Page 85 of The Alpha's Cursed Queen

“You’re supposed to be in bed, honey.”

“When are you coming home?” my daughter asks in a plaintive tone. “It’s movie night tonight. We always watch a movie on movie night, but you’re not here.”

“I know. I have this work thing. Do you think we could switch movie night to tomorrow?”

“But movie night is tonight!” Mira insists, sounding upset.

I laugh lightly, wishing I could be there with her, snuggling on the couch and watching cartoons. “How about I make you a deal?” I suggest. “We shift movie night to tomorrow, and we eat as much popcorn and ice cream as you want.”

“I can have as much ice cream as I want?” she demands suspiciously. “Really? You won’t be mad at me if I eat a whole tub?”

“There’s no way you can eat a whole tub,” I chuckle, “but I’ll give you points for trying.”

“I can eat a whole tub,” Mira insists. “I want chocolate chip ice cream. No! The peanut butter one! I want that one!”

“Tomorrow is Saturday, right?” I smile into the phone. “Tell you what: tomorrow morning, we’ll go together to buy the ice cream and other snacks. How does that sound?”

She agrees, the promise of ice cream granting me complete immunity for every crime. “But you have to come home soon. You have to read me a story.”

“I will,” I assure her. “You pick out a story, and when I get back tonight, we’ll both change into our pajamas, and I’ll read it to you.”

“Can I get two stories?” she asks mischievously.

“You’ll fall asleep in the middle of the first one, but sure,” I respond dryly. “Now, you be a good girl for Mrs. Gertrude, and I’ll try to come home as soon as possible.”

When the line finally goes dead, I look down at my phone, smiling.

“Was that your daughter?”

The voice startles me, and when I turn my head, I see Darian standing a few feet from me. “Were you eavesdropping?”

“No. I came out to get some air, and I saw you talking on the phone.”

“Well, can you go get air somewhere else?” I demand.

He tucks his hands in his pockets. “No.”

My temper flares. “Well, then, I’ll go.” I have to walk past him to get back inside, but he grabs me by the elbow, forcing me to come to a halt.

“How long are you going to avoid me?”

I look at him, and his eyes bore into mine. “As long as I have to. I have nothing to say to you.”

“I want to know about the man you married.”

“My marriage is none of your business,” I hiss at him. “Peter and I—”

“Peter?” Darian’s head tilts to one side. “I thought his name was Paul.”

Dang it!Peter was the name I initially chose before I concocted Paul. I still get the two mixed up at times.

“That’s what I meant.” I pull my arm away from Darian. “Paul and I were madly in love. He was better than you in every conceivable way, and the hole he left in my life can never be filled again. I have a lot on my plate, so if you don’t mind, please just leave me alone.”

He blocks my path, his eyes glittering with a strange emotion. “Why did you say Peter?”

I’m beginning to panic. “It was a slip of the tongue.”

“There’s no slip of the tongue when it comes to the name of the man you loved.” Darian narrows his eyes. “Who’s Peter?”

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