Amber’s POV


    Neither Rafael nor Julian would listen to reason. That left only one more person I could speak to who could call off this foolishness. Roman, himself.


    I knew he was staying at Rafael’s estate, so I waited until I was certain Rafael would be heading to the Alpha Headquarters building, and then I went over to speak with Roman.


    The butler looked at me with some annoyance at my arrival, but still led me to a sitting room. After he disappeared<i>, </i>a few minutester, Roman entered the room. He was immactely dressed as usual, with a suit and tie, which shed severely with my medical scrubs. He grinned at me.


    “Amber. You came to see me.” He sounded pleased and surprised.


    He must have thought I was here for different reasons. While I hated to disappoint him, I felt I had to. It was made easier by the memory of that kiss I didn’t want.


    “You have to forfeit the challenge, Roman,” I said, making the purpose of my visit as clear as possible right from the start. I wasn’t going to allow anymore misunderstandings. With Roman, I was learning, the direct route was best, even if, unfortunately, it led to him being hurt.


    His own feelings for me often left him twisting situations and my words and feelings. I was tired of it. I didn’t want him the same way he wanted me, and he had to face that now once and for all, whether it


    hurt him or not.


    His good humor faded, his face falling, but he continued looking at me. “There’s no way I’m doing that, Amber. Not even for you, I’m sorry,” he said, and I knew, from his intensity that he was earnest.


    I sighed. “Roman, you have to know I don’t want you romantically. You are a friend to me, but that is all you are. There will never be anything more between us than that.”


    “You say that now,<i>” </i>he replied. “But with Julian still in your life, you are confused. You’ve loved him for so long, Amber, <b>I </b>understand howplicated things are. But once I win this fight and he has to back off,


    then you


    wille to see how poison that man is. Without him, you will see that there are other men who


    are devoted to you, who will love and provide for you.”


    “Roman, that’s not what I want.”


    “You don’t know any better right now,” he continued. “Julian has pulled the wool over your eyes. But once


    he’s gone, you will see things more clearly. And you will finally see me, standing here in front of you,


    ready to love you.”


    I shook my head, again and again, wishing he would stop, but he didn’t, not even after I asked him to.”


    Roman, please. Stop this.”


    “Your own brother agrees,” he said. “Rafael himself called me here, choosing me as the right man for you. If you could only see it for yourself, Amber, then we could be happy.”


    “I don’t care what anyone else says, Roman,” I told him. “Rafael means well, others might <i>too</i>, but they are not me. They do not own my heart. And I’m telling you, here and now, that even if you win this fight, you will not be the one for me. Nothing will change between us, not like you want. In fact, I might even resent you for this.”


    He chuckled lightly as he shook his head. “You say that, but you don’t mean it. You will see. When Julian is gone, you will see.”


    The man was fully delusional, if he believed that. But, looking back, when had he ever been very good at


    listening?


    He went forward with our fake engagement, even after I told him I didn’t want to. I told him not to.


    He kissed me, even though I thought I had made clear I only ever just wanted to be friends.


    Now, he was going through with this challenge, thinking it would win him my favor when in reality it would only make me grow colder to him.


    Realizing now that he wouldn’t listen, I stormed past him without even saying goodbye.


    I went to pick Alice up from her tutoring session. She was barely buckled into the backseat before she started asking me questions.


    “Everyone’s talking about a challenge,” she said. “Between Dad and Uncle Roman.”


    “Kids shouldn’t talk about such things,” I said.


    “But they are,” Alice said, kicking her legs. “I hope Daddy wins.”


    “Alice,” I scolded lightly. “You shouldn’t be talking about fights.”


    “But it’s Daddy <b>–</b>”


    <b>“</b>No, honey. Any fighting is bad, okay? And I’m very upset with Julian and Roman for doing this. They


    should know better.”


    Alice pouted a little. As she turned to look out the window, she muttered, “I hope Daddy wins.”


    This time I didn’t correct her. I just pretended I couldn’t hear.


    When we got back to the hotel, <b>I </b>directed Alice to go do her homework. She shuffled her feet, seemingly still mad at me for scolding her, but ultimately agreed without much fight.


    Watching her go, I regretted all that was happening even more, as my annoyance with the three men in my life quadrupled. Now, not only did I have to worry about them and what was going to happen, I also


    had to worry about the influence this was having on Alice.


    As I stewed, trying to decide what to do next, my phone rang. It startled me. C


    “What now,” I grumbled as I went to answer it.


    The name on the screen read Anna, which immediately put me at ease. Gods, I needed my best friend


    right now.


    Answering the phone, I brought it to my ear. “Please have good news,” I said.


    “Whatever news I have can wait,” Anna said. “I want to hear about the fight.”


    I groaned. “Anything but that. Please.” I didn’t even want to think about how news of the fight could have made it the whole way back to our little hole–in–the–wall home. Did the entirety of the continent know


    about this?


    Then again, this was a fight between two Alphas, one of whom was a former professional fighter, put on at the house of a third Alpha. I should have known from the start that this was going to be a disaster of public rtions. Rafael was probably bringing in camera crews. Were there going to be sponsors?


    What a mess.


    “I’m not sure what the problem is,” Anna said. “Any girl would be ttered to have two strong Alphas fighting over her?<b>” </b>


    As I sighed heavily into the phone, she gave me a moment to respond. When I didn’t, she guessed, “Unless you already have someone in mind that you want to be the winner.”


    <b>“</b>It doesn’t matter what I want,” I said. “All these Alphas throwing their weight around. They are making


    all the decisions without my input.”


    I couldn’t be more annoyed about this. I had spoken to each of the three in turn: Rafael, Julian, and


    Roman. None of them were going to call off this farce. Maybe they were all too proud. I didn’t know or


    care.


    I was just so mad about it.


    “You are angry.” Anna was quiet a moment. “Which means you do have a favorite.”