Chapter 27

Chapter 27

It was my first day back at the bridal shop. Everyone couldn’t stop congratulating me on the coup I had accomplished in getting Nikolas to both help us with the fire–damaged dresses and establish a lasting relationship with Every After Weddings. Even Lily had video called in front of the entire staff to ensure that everyone knew what I had done.

Admittedly, it had put me in a pretty good mood. Even my coworkers who had doubted Lily putting me in charge while she was gone had to grudgingly confess that they might have been wrong about me. It was almost enough to make up for the fact that I had gotten so close to sleeping with Andrew only for it to be torn from me at the last moment.

I didn’t blame Nikolas. He couldn’t help having a medical emergency. Still, it felt almost karmic that everything went down that way.

Perhaps it happened because of my plans to ruin Bob’s wedding. It was enough to give me pause, but I was in too deep now. I didn’t want to hurt Lisa or Andrew, but the way I saw it, especially after everything Bob had done to me, it would be better to get them away from him.

Still, I couldn’t stop thinking about Andrew’s n*ked form from my dream and how close I had come to making it a reality. I could still taste his pecs beneath my l*ps, feel his pelvis pressed against mine. The only thing that could distract me from my fantasies was throwing myself into my work.

I was organizing the antiques I had bought in Nikolas’s town when I heard Lisa and Bob storm into the store. Lisa’s normally flawless forehead wrinkled as her brow furrowed with fury. I wondered what it could be over this time–the flowers, the invitations, the location?

Knowing that this would take all of my patience, I took a deep breath, put on my best fake smile, and turned to greet them.

“Hi Lisa, Bob,” I said. “How may I help you?”

Before I could register what was happening, Lisa charged up to me and slapped me hard across the face. Tears sprang to my eyes as that part of my face began to sting. I raised my hand, and the skin felt warm to the touch.

“What was that for?” I asked.

“That was for trying to seduce my father, you no–good, scheming skank!” Lisa yelled.

I looked around frantically, relieved that there were no clients in the shop at the time and that Terri and my other coworkers had gone on errands for different weddings.

What did Lisa know about? Had she heard about what Andrew and I almost did in the cabin?

No, there was no way that she could have heard about that. Only Andrew and I had been there, and there was no way that he had told his daughter about us. I hadn’t told anyone about what had almost happened, and I doubted that Andrew did, either.

So, what in the world was she talking about?

“I know that you slept your way into planning my wedding, but you won’t sleep your way in with my father,” she

continued.

Slept my way into planning Lisa’s wedding? Where was she getting this stuff from? I never seduced anyone just to get a job, even when I was at my lowest and no one would hire me for being an ex–con.

I wasn’t sure what to say. I looked to Bob, somehow hoping that he might give me a clue as to what was going on, only to see him smirking at me behind Lisa’s back. Could he have told Lisa that I had been trying to sleep with Andrew?

Anger rose within me. How dare he try and ruin my reputation like that? And how dare Lisa assume to know anything about me?

But I knew that I couldn’t show my anger. Lisa was a client, and not just any client, but the Alpha King’s daughter. I had to keep her happy, no matter what it meant for my happiness and pride.

So, I took her fury–fueled lecture in silence. Tears welled at the edges of my eyes and fell down my cheeks as she continued to fling colorful language at me, but I took it without any objections. Bob’s smirk seemed to

grow

the more I cried, and I hated myself for letting him see me so vulnerable.

“And another thing, if you think that you’re good enough for my father, you are sadly mistaken. He would never fall for some half–breed harlot like you.”

I swallowed hard against the knot forming in my throat. I longed to yell at her, to defend myself, but I let her take her anger out on me without protesting. It was what was best for the company.

“Well, what do you have to say for yourself?” she demanded.

I took a deep, shaking breath and brushed away my tears.

“I am so sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to hurt anyone.”

“You didn’t mean to hurt anyone?” she yelled. “So, you thought that you could just sleep around for your personal gain and not have it affect anyone else?”

I fell silent again, letting Lisa air out her frustrations.

“And how dare you get my father, the Alpha King, of all people, involved in your scandals? What if the papers had gotten a hold of such news? People would have had a field day!‘

Lisa clenched her fists. She looked as though she wanted to do more than slap me now. Frankly, I was surprised that she didn’t punch me outright.

“But you

don’t care about his reputation, do you? All you care about is yourself. You only care about what others can do for you and how fast your b*dy can get it for you.”

She started pacing, her breathing close to hyperventilating. Bob stepped up and placed his hand on her shoulder, pretending to be her concerned, consoling partner. Over Lisa’s shoulder, Bob grinned maliciously at

-Heat rushed to my cheeks. I couldn’t find the words to defend myself now. The combination of Lisa’s rage and

Bob’s cunning condescension had stolen all my will to fight.

“I’m sorry,” I repeated, my voice weak. I knew it would fall on deaf ears, but it was the only thing I could think of to say to break the awkward silence.

“No, you’re not sorry,” Lisa said, her voice taking on a dark tone, “but you will be.”

She pushed away from Bob and stepped up to my face, mere inches away from me. Even though she was no more physically intimidating than I was, my heart raced at the thought of what she could do to me–both physically and with the pack.

“Here is what you’re going to do,” she began.

She started poking me with her boney index finger to emphasize each word.

“You are going to swear on the Moon Goddess to stay away from my father. If you don’t, I will publicly expose the employees of Ever After Weddings on the Internet for seducing their clients. Do you understand me?”