Page 103 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

She shakes her head, and her voice sounds bitter. “Sometimes I wonder whether there is anything I can do to ever please my father. We had a fight. He wasn’t happy about one of the projects I’ve been overseeing.”

I frown. “The only project I’ve seen is the collaboration with Acme Intech.”

She gestures nonchalantly with her hand. “I’m managing at least seven. My cousin Frank handed me another one the other day, which I haven’t had the time to even look at. He never said it was important. Apparently, it’s a major project, and I have to deal with it right away. I told my father that Frank didn’t inform me it was high priority. He should have been managing it in the first place—”

“Breathe,” I advise her. “Go take care of it. Everything will be fine.”

She gives me a grateful smile and glances at Mary apologetically. “Rain check on third-wheeling?”

The knock on the door has us all looking over at it.

“That’ll be Darian,” I murmur, feeling a ball of tension in the pit of my stomach.

That kiss from the other day is still imprinted on my mind. I hate how his touch got my heart racing and my body reacting, almost as if my body knew who it belongs to. The punch that followed was only satisfying to a meager degree. I should have knockedhis legs out from under him. Seeing him take a little tumble would have made me feel better. That jerk! Does he think he can just kiss me whenever he wants?

I eye the spray bottle on the edge of the counter, and a smirk plays on my lips. He’s clearly not going to give up. But this time, I’ll be prepared.

“Let me go brush my hair,” Mary says quickly. “We can give you a ride to your office, Katherine. Unless you brought your car.”

“I took a cab, so I’ll take you up on that offer.”

As Mary heads back to her room, I open the front door and see Darian standing there with two bulging bags in one hand and a bouquet of flowers in the other. I stare at the flowers. “Those better be for Mira.”

He smiles at me. “They’re for you.”

“No thanks,” I say as I let him into the apartment.

Jimmy, who is on Darian’s heels, sighs. “Told you.”

They enter the living room, and Katherine, who’s sitting by the kitchen counter, nods at them. “Mr. Kassel, what a lovely surprise.”

Darian looks at her and then at me. “You didn’t tell me she would be here.”

Katherine gives him a sharp smile. “It seems my friend doesn’t quite trust you. I’m here to chaperone this playdate.”

Darian bristles as Katherine smirks at him. “You do remember that if you step on my toes, I can very well pull out of this proj—”

“Watch it, Darian,” I warn him. “Right now, on my list of favorite people, Katherine is in the top five. You don’t even make the cut. Stop threatening the people I care about.”

Darian’s cold demeanor immediately changes into a sulky one when he looks at me. “She has no business being here. This is a family matter.”

Eager to add fuel to the fire, Katherine gets up and slings her arm around my shoulders. “Didn’t you hear? I’m in her top five. That makes me practically family.”

I give her a dry look. “What are you doing?”

But Katherine is watching Darian, and before I can stop her, she grabs my jaw and presses a loud, smacking kiss on my cheek.

Darian immediately growls, while Jimmy groans and my friend cackles.

I just roll my eyes at her childish antics. I don’t know what she’s trying to accomplish, but now she’s gotten Darian all riled up.

“Don’t you have somewhere to be?” I glare at her.

She shrugs. “Not till Mary leaves. She’s my ride.”

Mary chooses that moment to make an appearance. She comes to a halt, giving Darian a nervous look. She has every right to be anxious; Darian is the king of the Wolf Kingdom, and Mary lied to him about my whereabouts.

“Let’s go,” she says quietly to Katherine.

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