Chapter 38
Once Maddox and I were dressed, we headed out the door to the golf cart to make our way to the main building. He was wearing a dark blue suit with a white dress shirt. His top button was undone, and he bore no tie.
I was wearing a white dress with a tight pencil skirt that was knee length.
The corset bodice was embroidered with an intricate floral design with sheer cap sleeves.
I wore white peep-toe heels and donned a pair of diamond stud earrings with a matching necklace.
Half of my hair was pulled up and curls spilled down my back.
When we reached the front entrance of the building, I realized that we were the last to arrive. I looked at Maddox with confusion in my eyes.
“Are we late?”
“No, we set it up for you to be the last person to arrive. It was intentional, and Bonnie didn’t think you would be willing to arrive last—at least not on purpose.
You are the guest of honor; technically, this is your formal introduction.
You only greeted the leaders and their families.
Jerome is here, and a few others that we deemed to be important enough in the operating of this organization. ”
“Well, she was right. I would not have agreed to arrive last; but I do understand what she is doing and why.”
We stepped out of the golf cart and Maddox took my hand in his. As we entered the lobby, Sarah was standing there in an adorable blue cocktail dress.
“Cocktails and hors d’oeuvres are in the library. Would you like me to show you?”
“No, thank you Sarah. We know just where to go.”
“Enjoy your night, Joslyn.”
“Thank you, Sarah. Will you be joining us this evening?”
“No, this is a more intimate event. I will see you at the gala on Thursday, though.”
“I look forward to seeing you on Thursday.”
“Thank you. I look forward to it as well.”
“Enjoy the rest of your evening, Sarah,” Maddox said as he tugged me toward the library. I was stalling and he knew it.
“Thank you, Mr. Hale. Enjoy your night.”
As we drew near the open doors of the library, Maddox brought my hand to his lips. He brushed his lips against the back of my hand.
“You’re going to be great.” I smiled at him and took a deep breath. I nodded my head, and we stepped over the threshold.
The room was even more beautiful than I had imagined.
Now all the candles were lit, and the room was bustling with beautiful people wearing beautiful clothes.
The faint smell of food wafted through the air as waiters, carrying trays, worked their way around the room offering delectable morsels of food and flutes of champagne.
There was a bartender manning the portable bar that Bonnie had retrieved our drinks from earlier in the day.
Mingling with the smell of food was cologne and perfume that made the room come alive and ignite all of your senses.
Bonnie was approaching quickly with her trademark smile that put everyone at ease. “You are breathtaking, and that dress is perfect for your introduction.” She grabbed my hands and looked me in the eyes. “Are you ready?”
“It’s now or never,” I said, taking a deep breath and smiling. She turned around and addressed the room.
“Ladies and gentlemen, I would like to formally announce the arrival of your new leader. She is the granddaughter of Raymond Lawson and with her comes a breath of fresh air and new beginnings. I have had the honor of spending quite a bit of time with Joslyn as of late, and I can say with certainty that we are heading into a new era of co-existence. I do hope that everyone goes into this with an open mind and an open heart. She will carry on the strength and guidance that Ray offered while also giving a new perspective and a willingness to learn. Without further ado I give you Joslyn Ray Lawson.”
I was blushing terribly as she finished her introduction. Now they were going to expect a speech, and I couldn’t just not. I stepped up next to where Bonnie was standing with open arms. She embraced me and I placed a kiss on her cheek and whispered in her ear.
“Thank you.” When we separated, her smile was huge, genuine, and contagious.
“Thank you so much Bonnie for that absolutely flattering introduction. I hope I can live up to a fraction of what this woman thinks of me, y’all. Isn’t she the best? Am I right?” I started a round of applause for the woman that seemed to hold everything together.
“Well, first off, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you for shoving everything else aside and making yourselves available at the drop of a hat. That speaks volumes about your commitment to this organization, and I appreciate that—maybe more. When everyone is invested, that will make my job much easier. I only recently learned that this part of our world existed, so, I ask you to be patient with me because I am learning as fast as I can. I ask a lot of questions, and everyone so far has been great about giving me answers to those questions.” My nerves were starting to subside.
