"That's great, Lisa. Is that all you did, though? Just talk?"
"I mean, there may have been some kissing there at the end." I blushed as I thought about his plush lips against mine.
He kissed me with such deep passion. Surprise filled me as I managed to contain my impulse to jump on his dick last night. I needed to learn to take things slow and get to know someone better before diving in. We may have to marry, but I should make him work to have me in any other way. This marriage would be a sham until we made it real.
"Oh my gosh, look at you blush. You're smitten," she laughed, poking my cheek.
"Shut up, am not."
"What's this beautiful laughter I hear?" Lucas entered the room from his office with a playful smirk.
Dad still has him working for the company to keep tabs on him. Lucas thought Dad was coming to terms with his marriage to Liv. Dad was coming to terms with it, alright, but not in the way Lucas thought. Dad was currently tolerating it as long as I did as he said. I would do everything he said to keep Lucas safe, to keep this life he had made for himself safe. He deserved it and so much more.
It was my turn to take Dad's torment.
"Your wife was poking fun at me."
"Oh, was she? Then it must be for a good reason." He looked at Liv like she was the only one in the room, even though he was talking to me.
We talked for a while longer before Dad called me. I forgot I was supposed to come see him an hour ago.
Shit. Shit. Shit.
"Hey, Dad. Sorry, I lost track of time. I'm on my way now."
I quickly answered, handing Abi to Lucas, who looked at me worriedly. I shook my head at him, giving him a hug with the phone still pressed to my ear.
"You better learn that my time is precious, Lisa. You missed our meeting with Mr. Darnell. So I agreed to his terms for you," Dad started, telling me in a pretty pissed off tone. I knew this would not be good by the way he sounded pleased with himself. "You will marry Christopher by the end of the year. We will announce the engagement in a couple of months. You may tell no one that this is an arranged marriage. You're to bear a son within a year of being married. If it is not a boy, you will continue to have children until you produce one."
My stomach twisted as I approached my car, listening to the sickening terms. I felt as if I had been sold off to some man. I was no longer a person but a possession to be taken ownership of.
“You're not allowed to divorce Christopher, for any reason, unless he decides otherwise, and only after you have produced a male heir. Failure to comply with these terms will cause them to take half the company, and me making your brother's life, and your own, absolute hell. You'll be in the streets, begging by the time I'm done. Do you understand me?”
I nodded my head like an idiot, forgetting we're on the phone.
"Yes, I understand," my voice betrayed me as I answered, sounding weak and insecure.
"Good. I want to see you spending time with Christopher as much as possible, so head to his apartment soon."
"Right now? We just saw each other last night."
"Are you asking questions? Just get it done, Lisa."
He hung up before I could say anything else. I sat in my car, unsure of what to do exactly. Yes, marrying Chris was the only way to keep Dad from messing with Lucas and his beautiful family, but I don't know that I could really do this. I mean, having a kid by next year seemed insane to me.
Chris was nice, and we had great banter, but I was not ready to have a kid with him. I was not ready to marry him, really. This whole thing was just insane and all I could do was follow along like a good, obedient daughter. If Lucas ever found out, he'd tell me he could handle himself. He'd march into Dad's office and go all out, but he couldn't do that anymore. He should think about his family, not just me.
Since we were kids, Lucas would always draw Dad's attention away from me and towards him. He knew that by doing so, he'd get the blunt end of Dad's fury. Lucas had always been my protector, but this time, I was determined to be his. I was his older sister, and for once I was going to look after him.
Davis' P.O.V.
"Oh, Lisa is coming too, so let Carter know to let her in," Liv said through the phone.
"Oh really? Good, she could stand to see a woman kick a man's ass." I smiled at the thought of Liv, little miss Twinkle Toes, beating Sid the Giant tonight.
"Thanks. I'll see you later. Oh, and Davis?"
"Yes, Twinkle Toes?"
