Page 33
We’ve discussed this demonstration at great length over the last couple of days, as we’ve ironed out the details of our arrangement. I’ve promised to help her look into her father’s arrest, but I was very careful with my wording not to agree to more than that. I can hardly get him released if he’s actually guilty, and right now, the evidence is damning, and I’m a little surprised he’s still alive.
Besides, after Harper has given herself to me, there’s no going back. She can’t change her mind just because she thinks I’m not fulfilling my part of the bargain, so I’m just doing enough to get her to the damn ceremony.
Some Pledges fuck their Prize as a way of showing their willingness to obey, while others simply force the Prize to follow their instructions in front of the audience. It’s my choice how I demonstrate Harper’s loyalty, and I wasn’t entirely sure how far she’d be willing to go to prove herself. Naturally, she surprised me by saying she’d do whatever was needed.
There’s no way I’m fucking her for the first time in front of a room full of horny men—I’m far too fucking possessive for that. I want to be the only one who watches her bleed all over my cock as she whimpers my name.
But I’m aware that leaves us in a bit of a predicament, one my father is not making any easier. He called me into his office yesterday to discuss the ceremony, and I’m so fucking pissed about it, I can’t get it out of my head.
“Come in,” my father’s booming voice shouts through the door before I’ve even finished knocking.
Pulling in a deep breath, trying to steel my nerves, I walk into my father’s study and find him sitting behind his large mahogany desk. His eyes, so like my own, latch onto me, observing as I stride confidently over to the chairs in front of him. I sit without waiting for an invitation, and it amuses me that his nose wrinkles in disgust at my lack of manners.
“Lawson, glad you could come to see me.” George Radley doesn’t bother with pleasantries, even with his own son, choosing to get straight to business instead, which is fine by me.
He makes it sound as if I could refuse his invitation, when we both know I couldn’t. He sends word that he wants to see me, and I drop everything to do as I’m told.
“What do you want?” I ask sternly, not caring that my tone only seems to wind him up more.
“It’s the Gifting Ceremony tomorrow, and you’ve yet to tell me who you have chosen. I thought I’d have heard from you by now. I gave you a long list of girls to choose from.”
I wince as I remember the fucking list. I also remember setting it on fire not long after he gave it to me, since I had no intention of choosing any of the women he selected. Before there was even the slightest possibility of Harper choosing me, I still didn’t plan on letting my father have any say over who I fuck for a year.
“I didn’t choose anyone on your list, so I didn’t think you’d want to know,” I tell him casually with a shrug of my shoulders.
His cheeks begin to turn red as he balls his hands into fists, his forehead wrinkling as anger overtakes him. “What do you mean you didn’t choose from the list? They are the only women I will approve of,” he says through gritted teeth, fixing me with a hard glare that I’m sure he’s hoping will scare me—it doesn’t.
“All the women on your list were either ugly, fucking annoying, or just plain dull. If I’m going to be stuck with the Prize for the entire year, it has to be someone I won’t want to murder after one week,” I tell him.
“I don’t give a shit what you want, Lawson. It’s your duty to forge connections that benefit our family. I, personally, think Lena is your best choice,” he states harshly, his nostrils flaring as I wave my hand dismissively.
“I’m very aware of my responsibilities, Father. I’m sure you’re already plotting my future Betrothal to some vapid, shallow bitch who will enhance our family name—and wealth. But agreeing to let you choose who I marry is as far as I’m willing to go. You don’t get any say in who I fuck.”
Holding his gaze, I make it clear I won’t budge on this. I don’t even bother commenting on him choosing Lena, the daughter of one of his business partners. I’ve never met the girl, and have no idea what she looks like, so she was never even a consideration.
“Who have you chosen, Lawson?” I can hear the irritation in his tone, and it takes all of my effort not to grin. There’s nothing I love more than winding my father up.
I pull my shoulders back and keep my gaze locked with his as I confidently and proudly say, “Harper Westmore.”
The fury now blazing in his dark eyes is a scorching inferno compared to his previous anger. A thunderous crack echoes around us as he slams his fist onto the desk, the polished wood groaning under the impact. A visible tremor passes through his body, deepening the furrow in his brow like a storm cloud gathering.
“Over my fucking dead body. Bob Westmore’s daughter? The fucking traitor?”
His voice becomes more high-pitched with each word that comes out of his mouth, but I keep my expression relaxed as I shrug my shoulders at him.
“That’s the one.” I sound much more amused than I was going for, but I can’t help it.
The prominent, pulsing vein on his temple makes me curious whether continuously provoking him could lead to it bursting and him bleeding to death. One can only hope!
“No! Absolutely not, Lawson. You need to find someone else.”
I roll my eyes at his dramatics. “It’s too late. The Ceremony is tomorrow, and I’ve already submitted her name to Xander. He approved.”
Every Pledge has to submit the name of their Prize to their Head of House. It’s then their job to make sure that the Prize is gifting herself willingly, and that he approves of the match. It’s very rare for a Head of House to reject a proposal, but it has been known to happen under extreme circumstances.
“I knew this was something the Obsidian Council should have had a say in,” my father mutters, and I have to bite my lip to stop myself from laughing.
As a member of the Obsidian Council, my father has been campaigning for the last two years for the Council to become involved in the Prize selection. It’s always been the job of the Head of House, and the Council have always felt they have enough work to do without taking on more.
