I widened my eyes in shocked surprise at the sight I beheld. The place was a dreadful mess with some of my brand-new dresses flung everywhere in disarray, destroyed and torn in shreds.

“What the hell happened?” I muttered, flabbergasted.

The place had been perfectly clean and my clothes intact before I’d left the room this morning. So how did this happen?

Instantly Sophie popped in my mind. I knew without a doubt it was her who was behind this distasteful trick. What the hell was wrong with the woman? Surely this was uncalled for. Why was she behaving like a child?

I sighed in frustration. Was she declaring war on me? Was she in her very obnoxious way telling me I wasn’t wanted here?

Yeah, right!

I picked up the shredded dresses as I muttered in irritation under my breath. While I was cleaning up the place, I told myself that if the bitch desperately wanted a showdown between her and me, because it was clear she had gone this far to secure one, then it’d be coldhearted of me not to indulge her.

After I’d placed the beyond-repair clothing to one side of the closet and then finished tidying up the rest of the mess, I retrieved one of the most expensive and beautiful summer dresses James had bought for me, one that luckily hadn’t been destroyed by the dragon Sophie, and headed into the bathroom.

In the shower, I took my time cleaning myself, making sure I shampooed and conditioned my hair thoroughly, not to simply wash off all the dirt I’d accumulated during my fun time with James, Aria, and the dogs at the park, but to ensure each single strand shined brilliantly.

Once I’d finished showering, I began my makeup. I made sure my face was made up prettily, not too overdone but not under either. I wanted it to be neutral with just the right hint of dark mascara and glossy lips. Then once I was finally done, I put on my dress. A few moments later, as I looked at myself in the mirror, I nodded in approval. This, I was certain, would punch Sophie right where it hurt most—her ego and her heart, which was green with envy.

Tossing my hair over my shoulder, I headed out the door, humming to myself.

I came into the family living area, a place Aria usually spent time with her father and now me as well. I found her giggling and rolling around on the floor with Sammy and Alfie in a corner near the long window that had a great view of Los Angeles below. I noted Sophie wasn’t too far away, sitting on the sofa, and not surprisingly, she was frowning with disapproval at Aria’s behavior.

I cleared my throat, which drew Aria’s attention as well as Sophie’s.

The moment Aria saw me, she smiled with delight. And of course, I didn’t miss the shocked disbelief in Sophie’s eyes when she saw me in the cute dress. I thought she must have wondered why she’d missed destroying this one of all the dresses presented to her in the closet.

Although it was merely a summer dress, it was one that was suited for both casual as well as elegant wear. The lines fit my body perfectly and enhanced my pale skin tone, which no doubt must have really pissed Sophie off.

“Hi, Aria,” I said loudly as I came into the room toward the little girl.

Aria giggled and said, “You look awfully pretty, Mia. Are you going out with Daddy for dinner? That dress is really nice.”

I could honestly feel Sophie flinch when Aria asked if I was going out to dinner with James.

I sat on the floor beside the little girl and pulled her into my arms. I noted she, too, smelled clean with newly shampooed hair. She must have just had a shower, like me. This evening she wore a casual, short and white T-shirt with the words I *heart* LA on it, which reminded me of the shirt I acquired when I’d first arrived in LA after Alfie had naughtily destroyed most of my clothing. Of course, the culprit was having a fine time lounging on my lap right now and licking my hands to his heart’s content.

“No. I’m not going out to dinner with James. But we’re going to have a family dinner here together,” I said, exaggerating the word family to really taunt Sophie. God, I felt like a bitch. Although, truth be told, I felt awfully guilty for using such a term because I knew I wasn’t James’s family, and furthermore, I wasn’t even sure if I was welcome.

“Wow! That’s nice. A family dinner.” Aria chuckled.

I returned to the subject of my dress because it was important. “Do you really think my dress is pretty?” I asked Aria. “I didn’t buy it though.” I eyed Sophie and thought, God, I really want to confront the woman right now about my shredded dresses. But I couldn’t because Aria was here, and I didn’t want an innocent child to see two adults arguing about something so trivial.

“Then did someone buy it for you?” Aria asked curiously, which was exactly the question I wanted her to voice.

I nodded. “Yes, someone did buy it for me, along with my other clothes. Can you guess who it is?” I teased.

Aria cocked her head to one side. “Can you give me some clues?”

I chuckled and eagerly helped her out. “Someone you know very well. Someone who buys clothes for you too. And presents as well.”

Aria’s face brightened immediately. “I know. I know.” She hyperactively shrieked out in delight. “It’s Daddy. It’s Daddy.”

I nodded in confirmation. “That’s right. It’s your dad.” When I was saying this, I was looking at Sophie, telling her with my expression that I knew what she did to my dresses.

The arrogant woman simply glared at me as if she would really like to murder me for taunting her.

Aria pulled me close and whispered into my ear, “Did you say thank you to him and then kiss him to show him how happy you are?”

I blinked and frowned. Come to think of it, I’d never officially said thank you to James after he’d bought my clothes. The more I thought about it, the more I felt I was an ungrateful person. Sure, we’d usually have sex after the shopping, but for me to simply say thank you and give him a nice, grateful kiss? Never.

I shook my head in shame and said, “Umm… No, I’ve never said thank you to your father or kissed him like that.”

Aria, acting like the mature one here, shook her head in disapproval. “Naughty Mia. When you see Daddy, you have to say thank you to him and kiss him, okay? It’s the right thing to do.”

