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“Yes, ma’am.” He tugged me for a deeper kiss that left me breathless. “See you,” he called out as I walked over to the van parked on the curb, where the rest of the boys waited for me.

We had our full day booked for theRolling Stonespiece, a big moment in the guy’s career, and maybe even a special day for Lan because I was telling himtonight.

I settled in beside my twin while Emmie and Mikey took the seat opposite us.

My heart was in my throat when Lan sped off the driveway and I prayed to God to keep him safe. Soon, our van started following his path, although he was nowhere in sight.

We all sat quietly the entire ride, so unlike how we used to be. My brother had his eyes closed and head thrown back in his seat. Mikey’s sharp eyes were trained solely on Emmie, who lookedlike a ghost, sipping bourbon straight from the flask as his dead eyes stared at the window.

Emmie was a dead man living ever since Evy betrayed him and left him all alone. He loved her like she was the stars to his sky, and now that sky was starless, shrouded in shadows.Lifeless.

It pained me to see my best friend like this. Nothing ever shook Emmie and to see a strong boy like him crumble was heartbreaking. I did try to talk sense into Evy, but the more she lost her way, the more angry she made me for ruining our family.

But even then, I missed her.

So I couldn’t imagine just how much Emmie missed her.

She was the other half of his soul… but then he was hers too.

My thoughts get interrupted when we reached the venue, which was a sprawling mansion with a fancy garden designed by a famous landscaper, where most of the photo shoot would take place. It was big enough to fit ten of my homes from back in Bellevue, but it was beautiful.

“Katy, so good to see you, sweetie.” Adam, the lead journalist, greeted me with a hug.

“Likewise, Adam,” I said. “So excited for today.”

“Meet the team.” Adam gestured to the three people lingering behind him. “Our lovely Yolanda will be our photographer, Nora is the set assistant, and we have Gia and her team on hair and makeup.”

“Nice to meet all of you.” I shook their hands, making small talk, which I was well-versed in.

Lan still wasn’t here. Knowing him, he took the longest possible route wanting to spend more time riding than be here posing in different angles and be asked countless questions.

But still, he would be here any minute because I was here.

Ten minutes after the boys get sullenly summoned to hair and makeup, Lan walks in like he owns the place. He probably could with the amount of money he had to his name.

Everyone on set had already been gawking at the boys, but now that Lan was here, all their attention turned to him. He hardly spared them a glance while his eyes searched for mine in the room.

And when they met mine, they lit up, and he was by me in an instant.

“You’re late,” I chided. “You left before us—”

My words get crushed when he slams his lips to mine, kissing me like we were alone in our bedroom and were just about to get naked under the sheets.

“Lan.” I blushed, pushing him away. “Everyone’s watching.”

“So?” He raised a brow, smirking.

I shook my head, still feeling the burn on my cheeks as I pushed him toward hair and makeup, which he groaned and complained about.

My legs hurt because I’d been running around the set all morning, making sure everything was going perfectly, while I caught up on some emails and phone calls. The boys were outside on the yard being photographed because Yolanda didn’t want to waste “sunlight” capturing the beauty of the boys’ sharp angles.

Whatever that meant.

But she was kinda right because Lan looked hot, more than hot. He was sexy, wearing long black slacks and just an open blazer that showed off his inked skin and washboard abs while the sunlight lit up all his ridiculously beautiful features.

I sighed, darting my eyes away.You need to work, Katy, remember.

I wanted nothing to disturb me from what I had planned tonight. I wanted the night just to myself and Lan, no phone calls. So I was working extra hard to get everything tied up before I left.