SAMPLE - The Hunting Game (Rejection Series #1)

Bonus Chapter - Titus & Patience

B O N U S - C H A P T ER

"Ivana!" I shouted at the top of my lungs as I saw her getting her new sundress dirty. She looked up at me from the dirt she was sitting on. Her icy blue eyes held innocence to it but her grin told me she knew exactly what she was doing. Two dimples appeared as she stood up.

"I was playing house, mama." She reasoned. "This is my bed. I was about to go to sleep, mama."

"Ivana, I swear you will be the death of me. I can't believe you just got your second dress dirty again. You know your papa's friends are coming over." I crouched before her as I lifted her up and patted away the dirt. It was a good thing she was wearing dark blue sun dress. Her black hair tumbled in curls over her shoulders. I moved to fix away the hair that managed to escape the hair clip I had in her hair.

"Mama, is papa's friends nice?" She asked.

I smiled and my facial expression softened. "Of course, darling."

"Then they will love me even if I am dirty." She replied.

For a five year old, she was a pretty defiant little thing. She loves playing with the boys and I have a feeling she dirtied up her dress on purpose. Out from the corner of my eyes, I saw Titus walking towards us. He was dressed in a white dress shirt and black trouser with a black belt around his waist. He was buttoning up his cuff.

"Here you two are." He said as he made it to my side.

I moved and placed my forehead against his shoulder as I groaned. "Please tell me, my daughter will stop driving me crazy."

"I can't." Titus replied honestly. "I think she will continue to drive us both crazy."

"She's wild, Titus. We need to teach her some manners." I responded to him. He chuckled and wrapped his arms around me.

"Ivana, please stop driving your mama crazy." Titus chided gently.

"But papa don't you love me?" She asked.

"Oh no you don't. You don't get to use that on us." I said.

"But mama don't you love me?" She asked.

I rolled my eyes and I heard Titus laughing next to me. I slapped him playfully on the chest before crouching again and kissing her dirty nose.

"I do love you, Ivana. You are my child." I said. "There is no one I would love more than you."

"What about papa?" She asked.

I grinned. "I guess I love him a little."

Titus crouched next to me and pinched my butt. I let out a soft squeal and he made an attempt to nip at my cheek. "Cheeky female."

I giggled and stood up, holding onto my daughter's hand. "C'mon, let's go wait for your friends."

We walked to the front of the house, where Christian and Emily were waiting with their son, Killian. He was the same age as my daughter. He was a handsome little boy with his dad's dark black hair. He stood a few inches taller than my daughter. The color of his golden skin was A beautiful reflection of his mixed race. His eyes were gorgeous like his father's eyes. His chest was puffed out as he stood next to his father as he placed his hand behind his back, silently waiting.

"Are they here yet?" Titus asked a little annoyed he had to wait as soon as we approached Christian and Emily.

Christian shook his head. "They will be here in two minutes from the last time I called."

"Why are you all dirty?" Killian asked as he looked at Ivana with a scrunched nose.

"I was playing house." Ivana stated simply as she lifted her chin, propping her hands on her hips.

"You're a girl. Stop rolling around in the dirt." Killian scolded her. He was always so serious.

"Just because I am a girl doesn't mean I can't play with dirt, dummy." My daughter replied angrily back.

"That's unclean." Killian pursed his lips.

"Nah uh!" She sputtered back.

"Yeah huh." He responded immediately.

Ivana stopped her feet. "Nah uh!"

"Yeah huh!"

"Nah uh!"

"Nah uh!"

"Yeah huh!" Ivana shouted and quickly realized what she just agreed on. She covered her mouth immediately. Killian burst out laughing.

"You're mean, Killian. I don't like you." She shouted as tears welled up in her eyes. I quickly moved to recover the situation before it got worse.

"Ivana, it is okay. You can play in the dirt; just remember to clean yourself up when you are done." I turned to Killian. "Killian it is not nice to tease a girl."

"You're right, Luna." He turned toward Ivana. "I'm sorry."

"I still don't like you." Ivana responded. I rolled my eyes. "I will never like you, Killian. You're mean. You always bully me."

Killian looked a little hurt. His eyes held a little sadness in it before he turned his back on Ivana and stood next to his dad. I kissed Ivana's cheek and pulled her up close to me. She sniffled but as soon as she saw people coming up the driveway she smiled happily.

Titus moved to wrap his arm around my waist as he kissed the top of my forehead. He leaned down and whispered. "I love you, my little Luna."