A genuine smile that goes right through my heart lights up Marcus's face. "Of course, princess. I'll be right here."
It's morning now, and I'm hanging out in the library while I wait for Marcus to get back from talking things out with my father.I want to hold onto hope that the situation will go well, but I'm struggling to manage it.
Burying myself in one of the hundreds of books that I've already read in this house seems to be the best use of my time. This library hasn't been updated since before I was born, and throughout my life, I've read every book in here.
Thankfully, I can read on my phone as well, but right now, one of those books that I usually pick for their suspense, intrigue, and action doesn't seem like the best idea.
As I flip the page in the book I'm reading, movement down the hall catches my attention. I have an open view of it from where I'm sitting, and the hall leads to my father's office.
At first, I wonder if it's Marcus coming back, but then I see the blonde hair, and my stomach turns to lead.
"Kyle? What the hell are you doing here?" I stand up from the oversized ottoman and head into the hallway. My father's protégé stops and turns around, eyeing me harshly. "You can't go in there right now. He's in a meeting."
Kyle saunters up with that ridiculous smirk plastered all over his face, and not for the first time, I wish that I had the balls to smack it off.
His eyes trace down my body, and I regret the leggings I'm wearing. I know they show every curve of my ass, and between that and the low V of my top, Kyle's lecherous gaze itches my skin.
"Well, if it isn't my future wife. I have important business to discuss with your father, and I'm sure whatever meeting he's in right now can wait."
"It can't, Kyle. He's discussing things with the new security."
"That fucking oaf from before? Well, I'm sure I should be there for that discussion, seeing as I'm going to be the man of this house someday."
Even though it's made of lead, my stomach is roiling, threatening to upchuck the cup of coffee I made for myself this morning.
Snagging Kyle by the sleeve, I draw him into the library. I keep my voice low because I don't want to disturb the meeting going on in my father's office.
"You need to get that thought out of your head. I'm not marrying you, Kyle. You need my consent for that, and you don't have it. So just leave."
In a move that has that nausea pooling in my gut all the harder, Kyle's expression drops.
He always has this effortless surfer boy smile on his face. Still, the man I'm looking at now looks like he's taken off that pretty boy exterior and is showing me who he really is.
His eyes are cold and empty, seeming to look through me and down at me at the same time. There is calculation and fury behind his eyes.
I've seenAmerican Psychoa few times now, and this echoes the main character before and after he's had his break. There's the corporate yuppie Kyle, and there's the one I'm looking at now.
And this one scares the shit out of me.
"You need to do as you're told, bitch. Your role here is simply to be my wife, secure this job for me, and keep quiet. I've hadenough of your resistance. This has been planned for years, and you will not jeopardize my opportunity to get a founding stake in this company."
I can see why my father likes Kyle so much. He's just as much of a piece of shit as my father is. He is using me for his own gains, like I am a chess piece to be moved around.
Backing up instinctively, I start to speak. "How dare you?—"
But Kyle grabs my arm, his fingers digging in hard enough to bruise. I can't move, and the pain zings through my bicep.
"I can do whatever I want. Your father might be king of this castle, but I'm the prince, and when he's gone, I'm taking over. Don't make me ugly you up so that no one else will want you."
I'm flabbergasted by what Kyle is saying. I know I need to respond, to say something back to him, to get myself out of here, but I'm frozen.
I hate my stupid body for the way that it trembles. I hate my eyes for the way they burn as I keep the tears at bay.
"Let go of me." I'm still trying to keep my voice down, and I don't know why. "Let go!"
Yanking at his hold, I can't get free, and I start to stumble backward.
Just as I think I'm going to fall and Kyle is going to pin me down to the floor and do god knows what, Marcus appears.
