Page 135 of The Wrong Groom

I clear my throat, keeping my voice steady. “What’s going on?”

Travis chuckles, the sound grating. “No ‘hello,’ Alexis?”

I bristle but don’t take the bait. Instead, I look directly at my father. “Why is he here?”

My father sighs as if I’m being difficult, then gestures toward the empty chair beside Travis. “Sit down, please.”

I don’t think I have much of a choice in the matter. My knees feel weak as I approach the glass desk, as though my body itself is protesting the proximity to Travis, but I sit down. I can feel his eyes on me and do my best to stay focused on my father, avoiding Travis’s stare.

“Now. We haven’t discussed the matter, but your mother and I are aware of your divorce.” My father’s tone is businesslike, but I can sense the reproach behind the words. “Fortunately for us, we still have options. We reached out to the Whitakers, and Travis was kind enough to agree to our original terms.”

I grip the arms of the chair, my knuckles whitening. “What?”

“We’re returning to the offer from Travis and his family,” my mother says flatly. “You ought to be grateful that he’s still willing to marry you, even after your divorce with Gabriel.”

I feel the room tilt slightly, my pulse hammering in my temples. No. This can’t be happening. The dust hasn’t even settled, and already, my parents are trying to arrange a new marriage for me, like I’m some discarded item being reshelved.

And to Travis, of all people. His smile is sharp, predatory.

“I don’t mind if you’ve already had a bit of experience being married,” he says, in what’s probably supposed to be a genial tone. “No skin off my nose.”

I stare at him, my stomach twisting—whether from nausea or fear, I can’t tell. I open my mouth, then close it, searching desperately for the words to protest.

Before I can say anything, before I can defend myself, someone speaks from behind me.

“What the hell is going on here?”

I turn, startled. The sound of that voice—Gabriel’s voice—drives my heart into a wild rhythm. I grip the arms of the chair to steady myself as he approaches, marching down the hallway toward the open office door. Gabriel doesn’t pause as Debra rises hurriedly from her desk and approaches him. He holds up a hand and strides past her, storming into my father’s office like a tempest.

“I warned you,” he growls, his gaze fixed on Travis. “I warned you what would happen if you didn’t leave Alexis alone. So what the fuck is this?”

Travis smirks. His handsome face scrunches unpleasantly with the expression, as if it’s not natural on his features. “I’m afraid you’re not welcome here. This is between myself and the Beaumonts.”

“Like hell it is.”

“Mr. Thorne.” My father puffs his chest out, visibly affronted. “Get out of my office, this instant, or I’ll be forced to call security.”

Gabriel ignores him completely. He jabs an accusing finger toward Travis. “You’re a fucking weasel,” he snarls, taking a step closer, his arms taut with barely restrained fury. “A scheming little⁠—”

“Gabriel,” Travis interrupts, “I understand that this must be difficult for you, but it’s none of your concern what Alexis chooses to⁠—”

“Chooses?” Gabriel barks a laugh. “Oh, please.”

“Mr. Thorne,” my father snaps. His hand hovers over the phone on his desk, and I rise halfway out of my chair. I’m not sure what I’m hoping to accomplish, if I think I’m going to stop him from making the call, but my mother shoots me a vicious stare, and I sink back down.

Gabriel still doesn’t acknowledge my father. All of his attention is fixed upon Travis. “This wasn’t part of your terms.”

Terms? What the hell is he talking about?

Travis’s smirk shrinks by a degree. He rolls his shoulders as if to firm up his stance, then retorts, “You had no right to know about it, quite frankly. You’re out of the picture.”

“She is not some object you get to⁠—”

“There’s no need for these theatrics,” Travis says coldly. “Just go, please. You’re trespassing. These are Vérité’s offices.”

“I’m on the damn board.” Gabriel’s lip curls, and for the first time, his gaze lands on my father. “They haven’t seen fit to remove me yet. So I’ll go where I like.”

“This is a private meeting,” my father retorts, but Gabriel is already back to ignoring him.