ARCANGELO POV There's been a strange dynamic going on between me and Alonso. We don't really talk about what happened Saturday night after the game, even though I think about it constantly. And it's constantly making me hard, too. We're not mad at each other, but we are avoiding each other. I think it has something to do with the fact that we both experienced the best sex of our lives. With the same person. That is not exactly information you relay to your parents. And it might paint Juliet in a negative light in the eyes of society. In my eyes, she has become even more beautiful, and I've been hiding the fact that I send her flowers. I'm sure he doesn't know because he hasn't said anything. Also, I said I was okay with only one night, but now that I've had her, I want more, and I might be willing to break the rules to be inside her just one more time. That's what I keep on telling myself. Just one more time, and I'll move on. There's a hard knock on my studio doo
JULIET POV I'm a bad person. I've always known that I'm not good at heart. I've experienced too much. The darkness is already inside me, bleeding me dry. Two of the Moretti brothers have been a light in that darkness. The third one, however, has managed to creep into that darkness and make me do things without thinking through. I can feel the storm coming. After yesterday, I'm anticipating it. I haven't heard from Alonso all day. Usually, he would send me a good morning and an afternoon text, and then pick me up from practice. But nothing. Complete radio silence. I should've known Alessi would run to Alonso and tell him what happened. Whereas Arcangelo is mysterious, Alessi is everything but. He's calculative and manipulative, and yesterday, I was able to unravel his careful control. It felt both triumphant and terrifying. Now I'm just waiting for the dam to burst. Because burst it will, that's for certain. "You good?" Scott asks me after practice, concern w
ALONSO POV There's a burn in the center of my chest. It's been there ever since my brother told me he bent my girlfriend over and fucked her. Ex girlfriend now. I know I let Arc join us one time, but that was under my terms. I controlled everything, and it was the hottest thing I've ever experienced, too. I was even considering doing it again if Fly-girl was up for it. Her and Alessi fucking feels like the deepest betrayal I've ever explored. I trusted my brothers with my life. They're everything to me. We're connected in ways I can't even put into words. And then for him to go ahead and do that. It's blowing my mind. Because it's also not in his character. He's never cheated on Bailey before. Even though he doesn't want to be with her the way he is now, he hasn't even looked at another girl. So why would he burn me like that? Is he so jealous of me finding someone like Juliet, who suits me in ways I never thought a girl ever would, that he had to go and
JULIET POV Trent Baker is standing in front of me with a smile on his face as if he didn't just lose a game. He hugs me with his sweaty arms that totally grosses me out. Funny how I don't feel grossed out when Alonso does the same. "Ice! It's great to see you." I hate that fucking nickname. It was fitting in high school, but nobody here knows me by that name. "Trent." I step away from him, ignoring the evil glances from my teammates for speaking to the enemy. "You looked good out there." And he did. Alonso was just better. As if I summoned the devil, I spot him walking towards us, and my nerves skyrocket. He told me to leave him alone, with good reason, and I've done that. So why the hell is he approaching me with murder in his eyes? "Baker." He nods at Trent when he stops in front of us and holds his hand out for a shake. "Good game." Some of the smile lessen on Trent's face. "Not as good as yours, Moretti." "Do you know Juliet? " Alonso doesn't meet my e
ALESSI POV I've been a pussy for two years. I was so scared of doing something I should have done a long time ago that everything has come down to this point. Bailey's eyes widen when she opens the door to her apartment and sees me on the other side. "What are you doing here!" Pink tinges her cheeks. "Where's Jake?" I frown. The guy never leaves her side, and if someone is knocking on her door, he will for sure be the one who answers. "He had some personal issues to take care of." She opens the door wider so I can step inside her luxurious apartment. "I gave him the day off, don't tell my father please, or he will blow a gasket." I was once heavily guarded, too, so I know the need to feel in control of your own life and freedom. "You didn't bring an overnight bag?" Bailey wants to know. "I thought you went home to see Madison." "I thought I'd come see you instead. There's some things we need to talk about." "Oh, what's up?" Bailey is already looking nervous,
ALONSO POV My hands are shaking uncontrollably, and I squeeze them between my legs to make it stop. Adrenaline pumps through my system, both from the game and from seeing Fly-girl being hit by that SUV and flying through the air. She's alive, though, so I'm clinging onto that, even though things aren't looking good for her. The doors to the emergency room open, and Arc runs through them with a panicked look in his eyes with my parents close on his heels. I stand up, and his arms come around me in a stifling hug. "What happened?" My father asks in that authoritative tone of his that makes things happen. I shake my head when Arc releases me. "Fuck. She was just standing on the sidewalk ready to cross, but this white SUV came straight for her." My father frowns. "Police?" "The asshole drove off." My father nods. "I'll look into it." I don't miss the look my parents share. It is quite odd. Why would a car just come straight for Juliet? That was definitely no fucking a
