Are you making any sense right now?” I asked with an incredulous chuckle.“No…” He shook his head. “No, I’m not,” he admitted, and I watched him in utter disbelief.“I’m not being rational because I can only think about you at this moment, Rose,” he confessed as I started to shake my head.“Don’t be ridiculous,” I said, trying not to break into tears again.“Inasmuch as I can’t question when you haven’t been here to see for the past few weeks, this sudden proposition seems totally absurd,” I stated, desperate
ROSEAs he rubbed my nipples, he moved his mouth to mine, kissing me with great finesse. God, he was such a good kisser. I wanted to resist, but I found myself doing the complete opposite. When he finally broke the kiss, we were both panting heavily, and he stared down at me, his eyes filled with deep passion.“You still want me the same way I do, Rose. Let’s not fight this, ugh?” he murmured, moving his mouth to my lips and teasingly rubbing it.“But—”“No buts,” he smoothly shushed me, and I found myself listening. He kissed me. “We aren’t doing anything wrong. You are my mate,” he cajoled.“And Valentino,” I replied with dreamy eyes, and I could swear I saw a hint of pain in his eyes at that statement.“We shouldn’t do this to him,” I said, almost in a pleading tone, as if the web he had wrapped me in was the only thing that could free me. It was useless trying to fight it.“Valentino is in the hospital because of us,” he held my face with his two hands, raising it up to look at hi
ROSE“Are you okay?” Valerio’s voice cut into my thought as I stared out of the window, as the sleek Bentley I was led into few minutes ago after coming out of prison as it drove along the street of Italy. And it seemed like a doom day to me as the clock ticked.I knew he was waiting for an answer but I didn’t reply.“Ignoring me like this won’t help any of us. You should try to understand me, Rose.” He said again and I heard him sigh as if this was all forced on him.“Rose…”He started again but it seemed the more he talked, the more irritated I felt.But then when he placed his hand on my arm….the sizzling feeling I felt for that brief moment as the thought of how I enjoyed the kissing back in that room came to me.“Talk to me….please.” He said softly as within me became so hot that I felt I was in a boiling water.I was caught in between my anger for him and wild desire.“Would you tell the driver to stop if I ask you to?” I turned to look at him as he removed his hand from mine slo
VALERIO "Do you expect me to repeat myself?" I snapped, completely irritated. I already regretted allowing Rose here and felt increasingly impatient with these men causing a delay.For some unknown reason, I felt compelled to make this work for Rose, especially with the way she fidgeted beside me. It was as if another voice inside me advised playing the good guy."Sir, we have strict instructions from the chairman not to allow anyone into this room," the one on the right said with an unsure look, hinting at his fear. Idiot, I thought."I am his brother. Do I need to write it on my face for you to see?" I retorted dangerously."Maybe we should go back, Valerio. The chairman was very specific..." she began to say."Stay," I cut her off sternly. "I won’t have some annoying lackey dictate when I can see my own brother. Besides, this isn’t just about you meeting him anymore. I want to see him myself." I turned back to them. "Move," I commanded curtly."We are sorry, young master," they bo
VALERIO "What did you just say?" My grandfather growled at me.I felt Rose's gaze on me, though I wasn't looking at her. I could sense her shock."Yeah," I said firmly, meeting his eyes. "She's carrying your great-grandchild."His face turned from red to outraged. "How is that possible?" he roared angrily, but I stood my ground."Valerio," murmured Rose beside me, sounding like a child asked to stay quiet during an important conversation."There's no need to hide it, Rose," I said, giving her a knowing look, which left her confused."But I'm not--""How is she pregnant by Valentino?" I turned to my raging grandfather. I was committed to playing this role perfectly until the end. It was Plan B and our last resort, so it had to work."Oh... how did she get pregnant by Valentino?" I crossed my arms, pretending to contemplate deeply. "Here's how the process goes... they both..." I glanced briefly at Rose and the unconscious Valentino, then back to my grandfather. "Get intimate, you know,
VALERIO She sighed and big her lips. “Why do I have a bad feeling about this.” She turned by back at me to look at Valentino she bit her fingers in that way she does whenever she was nervous. “We shouldn’t have lied.” She turned to look at me again.“I didn’t mean to lie.” I said as she watched me in total astonishment.“But the way you spewed those lies effortlessly made even me to believe you.” She said with a wide eye.I watched her in silence for a while the spike up. “Fine.” I said. “It was pre-planned.” “Pre-planned? How? Do you intend to put some baby in my womb before the test? Just what were you thinking when you thought of pregnancy?” “I thought of you being in prison again, and I couldn’t take in that image, Rose.” I said as I watched her face softened in worry.“I can’t fight my grandfather with the kind of power he has. He isn’t joking around when he planned to keep you locked in for the rest of your life, Rose.” I said with a strong gaze as if to emphasize how much se
ROSEI paced the hallway in front of the laboratory where the test was being carried out. This was driving crazy. This whole Valerio’s idea which seemed unreasonable.“You still have the chance to tell me the truth.” I stopped on my track and turned to see the chairman alone with me on the hallway, staring at me with that angry look that showed the whole situation was weighing on him.I dropped my hands whose fingers were tucked in my mouth by my side and watched him. “What truth?” I feigned confidence. Valerio said to trust him. Damn….I should try but it was fucking hard.He exhaled and let out a deep groan while throwing his face to the other side.“Fine. There is no use arguing with you.” He raised his hand and pointed at me as I swallowed, completely intimidated but trying not to let it show. “You charmed my grandsons and get them to turn against me. Something, I can’t even do.” He letbouta soft scoff. “Valerio now dances to your tune. And now, you are going to use pregnancy to
ROSE“So I have come to a conclusion that Rose will be staying with me, at the main house till further notice.” He dropped as my mouth dropped in shock.“What?!”“That won’t be possible.” Valerio said smoothly as if he had the final say.“Isn’t that too much?” Vicente chinned in.“It’s not.” The chairman maintained his stance without wavering. “That is my responsibility.” He continued. “Till Valentino wakes up, she should be under my care. I can’t obviously let her live with you both in the same house. Who knows what other atrocities you all would engage in.”“We are not kids, Grandfather. And don’t talk to Rose like that.” Vicente started to attack him again.Seemed things has been quite tight between them during this period. With the way Vicente has been attacking him.“You don’t get to have a say on this, Vicente.” The chairman said sternly but Vicente wasn’t having it with him.“You have be hostile towards her all this well and all of sudden, you want her to start living with you?