Later that evening I sit at the table with the brothers, swallowing down the rising sickness I feel and trying to act like nothing’s the matter.

“You not hungry, Louisa?” Hudson asks, pointing to my half-eaten lasagne.

I plop my fork on the plate, giving up on trying to eat. “Nope, I’m not feeling that great. I don’t have an appetite tonight.”

“Do you think you’re coming down with something?” Bryce asks, a look of concern on his handsome face.

“Nope, just a cold or something. I feel a bit bunged up, shivery. I’ll be fine with some paracetamol and an early night,” I say, ending the conversation. They eat the rest of their meal and talk about their day on the slopes, every now and then giving me surreptitious looks. I pretend not to notice. As soon as they are all finished, Hudson gets up and starts clearing the table.

“Hey, you don’t need to do that,” I say, placing my hand on his arm. His eyes flick up and I snatch my hand away, the skin of my palms burning from the contact.

“We want to,” Bryce says, looking between me and Hudson. “It’s about time we took care of you.” He’s doing that sexy thing with his voice again and it's distracting me. I look at Max helplessly, but he too has a strange look on his face like he’s about to do something silly.

“Erm, thanks. I’m just going to sit on the sofa, watch a movie then. Have fun this evening.”

“You shouldn’t be alone if you’re unwell. One of us will keep you company,” Hudson says from his spot in the kitchen.

“Don’t worry about it, honestly. I’ll probably just turn in early.” I go and sit on the sofa and start flicking through the choice of movies that are available to watch.

It doesn’t take the three of them long to tidy up and after a few minutes they are making their way to their rooms. I can hear the low murmur of their chat, but I can’t make out what they are saying. I imagine it will have to do with which one of them is willing to stay behind, not that I want any of them to do that. The fact that they are willing to spend their own precious holiday time staying in with me when they could be out having fun makes me feel so much worse.

A wave of nausea hits me as I recall the five hundred pounds I stole this morning. Trust me to have a mother who gets herself in trouble with a loan shark then uses her daughter as a cash cow. The hate I have for her right now is toxic, making the nauseous feeling worse. I’ve never stolen before, but Mum had sounded so scared, desperate even, that I couldn’t think of anything else to do. I’m not due my first wage packet until the end of the month, and no matter how much I hate my Mum for putting me in such a predicament, I can’t allow anything to happen to her. So, I did what I promised myself I’d never do, I withdrew the money from the cash machine in the resort using the credit card I’d been given to buy supplies. Then I deposited the cash into my bank account and transferred it directly into Mum’s account. It had been that easy.

Now, as I sit on the sofa absentmindedly flicking through the cable channels, I hate myself even more than I already do, and a very real pain blooms inside my chest.

“Here, take this,” Max says, bringing me out of my worrisome thoughts. I push them aside as he strolls towards me. He’s wearing a pair of slacks and a loose jumper. In his hand is a hot-water bottle. I guess he’s drawn the short straw to stay behind with me.

“Thanks,” I say softly, surprised by his consideration.

He settles himself next to me. “I’ve decided to stay in tonight, keep you company,” he says, making himself comfortable. His blonde hair is rough dried, and he smells of the vanilla shampoo that has become so familiar now. I find myself having the sudden urge to lean in and sniff his hair. Stop it. Don’t even go there.

“Good, you’ve got the hot water bottle. That should help with the chills.” I turn my head and Hudson is staring at me, a strange look in his eyes.

“Where are you going tonight?” I ask, noticing the casual attire he is wearing.

“I’m not going out.” He looks at me, his eyes trailing over my face.

I smile brightly, trying to hide my growing nerves but almost jump out of my skin as Hudson sits beside me. Stealing that money has sure made me a nervous wreck. I really hope the brothers don’t notice and start questioning me about it.

“You don’t have to, Hudson. Max has already said he’s staying in. I’m sure Sacha would be glad to see you.”

Hudson frowns. “Sacha and I are history.”

“Why?”

“I like someone else,” he says, shrugging.

“Oh,” I say, not sure why that makes me feel worse.

“Actually, we’re all staying in,” Bryce says as he strolls into the room. He too has showered and changed into something more comfortable than skiwear. He has a pair of soft slacks on and a fine-knit, grey jumper.

“You okay with that?” He chooses to sit on the floor rather than the sofa, and I can feel the warmth of his arm as it presses against my leg.

“Sure, okay,” I murmur, not certain that I am okay, given the strange mix of nausea and butterflies I’m feeling.

“What are we watching then?” Max asks, gently prising the control from my hands.

