Julian was acting like a brute, but I hated to admit to myself, bI /bliked it. Having those strong barms /bbon /beither side of me, boxing me in, made me want to spend hours back in his bed room, rediscovering each other under the sheets.

But, closing my eyes, I forced those thoughts away. That line of thinking was what got me into this mess to start with. I let my desire do the talking, and while that night with Julian had been incredible, it had

been a mistake.

Maybe I had been wrong to admit that out loud though, with the way it made hurt sh through Julian’s eyes. A quick pain, mirroring his, echoed through my own heart.

Hurting him hurt me, and I hated it.

Julian lowered his hands then, giving me an out. “Try to be back earlier tonight,” he said, his voice somewhat hollow now. “Alice misses you, and you shouldn’t punish her for our… mistake.”

b“/bJulian,” I said at once, eager to fix this. I hadn’t meant it quite like that. I just… we rushed into things. We bhadn’t /bthought this through.

There were so many reasons we shouldn’t have slept together. Surely he could see that toob? /b

He didn’t want to talk anymore though, it seemed, not even after the way he barged in here. Instead, he turned away and walked to the reception area where he collected Alice.

“Where’s Mommyb?/b” Alice asked.

“I’m bsorry/bb, /bhoneyb,/bb” /bJulian told her. b“/bYour mom’s really busy today.”

My heart sank furtherb. /bbNo /bmatter what, I had to make sure I was back at the hotel at a reasonable time tonight.

Julian’s POV

Finally, Amber came home in time for dinner.

b“/bMommy!” Alice cried, racing to greet her at the door.

Amber immediately dropped to her knees and hugged her daughter. A reconciliation like this was long overdue between the mother–daughter pair.

“I’ve got some chicken in the oven,” I said.

Amber gave me a strange look. “You cooked?”

+15 bBONUS /b

“Uh. bNot /bexactly. We went out for lunch. bI’m /bjust reheating the leftovers.b” /b

“bIs /bthere enough for threeb?/bb” /bAmber asked, seeming a bit sheepish.

b“/bbThere /bis,” I assured her. Even if there wasn’t, I would make do, giving myself less to ensure she and Alice were happy. “Alice and I ate like kings today.”

“I’m a princess, not a king!” Alice said.

I smiled at her. “Of course, Princess. That’s what bI /bmeant.”

Alice nodded, satisfied.

As I prepared the leftovers, putting the chicken on the te, there was a knock on the door.

b“/bbAre /byou expecting someone?” Amber asked me.

b“/bbNo/b,” bI /bsaid. b“You/b?”

She shook her head, but then turned and went to the door.

bI /bpeeked over as I ted the dishes, seeing a messenger deliver a letter to Amber through the door. After closing the door, Amber walked back towards the table while slowly opening the envelope.

“What is it?b” /bI asked her.

“Something from Rafael,” she replied, which immediately put me on edge, though I tried to hide it. This evening, so far, had been going well. Thest thing I needed was to get frustrated again and say something to ruin it.

Instead, bI /bcontinued ting the food, waiting for her to tell me what the letter said.

After the table was set and we all sat down, she finally exined.

“It’s an invitation for dinner tonighti,/ii” /ishe said.

All three of us nced down at the table with food already on it.

“We already have dinner,” he said.

“Well. If this bisn’t /benough,” she said, like she was actually thinking about going. “Though the invitation only includes Alice and me.b” /b

I looked at her like I couldn’t recognize her, because that was how I felt when she was talking like this. bIt /bwas almost as if she was an entirely different person, someone who would discard me and the actual food I’d already cooked to go have dinner at some mansion with some Alpha.