I chuckled and nodded my head in obedience. “Aye-aye, Captain,” I said, and Aria giggled.

It was then Sophie finally voiced her opinion. “Aria, please behave yourself. And please remember what I told you about interacting with this street rat.”

Her warning pissed me off instantly, and I couldn’t help myself. “Street rat? Are you implying the street rat is me, Sophie?”

She sneered and said, “Aren’t you one? A girl from who knows where?”

“Mia is not a street rat, Sophie,” Aria said. “She’s a person. A human being. Not a rat. And she’s fun to play with. Rats are not fun to play with, and they’re awfully dirty. I read it in books.”

I nodded at Aria. “That’s right. I’m fun to play with, aren’t I, Aria?”

Aria nodded. “And she doesn’t have a stick up her backside like you do, Sophie.”

I burst out laughing at the little girl’s comment, while Sophie looked flabbergasted.

“My God! Aria, where did you learn such an awful thing?” she said in outrage. Instantly she shot a death glare at me. “It was you, wasn’t it? Who taught innocent Aria such vile things? I was right. You’re awful. I will have to inform James immediately of your disgusting behavior. You are not a good role model to Aria; that’s for sure.”

I pulled a face at her and said haughtily, “Be my guest, Sophie. Though I’m not so sure James will appreciate your concern.”

She was enraged immediately. “What the fuck is that supposed to mean, you bitch?”

I was rendered speechless at her outburst and with such language in front of Aria too.

Aria was so shocked she even had her mouth open in the form of an O.

“Sophie, you just swore at Mia,” Aria said. “That’s not very nice.”

James entered the room at that moment, looking disarmingly handsome and alluring.

“What’s all this about?” he asked at the door. “My two darlings laughing so loud I can hear from upstairs. And Sophie…?” He didn’t have to finish his sentence to tell any of us he’d heard Sophie hurling foul language at me.

Aria rushed up to her dad and said, “Daddy, Sophie is not very nice to Mia. She swore at Mia and calls her street rat. But Mia isn’t a street rat. She’s a human being like me and you and Sophie. I don’t like mean people, Daddy.”

James eyed Sophie darkly and commented, “Is that so?”

Sophie looked flustered immediately. “That wasn’t what I meant, Aria dear.”

“Then what do you mean?” I asked, more than a little pissed at her treatment of me.

“I…,” she muttered. “I really didn’t mean it like that.”

James said in finality, perhaps to end our minor dispute that was apparently going nowhere, “You can explain it to me tomorrow, Sophie.”

Sophie nodded in agreement. “Yes, sir.”

I didn’t miss the glint in her eyes as she smiled at James. I knew in my gut the woman had something up her sleeve. Jesus! She was going to tell him how vile I was, wasn’t she? That I was a bad influence on Aria and teaching her mischievous stuff, wasn’t she? Which was, of course, untrue.

Aria’s voice drew my attention from my dreadful thoughts.

“Mia told me you bought clothes for her,” the little girl said to her dad.

James picked his daughter up into his arms as he confirmed her statement. “Yes, I did.”

Aria nodded. Then she turned her face to me and gave me a sort of triumphant look that made me want to laugh out loud and pinch her cheek in adoration.

“It’s the right thing to do,” she said firmly.

I licked my lips because I knew I wasn’t going to get out of it. After all, I didn’t want to disappoint Aria, nor did I want to pass up the chance to taunt Sophie even further. The intimate, innocent action I was about to commit was a sign of sorts, which bluntly informed Sophie I had the upper hand where James was concerned, regardless of her telling him about how unsavory my character was.

I raised myself from my sitting position on the floor, straightened my skirt properly, and then headed over to where James stood near the door, Aria in his arms. During this time, I could feel Sophie’s cold eyes on me, which, of course, didn’t really bother me. After all, I wanted her to see me do this.

Once I was in front of him, I said softly, “Thank you for buying my clothes.”

James looked more than a little perplexed at my sudden admission, which didn’t surprise me.

Then I stood on tiptoes and planted my lips on his in a soft, tender kiss.

He felt firm and warm, just as he always did whenever I kissed him or he me. Of course, I didn’t miss the fact that Aria was giggling in excitement upon seeing my smooching her dad either.

When I finally drew back, James chuckled. “That isn’t good enough, Mia.”

What? Really?

I was shocked to hear him say that, and in front of his daughter and Sophie too.

“Maybe you don’t know how to kiss right, Mia,” Aria said. “You’re an adult, so you have to do adult kissing, right, Daddy?”

The father firmly agreed with his cunning daughter by nodding.

I thought what was done was done and simply wanted to end this kissing business now, regardless if Sophie was still watching us or not. I was about to suggest we go right ahead and have dinner when James pulled me close with one hand and planted his firm lips on mine with a hot, scorching kiss that sent delicious sensations right to my core.

His lips pressed hard against mine while his tongue urged me to part my lips for him. I didn’t oblige simply because Aria was right there with us, and I didn’t want her to witness her dad and me doing real adult kissing.

James finally relented and pulled back.

Even though this particular showy kiss wasn’t deep with tongue stroking and caressing, which would undoubtedly send me reeling in delight and wanting more, I still felt dazed. James really did have such an overwhelmingly powerful effect on me.

“Shall we have some dinner?” he asked.

With my face flushed red and my head still in a haze of delicious sensation, I nodded without much thought.

Aria confirmed by saying, “I’m starving, Daddy.”