I push the door open unceremoniously.
My father is behind the desk and he is not alone. A man I don’t recognize sits across from him, with a stack of papers on the desk between them.
“Persia.” He glances up with the expression he wears when I have arrived at an inconvenient moment, which is the same expression he wears when I arrive at any moment.“You need to wait outside. Mr. Coleman and I have business. I’ll beckon you when you are needed.”
“Is it true?” For the first time in my life, I demand an answer from my father. “Did you arrange a marriage with Magnus Sterling without speaking to me? Without asking me. Withoutthinking…“what would Persia want”?” Angry tears swell along the rim of my eyes, blurring my vision. I let them slide down the swell of my cheeks, uncaring. Let the man see the pain he causes others.
The man across from my father closes his briefcase with a quiet click, unspeaking.
My father takes his glasses off and sets them on the desk and looks at me with the measured patience I do not know him for. “Sometimes arrangements have to be made. You are twenty-four years old. Not a child. Magnus is a sound choice for a husband and this was always the direction things were heading.”
“So he said. How long have you been planning using me as a pawn? Did you have any sense of telling me?”
“Why should I?”
I swallow hard at the harsh, lifeless almost uncaring abruptness to his tone. I never mattered to this man. Ever.
I still can’t believe my ears.“Since when, Father? Answer me! He is three years older than you.” My voice cracks along the edges, but I don’t let my fear hold me back from speaking the truth. Not this time.
“You gave him my hand in marriage. Don’t you think you owe me an explanation?”
“I gave him a great deal more than that and I don’t owe you a goddamn thing, little girl.” My father glances at the man with the briefcase and then back to me.
“A marriage to Magnus Sterling solves a significant financial problem for this family. Problems that would…”
He stops himself, jaw tightening.
“Magnus has agreed to absorb a few problems for me. The price of that agreement is you. It’s an easy fix and one you will gladly take on for the wellness of this family.”
I take a step in his direction, drawing his full attention.“What kind of trouble have you gotten into? What is worth sacrificing your only child over?” I truly want this man to love me and see me for who I can be in his life. He simply refuses.
A dark smile curls the edges of his lips, telling me I’ve gotten all the answers I’m going to get out of him.
“So that is how you think this works? I won’t sign anything. I refuse.”
My father pushes to his feet, planting his hands on the large mahogany desk in front of him. This whole time the lawyer sits there with his head bowed like he would rather sink into the floor than be drawn into this conversation.
Pathetic.
My father levels me with the coldness of his black eyes.“Persia,” he drawls out in a way that tells me I am about to feel the sting and pain living in this man’s soul on my body again.
His fingers curl into fists where he has them on the desk.“You foolish child.Youdon’t get to decide your life.Igave you life.Igave you this life. You owemefor the air in your lungs, for the blood in your veins. I own you and I will do with you as I please. Be lucky I picked a man like Magnus. If you treat him right he will do the same.” Vileness drenches my father’s hateful words and sends me curling into myself.
“He will rape me and use me as a breeder. I will never put my name on anything!” I hurl back vehemently and point my finger at the contract on the desk. “Never.”
His low hum of laughter pushes my blood pressure into new heights.“I thought you might fight me on this.”
You think?
The door behind me opens and I turn to see Magnus with two husky men flanking him enter. Three long strides and he’s at my side, his goons manhandling me closer to my father’s desk. Magnus takes out a pen and places it on the desk in front of me, flips to the signature line, and points.
“Sign it,” he barks.
I shake my head.“Fuck no.” It feels good to finally find my backbone.
His eyes move to the two men with silent orders. They step forward and take my arms with brutal strength.
I cringe but hold the shock of pain as Magnus closes my fingers around the pen and guides my hand to the paper.
