THEIR RUINED PRIZE

The moment the doors opened, my heart hammered against my ribs.

I stood in the center of the hallway, clutching my small travel bag against my lap. My fingers twirled the hem of my cotton dress, my face burning hot as I tried to calm my breathing.

I knew where I was. And more importantly, I knew who lived here.

Years ago, when my father brought me along to work, I used to sit quietly in the corner of his office, sneaking peeks through my eyelashes whenever the three Moretti brothers walked into the room. I was just a shy girl back then, hiding behind my sketchbook while three dark, powerful men commanded the entire space.

I had drawn their faces in the margins of my notebooks for as long as I could remember.

Now, with my father gone, his final instructions brought me straight to their doorstep. My chest tightened at the memory, a quiet tear slipping down my cheek before I quickly wiped it away with the back of my sleeve.

"Still hiding behind those long eyelashes, little Amelia?" a deep, raspy voice growled from the archway.

My breath caught. I slowly looked up, my lips parting in a quiet gasp.

Zade stepped into the dim light. He was tall, broad and lethal. Tattoos snaked up his neck, and his dark eyes pinned me right where I stood.

He moved closer, his slow steps making my knees tremble. He stopped right in front of me, making me feel so small in comparison. He reached down, his calloused thumb gently wiping away a stray tear from my cheek. My skin flushed dark pink at the warm touch, my breath hitching as my eyes widened.

"Always so soft," Zade rasped, his thumb lingering over my burning cheek.

"I... I brought my things, Zade," I whispered softly, my voice trembling as I looked up at him through my lashes.

Before he could answer, a smooth, calm voice echoed from the stairs.

"Zade. Let her breathe."

My heart did a violent flip.

Rafael was walking down the steps, unbuttoning his suit jacket. He was the eldest, holding himself with the kind of dark power that made people drop to their knees. His features were cut sharp, his steel-colored eyes fixing on me with a quiet, overwhelming intensity.

I instinctively smoothed down my dress, my cheeks turning an even deeper shade of red as he approached.

"Amelia," Rafael said softly, stopping in front of me. He reached out, his warm fingers lightly touching my chin to lift my gaze. "Your father was family to us. You don't need to cry anymore."

"Thank you, Rafael," I murmured softly, my lower lip trembling as I held his gaze.

A shadow of a smirk touched Rafael's lips at the sound of his name on my lips. His thumb brushed over my jawline once before he pulled his hand back, keeping his cold composure intact.

"She rests tonight, Zade," Rafael added, his tone firm. "She is under our protection."

"Protection doesn't mean we can't welcome her," a third voice purred behind me.

I flinched softly as Lorenzo stepped out from the hallway, his shirt sleeves rolled up, a wicked smile dimpling his cheek. He walked right up behind me, leaning down until his warm breath brushed my hair.

"Look at her, Rafael," Lorenzo whispered, his hands coming to rest lightly on my waist. "She's practically shaking."

A soft squeak escaped my throat as his touch sent a sudden spark through my body. My hands gripped my bag tighter against my chest, my face buried down as all three of them stood impossibly close Zade towering in front, Lorenzo pressed behind me, and Rafael watching my every soft reaction.

"Lorenzo, hands off," Rafael warned, his voice dropping an octave as his eyes locked onto Lorenzo's fingers against my waist.

Lorenzo gave my hip a gentle, teasing squeeze before stepping back with a slow wink.

"Take her to the west wing, Lorenzo," Rafael ordered, turning to walk toward his study. "Make sure she eats something."

Lorenzo offered me his arm with a dark smile. "Shall we, tesoro?"

I bit my lip, placed my small, soft hand over his forearm, and followed him up the stairs, my eyes darting nervously toward Zade and Rafael as they watched me go.