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I consider the idea and then shove him away. "No. I'll keep ignoring it. I'll be home soon anyway and they can bother me in person then."
"What do they want?"
"Same as usual. To control my fucking life." I heave out a sigh, turning my phone off before tossing it in the nightstand drawer.
"I'm sorry you're dealing with that. I did too once. Still kind of am. Except my father is in hell and doesn't have a phone." He looks at me wearily and I can tell he wants to say more but doesn't.
Facing him again, I lean down and stroke his face. "How about we pretend none of them exist and go for a swim. Then later you can take me on a date and I might even invite you inside for a nightcap."
Smiling, he kisses the corner of my mouth and a loud banging on the door has us jumping apart.
"You expecting company?" he asks, his expression twisted.
"No. Maybe they're lost?"
"I'll answer it," he says, already stomping toward the front of the house. Yanking at his arm, I stop him before he can reach the door. I'm glad I did when I hear my dad's voice outside the door.
"You know them?"
"Yeah. It's my dad. Go wait for me by the water and I'll be there in ten minutes."
His forehead wrinkles. "You sure? I can stay with you if you need me to."
"No. I need to talk to him alone. Him seeing you, whether it's like this or as a human, will only worsen the situation."
"Okay." He forces a smile on his face, the worry in his eyes not going away. "I'll see you outside then."
"Yeah." We kiss one more time before he rushes toward the back door in the kitchen. Taking a deep breath, I wait until he's fully out of the house before opening the door to face my dad.
"What are you doing here?" I grit out.
Standing tall, my dad smiles maliciously, adjusting his bright blue polo. He's up to something. He wouldn't have flown all the way out here if he wasn't.
"Ah, so you are alive. Good to see my son who won't answer his phone is living, breathing, and well."
"I'm on vacation. Enjoying my honeymoon."
"Hard to do alone, isn't it?" He glances behind me. "Not to worry, your husband-to-be will be here in a couple of days. He got a little caught up with work."
Anger heats my blood. "What do you mean he'll be here? Why is he coming? I don't want him here and I'm supposed to go back to work in three days."
"You don't have to worry about that anymore. You don't need that job. Once the two of you are married, you'll come work for me so you'll be ready to run things next year with your new husband by your side."
My stomach shifts and I ball my fists at my sides. "I can't leave my job because you want me to run some bullshit company I want no part of."
"Good thing you don't have to. I took care of everything for you."
"You did what? Who the fuck do you think you are to make decisions like that for me?"
He shoves at my chest, his nostrils flaring. "Who the fuck do you think you are? I raised you, paid for your education, and gave you the life I didn't have while growing up, and how did you repay me? By being an ungrateful little shit. You will marry Theon and the wedding will happen in three days."
"And if I don't?"
"You don't want to know what will happen if you don't. I have a letter ready to give to your landlord and your boss if you run away again. If they get it, no one will ever hire you or rent to you again. Don't make me have to do this."
"You're fucking crazy. Why are you doing this to me? I'm your son. Don't you want me to be happy?"
"Happiness always comes with a price, and there are sacrifices you have to make first in order to get there. To ensure you have a good life. I've made my own sacrifices, and now you'll do so too. Or else everything I've done for this family was all for nothing."
