Page 110 of My Sweetest Temptation

She shrugged playfully, and we turned our attention back to the mayhem unfolding in front of us.

For the next twenty minutes or so, we watched, half-laughing, half-astonished, as the guys fumbled around, laughter bubbling in the air. They piled blankets and pillows into a wobbly tower that threatened to topple with every movement. Eventually, Tabi and I got up to the kitchen and snagged some snacks.

“Alright, c’mon, we need more height,” Luca grunted, adjusting the tower of cushions.

“Yeah, yeah, just don’t knock it over again,” Lo replied, brushing a hand through his dark hair. “I’m serious, Luca. If you knock it over, I’ll knock you off your ass.”

The guys continued to throw jibes at one another while Tabi and I sat back and enjoyed the show.

“Is this the hottest thing you have ever seen, or what?” Tabi mused, tossing a popcorn kernel into her mouth.

I chuckled, taking a bite of my chocolate bar.

“Winter, hand me that blanket,” Matteo called out, pointing toward a blanket covered in a colorful violin print.

I tossed the blanket to him, and he draped it over the top of the cushion structure like a crown. “Now, don’t freaking move,” he warned, stepping back cautiously as if he were defusing a bomb.

Undeterred, Tristan crawled right underneath the opening, and erupted into a fit of giggles.

“You little—” Matteo grumbled, but a reluctant smile broke through.

Lo stepped back, surveying their masterpiece with pride. “Now, this is what I’m talking about,” he proclaimed.

“Wow,” I said, genuinely impressed.

“Yeah. The best fort I’ve ever seen,” Tabi agreed.

“Can we watch the movie now?” Tristan called out from inside the fort, making us laugh.

One by one, we gathered underneath the makeshift fort, the soft fabric draping above us, creating a cozy space. The fluffy cushions and plush, thicker blankets were sprawled across the floor where the coffee table used to stand.

Tabi and I were lying on our stomachs, nestled closely beside Tristan, while the guys gathered around us in a protective circle.

After browsing through the range of movies, we finally settled on The Super Mario Brothers.

“Combine the flour, sugar, and vanilla extract in a large mixer bowl until creamy. Add eggs, one at a time?—”

“Winter!” Tristan whined.

“Yep.” I smiled as he tilted his head upside down.

“Why are you reading the box?”

“Well, I have to read the instructions, bud,” I told him with a light chuckle.

“But you said you baked these all the time,” he said.

I gazed down at him, his impatience evident in his wide, innocent blue eyes.

“You want to add the chocolate chips, don’t you?” I arched my eyebrows in amusement.

As he stood tall, he slowly nodded twice, his dimples showing up as he tried to hide a smile.

“Well, before we do that, we need to add the rest of the ingredients first, okay?” I explained.

“Okay,” he sighed, a small smile on his lips.

My thoughts replayed the moments with Nico, his possessiveness bordering on obsession, and the violent act of breaking that man’s wrist. But being exposed, vulnerable, and at Nico’s mercy with my bare ass and pussy on display was a rush of excitement I never experienced before.

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