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But that’s just it. She was the reason I couldn’t stop it. Being around Emree made me forget where I came from. She is so sweet and happy and filled with life. Being around her made it seem like I had this normal future that consisted of us being together. Not the one where I am destined to marry a complete stranger, all in the name of strengthening my family’s business.
Several punches later, I am dripping with sweat. Even though the rule is you need to keep a shirt on while in here, I remove mine since the one guy who was on the treadmill earlier left, and I am alone. Pulling the gloves off, I head over to the fountain and guzzle down some water. As I’m walking back, my phone begins ringing from my bag.
Once in my hand, I pause at the caller ID. The man who is ruining me wants to talk. Knowing I can’t let it ring any longer, or he will lash out, I answer. “Hello,” I greet in a flat tone.
“I’m assuming you are back from your little trip away?” my father asks.
“Yes, sir.”
“Good. It is time to get serious about your future, Conrad.”
My nostrils flare at his mention of my future. The one he is dead set on destroying.
“I am sending Liliana out, and she will be staying at one of our hotels in Tampa. She will be there for the remainder of your semester. I expect you to treat this as if you were dating any other girl. Wine and dine her, even though she has already agreed to the marriage. We want it to look as organic as possible.” Bile rises thinking about getting close to this girl when my heart belongs to the one I just had to leave. “We want the engagement to happen by the end of summer, so get to know her as much as possible.”
“If she has already agreed to it, why do I have to basically date her?”
“Don’t question me, boy. You will do as I say with no back talk. The merging of our families is going to be on the front pages, and we want you two to look as in love as possible.” I can hear the squeak of his office chair as he leans back. “Between you and me, the girl is a looker. Your mother and I met her in person last weekend. You will be quite pleased with the choice. She is lean and has a body I am sure you will enjoy.”
Hearing my own father talk like that is sickening. “Then you marry her.” I knew those words were a mistake the moment they came out of my mouth.
“Talk back to me one more time, and I will fly to Braxton to knock some sense into you myself,” he barks into the phone. “And marriage is more than good pussy, son. You will learn that when the time comes. Don’t worry. You can always have more on the side, especially when you create an heir with this girl. Pregnant women are disgusting to fuck.”
My breathing becomes heavy as I try to control myself and watch my words. “Are we done?”
He sighs. “She will be there tomorrow night. A car will pick her up and bring her to the hotel, but I expect you to greet her and take her to dinner.”
“Of course.”
“I’ll have my secretary send you her flight and hotel details.” He hangs up without a goodbye, as usual.
Sitting on the bench where I left my bag, I drop my head into my hands as I rest my elbows on my thighs. In two days, I am going to have to take a complete stranger on a date. No, not a complete stranger.
My future fucking wife.
10
EMREE
The house is dark by the time the front door opens again. I’m sitting on the floor, not having moved since I fell to the ground after Conrad left. After breaking up with me. The man I fell in love with and wanted nothing more than to tell him this weekend broke up with me. I could have sworn after last night, he felt the same way, yet here I am, crying on the floor of my apartment, experiencing the worst heartbreak I have ever felt.
“Em? You here? Why are all the lights off?” Blaire calls from down the hallway.
“B-Blaire?” I struggle to call out. My voice is hoarse from all the crying.
She comes around the corner and the moment she sees me, she drops her purse onto the floor. Once she is close enough, she drops down to the ground with me, sitting on her calves. “What’s wrong? Are you hurt? What happened?” Her questions come out rushed as she looks me over, trying to find any evidence that I am injured.
A new wave of tears comes out, and I’m beginning to wonder if they will ever dry up. “C-Conrad…he…he…” Taking a deep breath, I try to get myself composed enough to talk. “Broke u-up with m-me.”
Blaire leans back, her jaw dropped in shock. “No. There is no way. Em, there has to be a mistake.”
Shaking my head, I wipe the tears away with the back of my hand. “Nope. He stood right there”—I point to the spot Conrad was when he broke my heart—“and told me he ‘can’t do this’ anymore.”
“Are you sure he didn’t, like, hit his head or something?”
Staring into her eyes, I say the next words slowly, “He doesn’t want me, Blaire. Even when I begged him to tell me what I did wrong, he couldn’t give me a reason.”
Her eyes fill with tears hearing the pain in my voice.
