Chapter 315
Amber’s POV
I took a deep breath and then spoke. “Do you feel that you truly have the best interest of the pack at heart, when you are gallivanting around p>
“Gallivanting?“” Julian laughed.
“Yes, gallivanting,” I insisted, trying to play my part. “Running all around with that hussy of a mate
“Now wait one minute,” Julian said, his smile abruptly falling. “You can’t talk about my mate that way.
I rolled my eyes at him. “We are supposed to be practicing for the debate. You can’t think Tony isn’t going to try to trip you up like this. He’s definitely going to talk badly about me just to give you a hard time p>
“Then I’ll correct him too,” Julian said.
We were both sitting on the couch in the living room. Though I was holding paperwork with mock questions on them, Julian had his hands free. He slid one of those hands now along the back of the couch behind me.
I lifted a playful brow at him. “Hopefully not in the same way p>
“No,” Julian said, inching closer. “But even from you, I can’t tolerate anyone talking badly about my mate p>
“Julian…” I said in mostly–false warning. I already knew these papers were going to end up on the floor totally forgotten, very soon.
Julian lifted his free hand to cup my cheek. “Now for your punishment,” he said, and kissed me.
I smiled against his lips. “If this is supposed to be a punishment, I don’t think it’s working p>
“Sounds like you haven’t had enough,” he said and kissed me again, licking his way into my mouth this time.
I hummed delightedly.
When we parted again, I said, “I don’t think I’ll ever have enough p>
“Good,” he said. “Because I never want to stop p>
As he kissed me once more, I knew with my heart the things I wasn’t ready to say out loud.
Mostly…
I don’t want it to stop either.
Too soon, the night of the debate arrived. We had invited Aunt Kathy to the house to help watch Alice. After some debate, we decided this wasn’t the time for her to make Tony uncomfortable. We were proud of her for wanting to help in that way, but in an event like this, where it would be Julian and Tony along up on a stage, we didn’t feel it necessary to drag Alice through it.
So after hugging her tightly, we left her at the estate with Aunt Kathy, the regular staff, and a handful of guards Julian was fully confident were most loyal to him.
1/2
I was wearing a conservative dress with a high collar and down to the knee. Julian had on his sharpest suit. His tie was aquamarine, matching the color of my dress.
Tonight, we had to be a unit, working and moving together. We were heading directly into the lion’s den, where the only ally we would have would be one another.
In the backseat of the car, I slid my hand across the space between us to take Julian’s. He held onto me tightly, his grip firm.
Though we didn’t speak aloud, we let this connection talk for us, comforting one another in place of words.
We will make it through.
We will be okay.
Julian’s POV
The debate was to be held in a vast auditorium, which, I could tell even from backstage, was already filled with people.
Amber and I were standing behind the curtains, having been directed there by some of the crew. The event had yet to start, but we were practicing where to stand so that the people and the cameras would be able to see us best.
On the stage were two podiums, one for Tony and one for myself. Amber would be with me in the beginning, during the introductions, but then she would have to leave the stage.
The directions seemed simple enough, and I thought that we could complete these technical issues easily. That was good. With how charismatic Tony was, I knew I would need all of my concentration for the actual debate, with none to spare for stage positioning.
With most of the directions assigned and understood, Amber and I were left to just stand slightly offstage for a time, while the crew worked. There was still fifteen minutes yet before the debate was set to start.
2/2
Chapter 317
Florence
Florence is a passionate reader who finds joy in long drives on rainy days. She’s also a fan of Italian makeup tutorials, blending beauty and elegance into her everyday life.