I hated speaking in front of a crowd, but I was able to ease into it.
“I originally thought when Ronan told me about what I could call my birthright that my grandfather should have told me. He should have educated me and taught me how to deal with things that I would eventually begin making decisions about. Now standing here and realizing that the Ray you all knew, and the Ray I knew were two different people, I am glad he left me in the dark. I don’t want to run things the way that he did, whatever way that was.
I want to do things how my heart and brain tell me to.
Not years of conditioning ingrained in me by your previous leader, that was someone I didn’t really know at all.
So please, as I make my way around tonight and I speak with you and present you with my ideas, I ask that you maintain an open mind and don’t discount me just yet.
I want what is best for everyone, and I am someone who will seek the truth.
No matter what feathers I ruffle. Again, I would like to thank everyone for coming and please, drink, eat and enjoy yourselves. ”
I bowed slightly to the room in thanks and returned to where Maddox was standing. One by one, starting with Bonnie and Heather, everyone rose to their feet and began to clap. He put his arm around my shoulders and kissed my forehead.
“That was perfect,” he said reassuringly as the applause died down. “Let’s go get a drink.”
He took my hand, and we walked in the direction of the bar. As we were making our way across the floor, Caspien swept into our path. We came to a stop in front of him.
“Caspien, how nice to see you again,” I greeted the witch as Maddox placed his hand on the small of my back.
“I am going to get us drinks. I will be back in a few moments,” he said as he leaned in close. He nodded at Caspien. “Can I bring you anything from the bar?”
“No, thank you though.” He turned his attention to me. “I enjoyed your speech very much, Joslyn. If what you say is true, then it seems as though you may be shaking things up.”
Maddox glided away to order beverages. I took my time pondering the words that came out of his mouth to let them roll around in my head as I searched for the proper response.
“My intentions are not necessarily to—shake things up. I am ignorant to the way things currently work for the most part. My goal is to not be a dictator, not trying to imply that my grandfather was. I don’t know one way or the other.
My goal is for the leaders to help me decide things.
I don’t want to have all the say, especially when I have only just been introduced to this world, and you all have lived in it for far longer.
Would you like to find a place to sit and talk? ”
Caspien offered me his arm, and I slid my arm into his.
We found a small sitting area in the back of the library.
I sat down on a velvet couch just as Maddox appeared with our drinks.
Caspien sat down in the chair closest to where I sat while Maddox took a seat next to me.
He set our drinks on the coffee table in front of us.
“I didn’t mean to insinuate that your viewpoint on how your grandfather ran things was negative. I know that I personally thought very highly of Ray. I didn’t think of him as a dictator. I could see how the way we handle things may have given you that impression though.”
“I just think it may be a bit antiquated to think that because we are the weaker of the races, that we pose no threat. Therefore, the protocol or normal way of doing things makes humans look to be as dangerous as a house fly. I don’t need a bunch of cryptids telling me I am in charge like it makes me feel important or that none of you couldn’t end my life at the drop of a hat.
That doesn’t mean we are not dangerous; history has shown us that humans are very good at banding together to fight against something they don’t understand.
Something they have no desire to understand.
They simply want to eliminate the things they don’t deem normal.
So, I would like to share the burden of making big decisions.
I want my human instincts to be kept in check just as much as you, I assume, want to keep your animalistic instincts in check. ”
Caspien swirled the caramel-colored liquid in his glass, the ice clinking against the side.
He leaned forward and tipped the vessel to his lips.
Opening his mouth, he swallowed all the liquid.
He bit down on a piece of ice as he set his glass onto the table.
I picked up my own glass and took a sip.
The slow burn felt good and made me relax; if only slightly.
A waiter rounded the corner with a tray of assorted canapes.
I took a cracker with something on it, and he handed me a napkin.
The gentlemen declined and the waiter moved on.