Chapter 28

I couldn’t explain what it was exactly that led me to feel so light and buzzed with energy, all I knew was that I didn’t want it to end.

Throughout most of the day, I’d been met with a series of impressed looks from the staff and quite a few humming whispers from the maids. It appears that nearly everyone had managed to sneak a glance at the recent news article of the press conference.

I was still having a hard time believing that the reporters were choosing to paint me in such a positive light. Based on how vicious and desperate they were to gather information on me, I was certain that they were going to create some sort of false story as a means of creating drama.

But no. Apparently, I’d somehow impressed the majority of the room with my cold honesty and lethal glare. Some reporters were boasting about my so-called confidence, but I could readily debunk that whole idea with a simple explanation.

I wasn’t confident...I was embarrassed. I was humiliated and upset. But, most of all, I was angry.

I refused to let myself become the subject of ridicule once again. And before I knew it, I was letting my mind speak.

About halfway through the morning, I received a call from my brother. Chris was absolutely elated and booming with pride.

“‘Ferociously Fierce’?” he chuckled with amusement. “My baby sister? Fierce? What, has living with that control freak somehow rubbed off on you?”

He and I shared a good laugh while proceeding to catch up with one another. Apparently, he was planning to head back to Egypt within the week and mentioned that he was probably going to be gone for at least two months.

Although I wish he and I had no real time to spend with one another, I was genuinely excited for him.

As soon as he and I ended our call, my best friend Emily’s call came through with exuberant haste.

“Mia!!” she shouted with excitement. I tried to contain my giggles and shook my head.

“I take it that you also happened to see this morning’s paper,” I muttered.

“Oh my God, it’s absolutely incredible!” she gushed.

“I honestly thought that the press would have chewed me up, considering how the whole situation started. My God, Emily, those people were so damn vicious in their questioning. I seriously felt like I was being interrogated for an imaginary crime I committed. Yet, somehow, they made me out to be this confident, self-assured woman who isn’t afraid to own up to her past.”

She and I shared a good laugh.

“Well, you’ve got to tell me about your situation with James,” she insisted. “I mean the last time we spoke, you sounded so unsure and upset that I just knew something had to have happened. Did the two of you finally talk some things out?”

‘Well, would you consider filthy pillow talk as a viable form of ‘talking things out’?’ I thought bashfully to myself.

I felt my face flush, recounting this morning’s unexpected development. I still couldn’t believe how James and I ended up in such a compromising position. Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly mad about it.

I loved the way his hands felt on me. Remembering the perfect way, he locked me against his hard body, sent shivers down my spine. Every dirty, salacious word caused the heat inside of me to rise and my muscles to ache with a burning need.

I quickly shook myself from the deep train of thought I’d fallen into. “Actually, we did get a chance to sit down and talk some things out, finally,” I said. “He admits to being a control freak at times and has agreed to work out the manic schedule he’s put me on.”

“That’s great!” Emily chirped. “I’m so happy that the two of you were able to work things out! I could tell from the way he was looking at you in that photo, that James is very taken with you.”

I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face. Part of me wanted to have that photo secretly framed for how much I adored it.

In truth, having this newly blossomed connection with James caused me to feel inspiringly confident. It made me want to do something special for him.

According to my schedule, my day was fairly open, which allowed me to sneak into the kitchen and pull out a bunch of mixing bowls and other baking tools.

When I was younger, and before this entire situation became my new life, I’d always taken particular pleasure when it came to baking.

Many of the staff members who caught me whirling around in the kitchens stopped to ask me what I was doing with a look of pure interest. I’d told them that I was making an ice cream cake from scratch for James.

I’d never made an ice cream cake before but my newly spawned confidence had me wanting to take on the challenge.

When it came time to set all the levels, I’d placed it all into the freezer to fully solidify. I felt good. Having cleaned up my workstation, I came to notice that a few of the maids were acting antsy and rushing about.

“What’s going on?” I asked one of the maids.

“Oh, Luna. Has no one informed you?”

“Alpha Derek has just been notified that we’re to be expecting a few sudden guests.”

My brows furrowed in confusion. “Sudden guests? Who?”

The two maids shared a worried look between themselves, causing me to fill with alarming concern.

“The Alpha’s mother.”

“And two of his younger sisters.”

What?!

Suddenly, all three of us turned our attention toward where we heard a loud car come to a screeching halt just outside of the door. My heart plummeted to the floor.

‘Oh please,’ I prayed. ‘Please, let me have enough confidence to get through whatever the hell is about to unfold.’