JULIET POV There's an incessant pounding in my head, and my eyes feel as if it was glued together. My throat is sore and parched, and panic washes over me. What the hell happened? Was I back in the clutches of my father? I can't breathe. I CAN'T BREATHE! My eyes fly open, and my hands scratch at my throat, willing air to come past my constricted windpipe, but it's like I'm a fish out of water. "Juliet!" My head flies to the man standing next to me, and I'm for sure going to die now. This is the end for me. After everything, this is how I'm going out. "Nurse!" He shouts frantically, pressing a button repeatedly next to my bed. Darkness blurs my vision as I lose oxygen, but then there's a lady putting a mask on my face, her hand soothingly stroking my hair. "Breathe angel." Her voice is soft and gentle, her smile warm and welcoming, making me take in a huge gulp of air that I almost choke on it. "That's it, girl. You're okay. You're going to be just fine. Just breathe." S
ALESSI POV I've been walking around with a heavy chest ever since finding out that Juliet was run over. I don't know what the hell it is, but I haven't been able to shake the feeling. "This is your career we're talking about, boy!" My father frowns down at Alonso, who is sitting on the couch with his head in his hands. "If you miss a game, it will show the NFL that you're not able to work under pressure." I run my hand through my hair. Fuck, I understand both my dad and my brother. Juliet only came out of her coma a day before, he doesn't want to leave her side. But he also worked most of his life for the opportunities he's getting now. Some people would say we don't need to work as hard as we do. We already have enough money for generations, but that's not what my family is about. We were raised that we work for what we want and for what is important to us. Right now, the number one thing that is important to my brothers and I is Juliet's well-being. And that means Alonso
ALONSO POV "The NFL has decided to suspend you until after a thorough investigation has been done regarding the pictures." I faintly hear Uncle Kevin's voice over the white noise ringing in my ears, and I take another swig of my father's expensive cognac that I swiped from his alcohol display. I gather he has enough money to replace it. The bottle is abruptly grabbed from my hand. "I'm not going to stand by and watch you kill yourself." My mother takes her own swig from the bottle and then slams it down on the table. "For fuck's sake, Alonso, this is not the end of the world." I shrug nonchalantly. "Might as well be." There's a hole where my heart used to be. My career is literally being flushed down the drain. All the hours I spent in the gym, all the plays I studied, the millions of game tapes I've watched. I've always loved to party, but I always only had two light beers. I could've been fucking it up, but I was so focused on that one dream. Then Juliet came al
AMELIA My stomach clenches in agony, and I screw my eyes shut, not wanting the light streaming from the open curtains to penetrate my soul. If it wasn't for Miss Daisy, those damn curtains would've never been open in the first place. I don't need light. The darkness was just perfect for me. I'm officially a prisoner in my own house. I'm even wondering if it is my house. Did I ever belong here in the first place? I might be an Astor by DNA, but I didn't grow up with them. As much as I love them, and as much as it was none of our fault what happened, the truth remains that when I was molded into a person, it wasn't under their hands. Yet I felt like I belonged when I met them, but I feel even more at home when Alonso holds me down and fucks me ruthlessly. Or when he transforms into a huge teddy bear afterward and snuggles me. Do I believe that Alonso did that to that girl? Yes. I also know that she was probably begging for it, too. I was jealous at first when I
ALESSI POV I failed. I failed to protect my brother. Now, my family is trying to do damage control that may not succeed. Alonso is a fucking mess. Yesterday morning, images were shared on every social media network of some idiot influencer who had bruises and bite marks all over her body after spending the night with Alonso. The bigger problem is that the influencer is now nowhere to be found to tell the damn media that whatever happened between them was consensual, even though the images may look alarming. Apparently, she sent the photos to a friend to brag about her night with the infamous Alonso Moretti, and now it has blown up in his face. If you look at the photos alone, it does look like the girl was attacked. It's classic Alonso behavior, though, and the same reason I diligently checked out everyone he slept with in college. I clearly can't be everywhere at once anymore, and now we have a catastrophic problem. Brands are threatening to end their contracts w
