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“Says who?”
“Says everyone I asked tonight. Maybe you’re fucking him, but you’re not in a relationship with him.”
“That’s absolutely none of your business.”
“It’s absolutelyallof my business. Because your father has approved of me dating you and, after an appropriate amount of time, marrying you.”
“This isn’t the sixteen hundreds, Felix.” My voice is as dry as the Sahara. “My father can’t just betroth me to someone. He doesn’t have any say in who I date.”
“Oh, I think we both know that your father has quite a bit of influence on your life. Do you want him to sell the team? To take away your trust fund, your home? It would be a pity if you and Caleb were homeless.”
“You’re insane,” I hiss and pull out of his arms. “There’s no way inhellmy father would do any of that to me. Not for anything.”
“I bet I could talk him into it.” He winks. “It’s all about what’s best for business, after all.”
“Fuck this.” I storm away from him and over to my table, but rather than join Drew, I approach my father. “You do realize that Felix is a smarmy bastard, right? He basically just told me that if I don’t date him, he’ll talk you into ruining me.”
There are gasps around us, and my father’s eyes flick to the side before he stands and leans in to speak quietly in my ear.
“You’re making a scene, London.”
“You’re damn right I’m making a scene. I willnotbe spoken to like that, and I expect my father, whom I love very much, to have my back.”
“Of course, I have your back,” he assures me, and his eyes soften. For the first time in a long time, I feel like it’s true.Thisis the dad from my childhood. He turns to Felix, whom I can feel vibrating with fury behind me. “You can go, Felix. Any friendship or relationship we had is now done.”
“She’s lying,” Felix insists, but my father shakes his head and kisses my forehead.
“No. She’s not. And I was a fool to think that you might be good for her. Now, I advise you to leave peacefully, or I’ll have you escorted out.”
Felix snarls—actuallysnarls—before he turns and stomps away, shoulder-checking people on his way out.
“We’ll discuss this later,” Dad says softly, and then sits down to enjoy the rest of his evening, as if he’s just flicked off a pesky fly. “Don’t worry, darling. We’ll find someone…suitable.”
He glances at Drew and smirks, then turns and talks to someone else at the table.
This night is over for me.
“Would you mind if we make it an early night?” I ask Drew when I return to my seat.
“You’re the boss,” he says, and we take the next thirty minutes to say our goodbyes and make our way out to the valet.
We’re quiet as we wait for his car, and the whole time, I can’t get my dad’s last shot out of my head.We’ll find someone suitable.
As if Drew would be anunsuitablematch? Why? Because he’s not as wealthy as my father? I hate to break it to him, but there are very few people in the world as well off as he is. If that’s what he wants me to find, we’re both going to be horribly disappointed.
We’re still quiet in the car as Drew pulls onto the interstate.
“Do you want to tell me what happened during that dance?” he finally asks.
“Felix got too confident in his influence with my father and threatened me with poverty and homelessness. Not that my father has any say in such things because he didn’t buy my home, and I’ve amassed wealth on my own, but the fact that he mentioned Caleb, that my son’s name crossed his lips, was too much for me to stay quiet about. I just lost my shit.”
I see Drew’s hands tighten on the steering wheel in temper. “I should have punched the fucker.”
“Ishould have punched the fucker,” I reply. “Hopefully, he’s gone for good now. I’m just tired.”
“You put on quite a show.”
My head whips around, and I stare at Drew in surprise. “What do you mean by that?”