“You choose,” I say, feeling decidedly antsy in close proximity to all three brothers. Granted, I’ve been alone with each of them separately these last couple weeks, but the air seems charged differently tonight and I’m not sure what to make of it. Probably a mixture of guilt from stealing that money and the strange looks the guys keep giving me.

Bryce presses a button on another control, which dims the lights and closes the curtains automatically, whilst Max picks a movie. I don’t pay much attention to his choice, acutely aware that both Hudson and Max have somehow moved in closer to me. Bryce is resting his hand on the floor so close to my foot that I can feel the warmth of his finger as it brushes against my skin. That touch alone has my heart hammering in my chest. It’s so loud, I am certain they can hear it.

About halfway through the thriller we are watching, a scene comes on where the main character is seducing a woman. The sex is graphic, and I find my heart rate increasing, not because of what I am watching, but because the atmosphere in the room has changed from charged to electric. I breathe in sharply when I feel Bryce’s warm hand curling around my ankle. That sudden intake of breath seems to ignite something within the room.

“Damn it, Louisa,” Hudson groans into my ear at the same time as Max presses a kiss against the side of my face. Stunned, I clutch onto the hot water bottle, pressing it into my belly.

“What are you doing,” I whisper. It’s a stupid question, it is pretty damn obvious what they are doing, but I need them to answer me.

“You must know how we feel about you,” Hudson says, pressing his soft lips just behind my ear. A thousand traitorous tingles rush down my spine and pool in my belly at his words and his touch.

“I don’t know what you mean…” My words are lost in the warmth of Hudson’s mouth as he gently turns my face to him and pulls me in for a kiss. His kiss is slow and gentle, and sweet, and nothing like I expected. As Hudson’s kiss deepens, as his tongue explores my mouth, I am acutely aware that Bryce has shifted position and is now kneeling between my parted legs, his hands massaging my calves. They are firm and strong as they knead my flesh. Hudson pulls his mouth away and presses his forehead against my own, breathing heavily. He leans back and as I turn away from him, he gently pushes aside my hair and kisses my neck again, sucking slightly on the skin there. My eyes flutter closed until I feel Bryce’s hands rest on my knees. When I open them, I find myself staring into Bryce’s hazel eyes. As he moves towards me, the dim golden glow of the table-lamp casts a soft warmth across his features, making him impossibly handsome. Something catches in my throat as his gaze flicks from my eyes to my mouth. In a sudden rush of decisiveness, he has his hands tangled in my hair and his tongue shamelessly probing my mouth. The feel of his coarse beard against my skin only seems to heighten the kiss. I let go of the hot-water bottle and wrap my hands around his back.

Just at the point I find that I am losing myself entirely to the kiss, Bryce pulls away.

“I’ve wanted to taste that damn smart mouth of yours ever since you first talked back. For someone full of ice, your kiss is like fire, Louisa.” He smiles at me then, letting out a small laugh to show me he means no harm by his words.

My hands fall away as he leans back down and begins massaging my legs again. I can’t help but notice the bulge in his slacks and a small voice of warning pulls at my consciousness. A voice that is telling me this is what these men do, that I am no different from any other girl who has melted under their touch. But I am distracted again by the featherlight touch of Max’s fingers as they trail over the side of my breast. I turn to face him, can see the desire in his eyes as he slants his mouth over mine. He pulls at my bottom lip with his teeth, the tips of his finger now grazing over my hardened nipple. Somewhere in the back of my head, a quiet voice gets louder. I am making out with three men, three men who had promised not to make a pass at me. Three men who I am beginning to grow fond of and who are now ruining our blossoming friendship with their need to fuck.

“I can’t…” I say into his mouth, the little voice in my head stronger now. “Stop!” I push away at Max and his eyes open in surprise. I stare at Bryce, anger mixing with an overwhelming sadness that boils inside my chest. “Stop,” I say again. He immediately drops his hands away. He too looks at me with a mixture of horror and confusion.

“Louisa, we didn’t mean…” Hudson starts, but I turn on him. Holding my hand upright, I ignore the pain in his green eyes.

“Don’t say another fucking word,” I shout. I don’t know why I’m so angry, I had been enjoying it, I had wanted them to touch me and yet, I am angry at them for going back on their word, for treating me like all the rest.

They’re using you. They’ve planned this all along. You’re no different from all the other women they’ve fucked. You’re nothing but a piece of meat to them. They just want you for sex, for what they can get out of you. Just like those countless number of men who have used your mum.

I stand up, tears pricking at my eyes. “You promised you wouldn’t. I am not like all the rest… I am not like my mother,” I whisper.

“Louisa, it isn’t like…” Hudson starts. But I can’t look at him, I can’t look at any of them. Instead, I run from the room, angry tears pouring down my face.