ALONSO POV I felt on top of the world right after the win. I showed the assholes who said I was just a rich kid who was overhyped. I had the girl I always wanted waiting for me, and they showed how she and my mom hugged on the jumbotron. For a second life was everything I ever wanted. Then, like an ice-cold bath, reality came knocking on my door when Uncle Kev reminded me that we still had the press conference afterward and that things might get sticky there. Now I'm sitting next to Uncle Kevin waiting for the vultures to spew me with their questions, my leg bouncing nervously. Uncle Kevin's hand reaches underneath the table to squeeze my shaking leg, and I still. The first question is aimed at him. It's entirely professional. How he feels about the future of the team. How he developed the team so that we played so well. My eyes rove over the sea of reporters. Which one of them will bring up the alleged sexual assault? It could be any of them. Was my father able to s
AMEILIA POV I'm nervous when Alonso takes me up to his family's box. This will be the first time I will face them after everything went down, and they undoubtedly know what I tried to do. Even though the triplets don't hold it against me, I still don't understand how they don't, I don't know how their parents will treat me. They have every right to treat me as the piece of shit I am. Maybe everything I'm experiencing right now with my real parents is my punishment for trying to break a family apart. I'm so worlds away from that girl, I still can't believe I carried that vengeance in my heart. I was lying awake most of the night, my head tucked in the crook of Alonso's neck with his breathing softly rustling my hair, and all I could think of was how I did him wrong. I had sex with his brothers, the same brothers whom he shared a womb with, and who means the world to him. And even years later, when I saw them again, I still had this pull towards them. I don't know why it feel
SUMMER POV My heart hammers in my chest as I look up into the gorgeous eyes of Alessi Moretti. Is that disappointment that flashes in its depths at my words? Alessi Moretti was everything I never knew I wanted. He was like a knight in shining armor when he first showed interest in me. I've received plenty of interest from men at the hospital ever since I started working there over two years ago, but I never took the bait. You see, I've always been looked at as the pretty girl. The one every boy in school wants to have sex with, but not commit to. Once, I let myself be that girl, and I got discarded and forgotten about. I vowed that no man would ever make me feel like I'm disposable again. Yet, I fell for Alessi's beautiful exterior and gallant gestures. I should have known he was just like all the other assholes who were just out to use me and discard me. I've never felt so dirty after he told me that he wanted his keys to his apartment back. Keys I never even asked
ALESSI POV I'm feeling jittery, and nervous as fuck. Usually, I would tell my brothers as soon as something as big as an ex-situationship being pregnant happens, but now is not the time. I'll tell them after the game. My mother narrows her eyes at me like a hawk. "Is everything okay?" You can't hide shit from her. "Everything is good." I lie. Everything is shit. I can't believe I'm going through the same shit again! And unless Summer was really sneaky and fucking someone behind my back in the hospital, there is a big chance that child might be mine. I ran away like a fucking coward after I looked into her chart. Memories of my mother placing Bailey's child into my arms and the panic attack that I almost had when I looked into his face came running back to me, and I couldn't breathe. I had to get out of there. I've been avoiding her at work, and I think she's been avoiding me too, but I know that I'm going to have to address the issue as soon as possibl
LOLA POV My eyes go to Arcangelo for probably the hundredth time as I go over the contract with not one but three lawyers present. This can't be happening. Not to me, at least. Good things like this don't happen to people from my part of the woods. People always ask me why I don't just sign with a label and get Cassy out of the dump we stay in, but I wasn't about to sell my damn soul for a record contract. This contract is different, though. It allows me to have control over the kind of music I want to make and the image I want to portray to the world. It's unheard of, is what it is. My father was a musician, one of the best. The music he wrote got stolen, and he never saw a dime of the money it made. So you can call me shaded. Because of this industry, my father became a drug addicted alcoholic who ruined everything in his path. Including me. I had to learn from a very young age that I had to take care of myself because the adults in my life wer
ARCANGELO POV I look in the rearview mirror as I drive from the studio to the hotel I booked for Lola and her "kid," who didn't end up really being her own child, but her little sister. Cassy is a five-year-old hellion who has been entertaining me for the last two days ever since I put them on the company's private jet and brought them to New York. The last two days have been a whirlwind, and I don't know if I've ever laughed so much as I did in these two days. We've been in the studio ever since we arrived on Friday, and after she sang Mai's Song in that bar, I did the unimaginable and let her record it and made it into a duet. My music has always been personal. Every word of my lyrics, every note that I pen down comes from my soul, and sure, I've written songs for other artists before, but never one as deeply personal as Mai's Song. The way Lola sang that song like I had written it for her made me feel compelled to let her sing on it. I haven't asked her what happe