Everything is wrong.
Through my blurred eyes, I saw a woman in her 70s in front of me, dressed in a plain maid’s uniform and cap.
“I need Jessabella,” I gritted out desperately. “Where is she?”
“In the laundry room, but are you all right? You don’t look very good.”
I strode to the door marked LAUNDRY and shoved it open. And there she was.
My foolish heart gave a painful leap.
She was just as beautiful as I remembered.Morebeautiful, her hands sunk deep into soapy waters.
Her hair hung in soft ice-blonde waves around her shoulders, that perfect crystal princess color that got more beautiful with each silver strand.
And she looked up at me, her blue eyes wide, that perfect sapphire blue color, exactly what the river looked like under all the ice, the reason I couldn’t goanywherein Winter Haven without thinking about her.
“Oh, my lord!” she cried, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment, a few drops of soapy water landing on her shirt, soaking through so I could see the outline of her pretty pink nipples.
And I was undone.
CHAPTER 3
Jessabella
Iwas busy scrubbing wine stains from a tablecloth when I heard a deep voice call my name.
Today I was struggling to stay positive.
I was arejected Omega. I thought I knew my place among the much bigger Betas and Alphas in Winter Haven. I might be smaller, weaker. But I knew my place. It was to serve Edgar, Penn, and Brand.
I didn’t have that role anymore.
Tears gathered at the corner of my eyes and I wiped them away resolutely.
That was in the past. I had to adjust to my new future.
Then I heard,
“Jessabella!”
I froze motionless to see theDukehimself burst through the door to the laundry, and my cheeks burned with humiliation as my pussy gave a traitorous leap.
Because here was one of the twomuchyounger men that I thought dirty shameful things about in the dark, the very ass, shoulders, and forearms I pictured when I slid fingers into my pussy and rode them.
I had overheard bits and pieces of the dinner party conversation surrounding the returned Duke, listening as my former Pack dismissed me like I had meant nothing.
But why was Alexeihere?
He looked just like he did when starring in my feverish lustful fantasies. Movie-star good looks, golden blonde hair, and a tall, athletic frame, his brown eyes kind.
“Yes?” I gasped.
Were my nipplesvisibly pebblingin my top to see him standing in front of me, panting heavily, like he’d just been running?
God, I hoped not.
Alexei said nothing for a moment.
