AllFreeNovel
Share Us
He smirks. “Hardly. I just want this entire mess over with quickly. So I’ll say and do whatever needs to happen to assure that outcome.”
“But—”
“Don’t look at me with those shocked eyes. You put yourself in this situation, Lyriope. Not me.”
Oddly enough, I like the way my name sounds on his tongue—even in this heated conversation. I’ve waited for so long to hear it. But—
“If the Sidorovs want your hand in marriage, then fine. It’s not like you have any better options,” he adds.
“You can’t expect me to marry a complete stranger,” I say, trying to make my voice come out with more power—power I’m not exactly feeling right now.
Bryant has a way of making me feel so small with just a few words and little actions. I feel as if my surroundings are getting larger and larger, and I’m simply shrinking in his presence. I hate the feeling. I hate that this is the way my first time alone with my father is. I hate that this is happening, and I hate that I feel like I can’t regain my size no matter how hard I’m trying to withstand him diminishing my presence.
My father’s eyes darken, his jawline stiffens, and he leans forward with his arms resting on his knees. His laser focus on me sends a shiver down my spine. “That is exactly what I expect. I also expect for this conversation to be over. You made your bed. Now fucking lie in it.”
My father returns his attention back to his phone. I know immediately that the conversation is over unless I want a fight—which I don’t. Any further attempt at a discussion is futile.
Silence is all I got.
The worst part of the silence is that I had absolutely nothing to distract me from my thoughts of Nick. Remembering the way he looked at me as I said goodbye. His words, his body so close to mine as I fought the urge to throw myself at him and to beg for him to take me back to El Boro where we were happy.
God, we were so happy.
Nick would have fought for me if I allowed it.
He would have died trying which I couldn’t see happen.
I couldn’t risk his life for a fantasy. For a fairy tale that has to come to an end. Nick offered me a Wonderland that only existed for a short time.
Bright. Vibrant. Sparks of complete passion and joy.
But fleeting…
No. It was time to begin the next chapter in my life. That chapter is over and on to the next one.
As we enter the Morelli mansion, I can’t help but feel as if it’s the first time I’m seeing it. Even though I’ve been here before—in secret—I’ve never entered the front doors asme.
LyriopeMorelli.
“Where’s Sarah?” Bryant asks the butler standing in the foyer greeting us.
“She’s out running errands. She should be arriving shortly, sir.”
Bryant nods, audibly breathes out his nose, rubs his hand on the back of his neck, and frowns. He then looks at a small-statured woman wearing a uniform that makes her look older than I believe her to be at the edge of the grand spiral staircase. “This is Lyriope. She’ll be staying here for a short time. Please get her settled in.”
And just like that, I’m being dismissed. But there’s still so much to discuss. So much to plan. We haven’t come to a solution about my future, and there is so much to talk about. It’s like Bryant has completely moved on from what just occurred in Italy. As if it’s simply a blip in his schedule and back to business as usual. Except there is nothing usual about this. I was kidnapped, multiple times, and auctioned to the highest bidder. I was hunted down and now in a position to be married off to a complete stranger. And the worst part is that Bryant seems completely unfazed by this. He doesn’t seem to care.
I’ve always been curious about how the first time I’d ever meet my father would be. Dylan and I have both talked about what this day would be like—mine were always a fairy tale, and Dylan’s always rooted in reality—but nowhere in our visions did it involve me being cast off to the staff as if I’m nobody of importance. I didn’t expect to feel discarded like trash. I didn’texpect to feel so abandoned and alone. I had fantasized… I had hoped…
He moves to leave, but I quickly interject, “What about Dylan? Should we bring Dylan to stay here as well?”
I’d love to have my brother here with me as support. Maybe he could help talk some reason into Bryant. He could help me figure out this nightmare. Dylan has always hated his bloodline, but maybe if he had this opening to get to know his father and the rest of the family just as much as me, things could be different.
My father spins on his feet so he’s staring directly in my eyes. “There’s nowe. Get that through your head.” He breaks eye contact and glances at the phone in his hand as if searching for anything more important than his daughter standing in front of him. “Your brother is fine.”
I notice that he doesn’t call Dylan by name.
“But if the Constantines wanted me, and others wanted—”
