Continental Life by Ella Dominguez Read Free Book Online Page A

and my own personal issues I have to get past, but we’ll go over all that eventually. After you hear everything that’s going to be expected of you, you may change your mind about wanting to attend.”
    ***
    Xander said nothing more, only leaving her to guess what his personal issues about her attending were. Nothing was going to change her mind – no amount of rules or regulations. As far as she was concerned, she had already been taught by the best, so not one single thing those people threw her way would deter her, no matter how stringent it might be. She was being given one chance and one chance only to finally see Xander - Professor Pettifor – hard at work and the goings on of the mysterious DDTC. This was her opportunity to be under his rule and command once again and that tantalizing fact alone could get her through anything.
     

Five
    Two tediously slow days after her and Xander’s private appointment in his office, she prepared for her meeting with the DDTC heads. She would be facing a panel of her prospective instructors, including Xander, for an in-depth discussion regarding the questionnaire she had received the day before, and to discuss the strict guidelines alluded to. After that she would be taken on a tour of the property and given her course syllabus. The nervous energy coursing through her veins made her feel as if she would piss her pants. She hadn’t been so anxious since her interview with Xander five years earlier.
    She had begged him to give her a hint of what kinds of responses they wanted on the feedback form so she could word her answers appropriately, but Xander stated it would be an unfair advantage and that she just needed to respond truthfully. That was easier said than done. After all, she wasn’t only representing herself, but her future husband – Professor Pettifor. Fear of disappointing him was more prevalent than the nervousness and she suddenly felt lightheaded and nauseous.
    This was even more troublesome to think about than when she faced the medical board of the University for her admittance interview.
    Dressed in the navy blue, nautical, retro pin-up dress and matching platform shoes that Xander had set out for her, she exited the Rolls and thanked Dante. With so much of her time spent at school and doing clinical hours, it wasn’t often she got the pleasure of being chauffeured around like the old days. Upon starting school, she had pled her case to Xander and explained that being driven to the University in a Rolls Royce Ghost would only be counteractive to being taken seriously by her peers and professors. Though she may have been his ‘Princess,’ she most certainly didn’t want to come off as one. After presenting all of her reasons in a calm and clear-headed manner, he gave his consent and allowed her to drive herself to school. In an uncharacteristically passive gesture, he even permitted her to choose her own vehicle; after laying out the five options he had deemed acceptably safe , of course. After much contemplation, she chose the least flashy of the choices – a Lexus 600h L.
    Clutching her wristlet, she s tood outside the enormous mahogany, double-door entrance and scanned the premises. There were no other buildings near and the secluded spot only added to the intrigue surrounding the DDTC. The four-story structure sat neatly tucked into one of the coves that she had eyed just a few nights ago, but it was no ordinary building – it was a home. The architecture was modern-Victorian and exuded nothing less than majestic grandeur. The serenity enveloping the area was astounding. Perhaps it was the San Francisco Bay just within view or the perfectly manicured lawn and floral greenery. It was hard to put her finger on exactly what it was… Bella peered down at the lawn beneath her feet. Not a single blade of grass was out of place. She bent over and touched a calla lily- just to make sure it was real. It was. When she rose, she pinched her arm, just to make